Media critic David Zurawik issued a strong rebuke to NBC for their denials of allegations that surfaced in Ronan Farrow’s new book about both former Today show host Matt Lauer and network executives.
Farrow, who also broke the allegations of sexual misconduct against ex-Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, accused the network of knowing about the accusation that Lauer raped a colleague in his upcoming book Catch and Kill. Lauer has since issued a statement defending himself and calling the incident consensual. Farrow’s book also sheds light on inappropriate workplace behavior from network head Andy Lack.
Zurawik appeared on Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter on Sunday morning and was asked about the network’s response, in which it called the reports that executives covered up the allegations against Lauer “absolutely false and offensive.”
“I love it when they say it’s offensive,” he began. “Brian, I never bought — for not a second did I buy that they didn’t know what was going on with Matt Lauer. He was making a lot of money for them in the most important day part, and the notion just voiced that they looked the other way is the kindest thing that you can say about him. And now after Farrow’s book about these incidents, I laugh in their face when they tell me how committed they are to a diverse workplace and protecting women who come into the workplace.”
He went on to call it an “outrage” and asked, “How do they keep doing the crisis management talk in the wake of that?”
