News needs more diversity at the top

In her most up-to-date comments on allegations of harassment at CBS, Katie Couric said that reports about the network's men's toxic culture were valid.

CEO Leslie Moonves and executive producer "60 Minutes," Jeff Fager, left the company this month after investigating allegations of misconduct. Both men denied the charges against them.

"The culture I found at '60 Minutes' was personally very difficult and sometimes quite offensive," she told CNN's Brian Stelter Sunday on "Reliable Sources" . "I think that obsequious and enslaved service was a working condition to live in, especially for many women."

"Suck the boss?" Stelter asked.

"Basically, yes," said Couric, who worked at CBS between 2006 and 2011 as a news anchor and contributor to "60 minutes".

Couric has also worked with Matt Lauer for years as a co-host on NBC's Today. NBC was fired last year by NBC for alleged sexual harassment. Lauer denied having committed "coercive, aggressive or abusive actions", although he said "fully recognize" having sometimes "acted inappropriately".

Couric said Sunday that Lauer was a "great professional partner with me for many years" and that she "was unaware of any behavior, predatory behavior".

"It was obviously very shocking and disturbing for me and for many of his colleagues," said Couric.

She said that these high-profile examples point to a bigger problem in newsrooms, most of which are male-run.

"I think that obviously the male hierarchy has been in place [at CBS] for years, and it's time for this to end. But they are not the only network to have a male hierarchy, "she said," If you look at the presidents of news in all major radio and cable networks, they are all men. "

Shortly after the interview, Couric told Stelter that Fox News had a female boss, Suzanne Scott, who became CEO earlier this year. Jay Wallace is the president of Fox News.

On the airwaves, Mr. Couric continued, "The three evening news presenters are men, the vast majority of executive producers in each network are men, and that must stop."

Couric added that "the implicit bias" must be "better understood in media circles". She called this term "cultural conditioning that leads us to look at people in a certain way".

Couric stated that she was guilty of it herself. In the presidential election of ten years ago, she said that she had asked aloud whether Sarah Palin, then Governor of Alaska and John McCain's running mate, could to be vice-president with five children.

"I would never ask that question about a male candidate," she said. "I think we have a lot of work to do."

Couric said moves like #MeToo should help newsrooms improve parity.

"If we really believe that the tone at the top is paramount, then you need to have more diverse voices at the top because they have such an impact on the editorial choices that are made, who covers the stories and how they are covered," said Couric.

CNNMoney (New York) First published on September 30, 2018: 3:06 pm ET