UK media house apologises to female staff for sexual harassment: Report

UK news publisher Guardian News & Media (GNM) has apologised to women who said that a veteran ex-columnist at The Observer newspaper was responsible for sexually harassing or assaulting them, said reports in US media.

Anna Bateson, chief executive of GNM and Katharine Viner, editor-in-chief of Guardian have reportedly written to several women who had alleged that Nick Cohen, the columnist, had groped them or made unwanted sexual advances.

"We want to apologise for your experience of sexual harassment by an Observer member of staff, and for the way your complaint was handled," read an email quoted by The New York Times.

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AFP reported that the media group had confirmed that Bateson and Viner had apologised to the women. They have reportedly also pledged to improve procedures regarding sexual misconduct allegations. The media group reportedly told AFP that Cohen resigned from the group in November 2022.

"We... can confirm our editor-in-chief and CEO have written to all those who have spoken out publicly on this matter or been in touch with GNM," a spokesman said.

GNM has hired Howlett Brown, a consultancy that specialises in workplace culture and independent investigations. The consultancy found that systems and policies were "strong" but they outlined two key changes.

All future sexual harassment allegations will be investigated by independent and external third parties, instead of senior managers. Related disciplinary hearings will only be heard by independent and external third parties.

'Hugely relieved'

Journalist Lucy Siegle tweeted that she had received the GNM apology and was "hugely relieved".

As per thereport in the NYT, Cohen had grabbed her bottom many years earlier when she was in a junior role. She had accused the UK group of failing to act.

Writer Jean Hannah Edelstein tweeted she was "glad" to receive an apology over her treatment and that GNM realised that "harassment requires external investigation".

(With inputs from agencies)

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