Editor-in-chief of TV news at RTS temporarily retires
The editor-in-chief of news broadcasts at French-speaking Swiss television, Bernard Rappaz, is temporarily stepping down while investigations are launched into allegations of harassment at RTS. The management of the newsroom will be taken over by the deputy heads of the newsroom.
This investigation concerns all levels of the company hierarchy, according to a statement issued Wednesday by RTS radio and television in western Switzerland. "I expect the investigation to clearly clarify the responsibilities at all hierarchical levels of the company," Rappaz is quoted as saying in the statement.
On October 31 the newspaper had Le Temps citing anonymous sources, revealed that bullying and sexual harassment allegedly occurred within RTS over a period of years. In the research, the interviewees reported open harassment, unwanted kisses, lewd comments and systematic abuse of power.
Three employees were accused, including Darius Rochebin, longtime presenter of the RTS daily news. The management and the personnel managers of RTS had consistently looked the other way. Rochebin, who has been hosting a talk show with famous personalities at the French news channel LCI since the fall, has meanwhile filed a defamation suit against Le Temps submitted.
Last week, the RTS management and the SRG board of directors announced that the two executives had been temporarily suspended and two independent investigations launched.
RTS writes that the presumption of innocence applies and that the investigation is taking place in compliance with the principle of personal privacy. RTS did not want to comment further on the fact that Rappaz is temporarily withdrawing from the management of TV News. (SDA)
