ABC News Allegedly A Rampant Sex-Driven Workplace, Here’s The Shocking Account
After the Good Morning America scandal, more ABC News staffers are coming forward with stories of a sex-driven work environment.
ABC News has been America’s source of unbiased news since 1945 (according to itself, anyway), however, amidst new allegations, the network’s workplace may not be as wholesome as originally thought. In recent months, multiple stories of in-office affairs and a culture of sex and promiscuity have come to light. The Cut spoke with a former ABC News staffer that opened up about her time at the network, giving a testimony that shines some light on what was really going on at the studio.
When the affair between Good Morning America anchors T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach hit tabloids last November, people began questioning what was going on behind the scenes. Photos of the couple embracing on a trip upstate revealed the affair. In response, both were kicked off the show and two months later were seen celebrating after signing exit agreements.
Even though the relationship was not directly against company policy, current network President, Kim Godwin, told staffers that the two had to be let go because the relationship was a liability to the company. Holmes and Robach were co-anchors and worked on an equal playing field with each other, so issues of seniority or power imbalances did not arise in their affair. However, some allege that their relationship was an anomaly and romances between subordinates and higher-ups occurred often behind the scenes.
Former ABC News staffer Sascha details her workplace affair with T.J. Holmes. Their romance began back in 2014 when Holmes worked as an anchor during the graveyard shift. Working nights made it difficult for Sascha to have a social life, so when Holmes began making advances toward her, she was excited by the prospect of getting attention.
Even though he was an anchor and she was a low-level staffer, the two’s affair went on for months, ending when Holmes was taken off the graveyard shift. It appears that relationships with power imbalances were the norm at the studio in the 2010s. Some women even claimed that they were essential to trying to get a promotion in the company.
One former staffer claimed that in the competitive newsroom, those that had slept with the right person were promoted to senior roles. Casual office romances were common at the studio, it was a part of the culture at ABC News and especially on the set of Good Morning America. During Sascha’s time with the network, she heard multiple rumors of people hooking up in the editing bay.
Not all of these office romances were consensual and many had a massive power imbalance at play. In 2021, two women came forward accusing former executive producer Micheal Corn of sexually assaulting them. Oftentimes, women’s stories were discredited by the network and not looked into seriously.
Kim Godwin was hired as ABC News’ president back in 2021 and much has changed around the network since. In addition to letting Holmes and Robach go, Godwin has created a zero-tolerance policy around workplace relationships. A current ABC staffer notes that the culture has made a huge shift for the better since Godwin came on board.
