Top Newsmax Exec Remains in Place Despite Multiple Sexual Harassment Complaints

Multiple Newsmax staffers have reported a top executive for sexual harassment, sources told Mediaite. Still, that executive, Newsmax’s vice president of programming Chris Knowles, remains at the conservative cable news network.

One Newsmax employee told Mediaite she was the victim of Knowles’s sexual harassment. Two other staffers claimed they personally witnessed Knowles sexually harassing female subordinates.

Several staffers reported the alleged harassment to the network’s human resources department, but said little was done in response. Knowles, four sources said, was told to correct his behavior but faced no repercussions and remains in his role.

“It’s an open secret here,” a Newsmax producer told Mediaite. “Knowles is known to prey on the youngest female staffers, even those who report directly to him.”

Another Newsmax staffer said she was not surprised when she was personally subjected to harassment.

“As a female staffer I have been harassed by Knowles,” she said. “This doesn’t surprise me at all. It’s a man’s club. They’ve known for a long time about this guy. It hasn’t stopped him from doing what he does to the new girls.”

Sources described other instances of alleged harassment.

They said Knowles circulated photos of a female subordinate’s cleavage around the office without her knowledge or consent. They said he once asked a female subordinate, in front of other colleagues, to remove her leather skirt. These alleged advances were said to be unwanted and unreciprocated.

Three Newsmax staffers also claimed Knowles, who is married, had a consensual affair with a female subordinate who remains employed at Newsmax.

“Knowles isn’t very good at hiding his tracks,” the Newsmax producer told Mediaite. “I’ve seen him numerous times at the regular bars after late night news events getting close and physical with female staffers. It’s not new. It’s been going on for a very long time. Just the girls change when they leave. Christopher Knowles remains the constant.”

When reached for comment, a spokesperson for Knowles said he “categorically denies that he had any inappropriate relationship with any employee or subordinate.”

In a statement to Mediaite, a Newsmax spokesperson wrote: “Newsmax has never had a single complaint about Mr. Knowles having sexually inappropriate activity with any staffer, either formally or informally. And based upon our knowledge, we don’t believe any comments you claim he made constitute sexual harassment.”

Newsmax staffers who spoke with Mediaite were skeptical of that statement.

“I know for a fact that there have been several HR claims against Knowles for sexual harassment issues,” the Newsmax producer said. “I am shocked they claim otherwise.”

Another Newsmax staffer who spoke with Mediaite concurred: “I am shocked to hear the network denying well known HR complaints against Chris Knowles. And I am extremely disappointed that they refuse to take such violations seriously.”

After Mediaite began looking into this story, Newsmax employees were sent an internal memo asking them not to speak to media reporters. The memo, which was obtained by Mediaite, stated: “As a reminder of our policy, if you receive any inquiries from media reporters, etc for an on the record or off the record conversation about any topic please do not engage and forward the communication” to network leadership.

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