Listened to The Daily: The Weinstein Jury Believed the Women from New York Times
In a case fraught with complexity, the former Hollywood mogul was convicted of two felony sex crimes. Will this be a watershed moment for such prosecutions?

Listened to OTM presents: Here's the Thing with Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor by Alec Baldwin from On the Media | WNYC Studios

Our colleagues at "Here's the Thing" produced a great episode this week that we think you'll enjoy:
Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey are the New York Times reporters who broke the Harvey Weinstein story. For five months -- perpetually in danger of losing the scoop -- they cultivated and cajoled sources ranging from the Weinsteins’ accountant to Ashley Judd. The article that emerged on October 5th, 2017, was a level-headed and impeccably sourced exposé, whose effects continue to be felt around the world. Their conversation with Alec Baldwin covers their reporting process, and moves on to a joint wrestling with Alec’s own early knowledge of one of the Weinstein allegations, and his ongoing friendship with accused harasser James Toback. The guests ask Alec questions about the movie industry’s ethics about sex and “the casting couch.” Over a respectful and surprising half-hour, host and guests together talk through the many dilemmas posed by the #MeToo movement that Kantor and Twohey did so much to unleash.

Listened to The Weinstein Trial Begins from On the Media | WNYC Studios

As Harvey Weinstein faces trial, we discuss the essential role of gossip and whisper networks in protecting the vulnerable and spreading news that threaten the powerful.

In New York this week, jury selection began in the trial of former Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein. News of his alleged sexual predations launched the #MeToo movement in October 2017, through investigative reporting from both The New York Times and The New Yorker. Even as he prepares to stand trial in New York, sexual assault charges were filed against him in Los Angeles. To date, over eighty women in the film industry have accused him of rape and sexual assault and abuse. Weinstein claims they were all consensual acts. 

The reporting has been groundbreaking in its detail, laying out the allegations for the public. But in Hollywood, Weinstein’s abuses already were an open secret. In 2017, Brooke spoke with Buzzfeed senior culture writer Anne Helen Petersen about the essential role of gossip and whisper networks in protecting the vulnerable and spreading news that threatens the powerful.

Listened to The Daily: The Harvey Weinstein Case, Part 1 from New York Times

More than 80 women have come forward with allegations of sexual misconduct against Harvey Weinstein, but as he goes on trial in New York, the criminal charges center on just two. The story of Lucia Evans helps explain why.

👓 #MeToo law restricts use of nondisclosure agreements in sexual misconduct cases | LA Times

Read #MeToo law restricts use of nondisclosure agreements in sexual misconduct cases (latimes.com)
Among victims and advocates, an important step in dismantling the pervasive problem of harassment and the system that has kept it under wraps for so long is to void or curb the use of NDAs to settle sexual abuse cases.
The tough part is recreating a better system and predicting the potential future abuses that may continue in such a system. How do we enforce fairness fairly? What unintended consequences might there be?

📺 Weinstein | Watch S36 E6 | FRONTLINE | PBS

Watched Weinstein from FRONTLINE
SEASON 36: EPISODE 6
FRONTLINE investigates how Harvey Weinstein allegedly sexually harassed and abused dozens of women over four decades. With allegations going back to Weinstein’s early years, the film examines the elaborate ways he and those around him tried to silence his accusers.

👓 David Boies Pleads Not Guilty | New York Times

Read David Boies Pleads Not Guilty (nytimes.com)
The superlawyer in such cases as Bush v. Gore and the fight for gay marriage rights makes no apologies for representing Harvey Weinstein and Theranos with zeal.

👓 Columnist Retracts Harvey Weinstein Interview, Says Conversation Was a "Social Visit" | Hollywood Reporter

Read Columnist Retracts Harvey Weinstein Interview, Says Conversation Was a "Social Visit" (The Hollywood Reporter)
'The Spectator's' Taki Theodoracopulos quoted the disgraced mogul as saying, "Yes, I did offer [women] acting jobs in exchange for sex, but so did, and still does, everyone."
Aren’t “social visits” what got Weinstein in trouble in the first place? When is he going to learn?

🎧 ‘The Daily’: Sexual Harassment’s Toll on Careers | New York Times

Listened to ‘The Daily’: Sexual Harassment’s Toll on Careers by Michael Barbaro from nytimes.com

In a case that highlights the economic consequences of sexual harassment and retaliation, Ashley Judd is suing Harvey Weinstein for the damage he did to her career after she rebuffed his advances.

And in the second part of the episode, three women who pioneered the language of consent reflect on being far ahead of their time on the politics of sex.

On today’s episode:

• Jodi Kantor, one of the investigative reporters at The New York Times who broke the story about the raft of sexual harassment accusations against Mr. Weinstein, discusses the implications of a new lawsuit.

• We hear from Juliet Brown, Christelle Evans and Bethany Saltman, who helped to establish an affirmative consent policy for sex at Antioch College in 1990.

Background reading:

• Ms. Judd filed a lawsuit on Monday accusing Mr. Weinstein of harming her career by spreading lies about her after she rejected his sexual requests. Her claim is corroborated by the director Peter Jackson, who revealed last year that Mr. Weinstein had warned him not to hire the actress for his “Lord of the Rings” franchise.

• Antioch College students developed a sexual consent policy in the 1990s. It was mocked by much of the rest of the world. Since then, campuses across the country have caught up, and a new generation of Antioch students is pushing the conversation further.

• A Times video journalist recalls being asked to sign a verbal consent form during a visit to Antioch College in 2004, long before the language of sexual consent had entered the mainstream.

It’s long been an open secret in casting related discussions that people’s character and habits are maligned to push decisions in one direction or another, and often in ways that harm not only the person’s career, but their future potential for hiring. In most other industries, this would be easily litigated or at least brought up. I’m glad to see it may be banned outright as a result of cases like these.

Having gone to college in the 90’s myself I also remember the Antioch College agreements. Though they may have gone a bit too far, it’s obvious they were generally right in re-balancing the power in relationships as well as being well ahead of their times.

🎧 Silenced | The Daily – New York Times

Listened to ‘The Daily’: Silenced by Michael Barbaro from nytimes.com
A complex system has developed to mute women who accuse powerful men. One of those women is an actress who said she had an affair with Donald J. Trump.

These types of horrific tactics should be outlawed.

👓 Harvey Weinstein shows how not to respond | Axios

Read Harvey Weinstein shows how not to respond after allegations from Uma Thurman by Mike Allen (Axios)
Stunning series of interviews by Maureen Dowd, on the cover of N.Y. Times Sunday Review, "A Goddess, A Mogul And a Mad Genius ... Uma Thurman ... is finally ready to talk about Harvey Weinstein" — and Quentin Tarantino
This is a simple me-too article (in the original meaning of “We’ve got to post something, but don’t have anything interesting of our own”) where Axios is just recapping some other reportage going around the web. Sadly nothing new here, but they had to post something about what is going on with the story. Would be nice to see them doing some original reporting on the matter.

👓 This Is Why Uma Thurman Is Angry | New York Times

Read Opinion | This Is Why Uma Thurman Is Angry by Maureen Dowd (New York Times)
The actress is finally ready to talk about Harvey Weinstein.
I’m wondering why, if she spent so much time waiting to put this out, why there isn’t more “story” here? This feels like it was rushed out despite the fact that there’s a lot of personal touch to the story. I expected something far more painful and scathing.

👓 The fall of Harvey Weinstein should be a moment to rethink masculinity | Rebecca Solnit | The Guardian

Read The fall of Harvey Weinstein should be a moment to rethink masculinity by Rebecca Solnit (the Guardian)
Too many men seem aroused by their ability to humiliate women. But now their victims are being listened to, says writer Rebecca Solnit

👓 Matt Damon, Russell Crowe Reportedly Helped Kill a 2004 Harvey Weinstein Article | Vulture

Read Ex-NYT Reporter Claims Weinstein Asked Damon to Help Kill 2004 Story; NYT Denies (Vulture)
The Wrap editor Sharon Waxman trades accusations with top Times editors, says Weinstein pressured celebrity friends to help kill the story.