Ronan Farrow, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of 'Catch and Kill,' joins the conversation to delve into his groundbreaking work exposing sexual abuse in Hollywood. He shares the challenges he faced while revealing the Harvey Weinstein story, shedding light on the powerful efforts to silence victims. Farrow discusses the systemic issues in media organizations that failed to protect women and offers insights into the ongoing struggle for accountability. He also reflects on the Me Too movement and hints at potential adaptations of his compelling book.
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NBC's On-Camera Excuse
Ronan Farrow had eight on-camera interviews for the Weinstein story, including named accusers and a confession tape.
NBC News executives still used the need for an on-camera interview as justification to kill the story.
insights INSIGHT
Cover-Up Culture
The Weinstein story highlights how corporate cover-up culture can obstruct truth and accountability.
This behavior is not unique to NBC and represents a broader threat to journalistic integrity.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Black Cube Tactics
Harvey Weinstein hired Black Cube, an Israeli intelligence firm, to suppress the story.
Black Cube used tactics like fake identities, undercover operatives, and surveillance.
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Catch and Kill is a detailed and gripping narrative of Ronan Farrow's investigative journalism that exposed Harvey Weinstein as a serial sexual predator. The book chronicles the intense resistance and intimidation Farrow faced, including surveillance by high-priced lawyers and elite spies, as he delved deeper into the story. It also explores similar cases involving other powerful men like Donald Trump and Matt Lauer, highlighting the systemic corruption and cover-ups that allowed these abuses to continue. The book is a testament to the bravery of the women who came forward to expose the truth and spark a global movement against sexual abuse and harassment.
She Said
Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement
Megan Twohey
Jodi Kantor
She Said is a thrilling account of the investigative journalism that led to the exposure of Harvey Weinstein's decades-long history of sexual abuse and harassment. Written by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, the book chronicles their meticulous investigation, including secret meetings, harrowing phone calls, and private text exchanges with A-list actresses and other sources. It also explores the systemic structures of power that enabled Weinstein's behavior and the broader impact of the #MeToo movement, including the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford against Brett Kavanaugh. The book is praised for its detailed and suspenseful narrative, offering insights into the rigorous process of quality reporting and the significant cultural shifts it helped catalyze.
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ronan Farrow talks with Recode’s Kara Swisher about his new book, Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators, which details the extreme lengths men like Harvey Weinstein have gone to escape accountability for sexual abuse. He discusses why other journalists before him couldn’t nail the Weinstein story, and how the powerful Hollywood producer tapped into a network of shady allies in his attempt to suppress it — including some of Farrow's former bosses at NBC News. He also talks about how the public and the press mistreated women like Rose McGowan, his recent story about the MIT-Jeffrey Epstein cover-up, and why the book is ultimately optimistic about the future. Plus: Will Catch and Kill be a movie?
Decoder with Nilay Patel 
