• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

2

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

3

Current price of oil as of July 6, 2026

1

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI

2

Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it

3

Current price of oil as of July 6, 2026
MPWBroadsheet

Les Moonves, Jeff Fager, McDonald’s Strike: Broadsheet September 13

By
Claire Zillman
Claire Zillman
and
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Claire Zillman
Claire Zillman
and
Emma Hinchliffe
Emma Hinchliffe
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 13, 2018, 6:37 AM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Good morning, Broadsheet readers! McDonald’s workers are striking against sexual harassment, another CBS exec is out, and a former TV writer takes Les Moonves to task in spectacular fashion. Have a great Thursday.

EVERYONE'S TALKING

• A different kind of harassment. One thing's for sure: when Linda Bloodworth Thomason wrote this essay about Les Moonves, she came with guns a-blazing.

The TV writer behind Designing Women tells of her experience with the ex-CBS CEO in The Hollywood Reporter and, in short, she torches the guy.

She claims that after creating Designing Women—a bonafide hit for the network—she didn't work again for seven years, despite having a five-pilot deal with CBS, as Moonves rejected show idea after show idea. She says he was never explicit in what he disliked about her or her pitches, but she guesses it might've been her "loud-mouthed" female characters, her championing of "the New South," or her "admittedly aggressive, feminist agenda."

"People asked me for years, 'Where have you been? What happened to you?,'" she writes. "Les Moonves happened to me."

She also points out that under Moonves's leadership, CBS rolled out "highly profitable, male-dominated series," arguing that he's consigned women to "vaginal swabs in crime labs on CSI Amarillo."

Her essay, I assure you, is worth reading in full.

It's also reminiscent of the Huffington Post report that Moonves personally tried to ruin Janet Jackson's career after her wardrobe malfunction at the 2004 Super Bowl. In Moonves's view, Jackson wasn't contrite enough about the incident so he blacklisted her music from Viacom-owned radio stations and other components of CBS's sprawling media empire. (CBS declined to comment for the story.)

In both cases, Moonves is not accused of sexually harassing or assaulting either woman, but his alleged professional mistreatment of them certainly has its place in the #MeToo conversation. That's because, as Rebecca Traister argued in December, despite the salacious details of #MeToo stories that are of a sexual nature, such abuse is not wholly about sex.

"What it’s really about is work," she wrote for The Cut, "and women’s equality in the workplace, and more broadly, about the rot at the core of our power structures that makes it harder for women to do work because the whole thing is tipped toward men."

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

• More than Moonves. Following Moonves's ouster, Jeff Fager, longtime executive producer of CBS’s 60 Minutes, is leaving the show for violating “company policy.” Fager was accused of touching employees inappropriately in one of Ronan Farrow’s articles about Moonves—allegations that bring home the extent to which CBS tolerated and fostered a hostile culture. CBS said Fager’s firing was not related to those allegations, and Fager released a statement in which he said he was fired because of a “harsh” text he sent to a reporter about a story. CNN Money

• Behind the golden arches. The #MeToo movement has reached the pinnacle of American business: McDonald's. Workers at McDonald's locations in 10 cities have voted to stage a one-day strike Sept. 18 in protest of sexual harassment at the fast-food chain. The strike's organizers say it will be the first strike in multiple states specifically targeting sexual harassment. Fortune

• Turn, turn, turn. CEO turnover reached a record high in August with 154 chief executives at U.S. companies leaving their roles, the most in a single month since tracking began in 2002. The good news: while 152 women stepped down as CEOs so far this year, 161 women replaced departing execs. The report sheds light on who's leading companies ranging from startups to the Fortune 500 level, where women at the top get more scarce. Fortune

• State of the Valley. Quartz has a new project featuring an in-depth look at the state of female founders. The data-heavy initiative found that women are more likely to launch B2C and healthcare companies, while men lean toward financial services and B2B startups. The series also includes a list of 200 "rising stars" among female-founded, venture-backed U.S. companies. At the top of the list: Zola's Shan-Lyn Ma, Away's Steph Korey, and Andela's Christina Sass. Quartz

MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Leana Wen replaces Cecile Richards as president of Planned Parenthood and is the first doctor to lead the organization in 50 years. Amanda Hale will be publisher of a reincarnated Gawker, now owned by Bustle's Bryan Goldberg. Katherine Forrest, a federal judge for the Southern District of New York known for overseeing the case against the founder of the black market Silk Road, is leaving the bench to return to private practice at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. Sarah Hofstetter will be the next president of comScore. Frances Frei, a Harvard Business School academic who joined Uber during the depths of its sexism crisis, is now advising the similarly embattled Riot Games.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

• The mysterious case of Fan Bingbing. Fan Bingbing is one of the most famous movie stars in China—and this summer she disappeared from public view. Fan was the subject of an investigation by Chinese tax authorities into tax evasion by movie stars. She stopped posting on Weibo and appearing in public, and the saga has prompted the Chinese film industry to reevaluate its dependence on star power. Bloomberg

• Terr-TIFF-ic. The Toronto International Film Festival this year features greater representation of female photographers. After observers noted last year that the pros photographing stars on the red carpet were almost exclusively male, the festival reached out to publications to nudge them to "consider diversity" while assigning photographers to cover the event. TIFF also boosted accreditation of underrepresented media by 20%. The Hollywood Reporter

• Dream big. Catalina Cruz is one of several young women—Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib—running for office this year in response to the Trump administration. Cruz, vying for New York's state assembly, is the first Dreamer to run for public office in the state. Mother Jones

• Over the moon. Vanessa Wyche is the first black woman to serve as deputy director at NASA's Johnson Space Center. She joined the center's space life sciences division in 1989, the first woman hired full-time in the department and one of a handful of female engineers across the NASA facility. Houston Chronicle

Today's Broadsheet was produced by Emma Hinchliffe. Share it with a friend. Looking for previous Broadsheets? Click here.

ON MY RADAR

'Unearth Women': A travel magazine with a focus on feminism  New York Times

Men who scream at work aren't 'passionate.' They're abusive  Glamour

Why some parents turn boys' names into girls' names  The Atlantic

QUOTE

I heard my voice. And I wondered what would have happened if I hadn’t. How long would it have taken me to feel that I had a right to be outraged?
Sally Field on how acting helped her process abuse. Her memoir, 'In Pieces,' comes out next week.
About the Authors
Claire Zillman
By Claire ZillmanEditor, Leadership
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Claire Zillman is a senior editor at Fortune, overseeing leadership stories. 

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Emma Hinchliffe
By Emma HinchliffeMost Powerful Women Editor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Emma Hinchliffe is Fortune’s Most Powerful Women editor, overseeing editorial for the longstanding franchise. As a senior writer at Fortune, Emma has covered women in business and gender-lens news across business, politics, and culture. She is the lead author of the Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter (formerly the Broadsheet), Fortune’s daily missive for and about the women leading the business world.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in MPW

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in MPW

Around 2.6 million fewer Americans have affordable healthcare access plan as affordability becomes top issue ahead of midterms
North AmericaAmerican Politics
Around 2.6 million fewer Americans have affordable healthcare access plan as affordability becomes top issue ahead of midterms
By The Associated Press and Ali SwensonJuly 7, 2026
1 hour ago
bernie
PoliticsBook Excerpt
Bernie Sanders told me exactly why he had to run. The Democratic Party still isn’t listening
By Tad DevineJuly 7, 2026
4 hours ago
Indra Nooyi sitting in a chair behind a red background.
SuccessCareers
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
24 hours ago
p
PoliticsPope
Pope Leo marks July 4 at migrant graves, not U.S. celebrations
By Nicole Winfield, Andrea Rosa and The Associated PressJuly 4, 2026
3 days ago
How a third-generation Texas oilman transformed an organic farming company into a leading advanced nuclear startup at a small Christian college
EnergyNuclear
How a third-generation Texas oilman transformed an organic farming company into a leading advanced nuclear startup at a small Christian college
By Jordan BlumJuly 4, 2026
3 days ago
JPMorgan built a pipeline of female CEO candidates that was the envy of Wall Street. How did it fall apart?
MPWMost Powerful Women
JPMorgan built a pipeline of female CEO candidates that was the envy of Wall Street. How did it fall apart?
By Emma HinchliffeJuly 4, 2026
3 days ago

Most Popular

Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
AI
Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary says if he were 25 today, he'd chase these two booming opportunities in the world of AI
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 5, 2026
2 days ago
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
Success
Ex-PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi worked from midnight until 5 a.m. as a receptionist to pay for her Yale degree—and she says ‘respect went up’ because of it
By Preston ForeJuly 6, 2026
24 hours ago
Current price of oil as of July 6, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 6, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 6, 2026
1 day ago
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
Success
Even as Elon Musk calls philanthropy ‘very hard,’ everyday Americans gave a record $617 billion—despite feeling the squeeze over the cost of living
By Preston ForeJuly 4, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 6, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 6, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 6, 2026
1 day ago
The man who ran Bernie's campaign says Democrats are still making the same mistakes with Democratic Socialists, and they should laud Mamdani's win
Politics
The man who ran Bernie's campaign says Democrats are still making the same mistakes with Democratic Socialists, and they should laud Mamdani's win
By Catherina GioinoJuly 6, 2026
18 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.