The Weinstein Effect: Breaking the Stories That Spurred a Movement
U-M’s Wallace House presents an Evening with Ronan Farrow and Ken Auletta, whose reporting changed the way our nation addresses the issue of sexual assault
Detroit Public TV to livestream the event tonight at 6 p.m. atdptv.org
In October 2017, The New Yorker published reporter Ronan Farrow’s exposé detailing the first on-the-record accounts of alleged assault and rape by Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, followed by a series of pieces on the systems that enabled him.
Farrow’s investigation helped spur a worldwide movement that redefined our cultural and institutional responses to sexual harassment and assault. Word of Weinstein’s abusive behavior had circulated among Hollywood and media circles for years.
In 2002, the acclaimed author and New Yorker media writer, Ken Auletta published a deeply reported profile detailing the powerful producer’s threats and intimidation tactics, but he could not get any of the women alleging sexual assault to go on the record. What changed—in Hollywood, in media, in society—to make 2017 such a turning point?
On Tuesday, at 6 p.m., the University of Michigan’s Wallace House presents an evening with Auletta and Farrow at Rackham Auditorium in Ann Arbor, as they discuss their individual attempts to get to the truth about Harvey Weinstein and how reporters ultimately stood together in confronting one of the biggest stories in recent memory.
Detroit Public TV is partnering with Wallace House to offer the livestream of this talk, which can be viewed at dptv.org. The event is produced with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
Farrow is a contributing writer for The New Yorker and the author of “War and Peace: The End of Diplomacy and the Decline of American Influence.” His next book, “Catch and Kill,” about how Weinstein and other power brokers wield influence to suppress explosive stories, is on the horizon.
In 2018, Farrow’s Weinstein investigation earned him a Livingston Award from Wallace House, arguably the nation’s most prestigious award for journalists under the age of 35.
Auletta is an author and media writer who has written the “Annals of Communications” profiles and essays for The New Yorker since 1992. He joined the Livingston Awards national judging panel 37 years ago and is now the program’s longest serving judge. The author of twelve books, his most recent book, “Frenemies: The Epic Disruption of the Ad Business (and Everything Else),” was published in 2018.
Wallace House offers programs that recognize, sustain and elevate the careers of journalists to address the challenges the profession faces today, foster civic engagement and uphold the role of a free press in a democratic society. It is perhaps best known for its mid-career fellowships, which attract journalists from around the globe to Ann Arbor for an academic year of study and collaborative learning at the University of Michigan.
In addition, Wallace House hosts presentations by journalists, like Farrow and Auletta, whose work is at the forefront of national conversations. By moving the news consumption and discussions away from devices and distractions and into public spaces, Wallace House aims to foster open dialogue and spark constructive debate.
Near central campus, the Wallace House was a gift from the late newsman Mike Wallace, who received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan, and his wife, Mary.
Join us for this important conversation and, please, share it with your community.
Rich Homberg
President and CEO
Detroit Public Television - 1 Clover Court, Wixom, MI 48393
248-640-4169 - rhomberg@dptv.org - @RichHomberg
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