‘Enough is enough’: Taeuber challenges ‘orchestrated smear’ campaign’

IN the wake of her horror exit from Channel 7, former cadet Amy Taeuber says she is the victim of a new “orchestrated smear campaign”.

IT’S almost 18 months since former Channel 7 reporter Amy Taeuber was marched from Channel 7 in Adelaide after a horror encounter with HR, but it seems someone is still intent on smearing the former reporter.

Ms Taeuber has taken to Twitter to release a formal statement in response to what she called “a barrage of allegations” which were part of an “orchestrated smear campaign”.

Under the hashtag #Metoo, a direct reference to the post-Weinstein world in which the hashtag has become shorthand for those who have been subject to sexual harassment and abuse, Taeuber’s formal statement did not specifically mention her former employer.

“I have recently received a barrage of disturbing allegations from a journalist at a prominent media outlet, which I’ve been asked to respond to,” her statement began.

“I understand the allegations which are about me and my family have been shopped around to various other media outlets (who have rejected them) in what appears to have been an orchestrated smear campaign.

“I don’t know who’s making the allegations, but I’m told ‘highly confidential information‘ has been handed over including but not limited to allegedly confidential HR witness reports. If true, this is beyond disturbing.

“In the wake of the Weinstein saga, media organisations and others around the world need to say ‘enough is enough’.

‘Enough is enough’: Taeuber took to Twitter to release a statement condemning the ‘smear campaign’.

“It is difficult enough for people to stand up and speak out, but it’s made 10 times harder when such efforts are made to discredit people when they do.

“Let’s end this culture of women being forced into silence and stop the victim blaming”.

Taeuber was sacked by Channel 7 in July, 2016, dismissed for “serious misconduct”.

In April of that year, as a young cadet reporter, she had made a complaint against senior Today Tonight reporter Rodney Lohse, accusing him of making “repeated, unwanted comments” towards her.

It was alleged he made comments about her sexuality which she found “offensive and humiliating” but were deemed ‘OK’ by the newsroom editor who managed both journalists.

When she was sacked in July, 2016, Taeuber sued Channel 7, saying her sacking was because of her original harassment complaint against Mr Lohse.

The alleged wrongful dismissal suit was settled out of court in a confidential agreement between the two parties in February this year.

But her case shot back into the headlines in September when ABC’s 7.30 broadcast shocking audio recordings of a HR meeting in which she was accused of bullying.

ABC claimed the network had treated her unfairly, but Seven hit back, saying “we reject completely the claim we do not act fairly and supportively at all times with members of our staff”.