A former NBC intern has accused an ex-NBC and CNN chief of sexual assault while they were covering the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Aarthi Rajaraman, 47, was a 20-year-old college sophomore in July 1996 when she landed the role as a production assistant for NBC for a three-week summer internship. She called the opportunity a ‘dream come true,’ towards a career in sports broadcasting.
But, two weeks into her internship she was traumatized when she says Michael Bass, a former ‘Today’ show coordinating producer, and her direct supervisor allegedly coaxed her to his hotel room and assaulted her after an after-work event.
Rajaraman filed a lawsuit on Thursday in Manhattan Supreme Court, which also names the network’s parent company, NBC/Universal Media, The Daily Beast reported.
She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages ‘commensurate with that life-altering trauma that she experienced in 1996.’
Michael Bass, who worked in a high-powered positions at NBC and CNN has been accused of sexual assault by a summer intern in July 1996 while both were covering the Atlanta Olympics
The 1996 Olympics held in Centennial Park in Atlanta, Georgia
According to the suit, Rajaraman described the culture and claimed that a number of senior NBC employees had been fooling around with younger staffers at the time.
The night of the alleged attack a get together took place after midnight that included dinner and drinks and NBC provided the alcohol. Bass arranged the gathering.
Ramajaram said that it was around 5am and she was with Bass heading to the train. When she mentioned that she had to use the restroom Bass invited her to use the bathroom at his hotel suite.
Ramajaram believed that Bass’ wife and newborn were still in town and would be in the hotel room, but when she got up to the suite she learned his family had already flown back to New York and she was now alone with her boss.
According to court documents, Bass ‘began kissing and groping her without her consent’ before ‘putting his hands up her shirt and down her skirt.’
Later that day, Bass, who was known as a ‘superstar’ and ‘up and comer’ at NBC, called and threatened Rajamaran, saying ‘don’t tell anyone,’ the suit alleges.
Aarthi Rajaraman, 47, was a 20-year-old college sophomore in July 1996 when she landed the role as a production assistant for NBC for a three-week summer internship. She called the opportunity a ‘dream come true,’ towards a career in sports broadcasting
Rajaraman responded only with, ‘OK,’ according to the complaint, and returned to work the next day.
When she confided in a friend for guidance, they both agreed that if she pursued legal action it would be very unlikely that anyone would believe a young, college student with no connections over a powerful NBC executive.’
Before the alleged assault, Bass had given Rajaraman enthusiastic praise for her performance, but when he she reached out to him about a job in the industry after the incident, she claimed he ‘was cold and rigid, and he refused to make eye contact with her,’ the complaint alleges.
According to the lawsuit, ‘Bass curtly ended the meeting and made clear that he would not help her in her career efforts.
The complaint alleges, ‘he later barred her from ‘multiple job opportunities in New York, where he exerted great influence.’
Rajaraman went on to work at several different media brands including, HBO, Vanity Fair, ESPN, Tennis Channel, CNN, among others, according to an online biography.
Bass career went onto as a senior executive producer for CBS News’ morning shows, and was CNN’s executive vice president of programming until last year.
He also served as interim co-head of the network following the departure of former president Jeff Zucker.
The suit has been brought under the Adult Survivors Act that was signed into a law by Governor Kathy Hochul in May 2022.
The Senate Bill S66A ‘relates to the statute of limitations for civil actions related to certain sexual offenses committed against a person eighteen years of age or older.’
The act gives adult abuse victims a one-year-period ending in November to sue their assailants for decades-old attacks.
Rajaraman’s attorney Meagan Goddard said: ‘Today, we celebrate the Adult Survivors Act, which has given my client the opportunity to seek justice for the alleged assault that she suffered.’
