"60 Minutes" Producer Jeff Fager Steps Down From CBS

(RTTNews) - Jeff Fager, the executive producer of "60 Minutes", is stepping down from his post after 36 long-years amid allegations of inappropriate conduct.

"Jeff Fager is leaving the company effective immediately," CBS News Wednesday said. The company said Fager "violated company policy," however, the firm did not disclose any further details.

CBS News President David Rhodes said Bill Owens will manage the "60 Minutes" team while a search is underway "for a new executive producer of the program."

Rhodes, in a memo said, "this action today is not directly related to the allegations surfaced in press reports, which continue to be investigated independently. However, he violated company policy and it is our commitment to uphold those policies at every level."

In a statement to CNN, Fager said CBS "terminated my contract early because I sent a text message to one of our own CBS reporters demanding that she be fair in covering the story."

"My language was harsh and, despite the fact that journalists receive harsh demands for fairness all the time, CBS did not like it. One such note should not result in termination after 36 years, but it did."

Both CBS Corp. and Fager has been under scrutiny after allegations of sexual harassment ever since former "CBS This Morning" anchor Charlie Rose was fired due to several accusations of sexual misconduct. Early this week, CEO Les Moonves resigned with immediate effect after allegations of sexual misconduct.

The allegations came to light after a New Yorker article citied interviews with six women who had professional dealings with CBS Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Leslie Moonves between the 1980s and late 2000s claimed he sexually harassed them.