Whatever Happened to Brian Buckner from Barnwood Builders? MCGURREN also brought an EEOC Charge of. McGurren had argued that when the station owner made its statement, it knew that Ferguson was a serial abuser of women and that Hubbard knowingly published false information when it said it did not agree with her characterization of events. Much like McGurren made allegations attached as a filing in another former WTMX employees suit, Ashrafi is using a similar legal maneuver. Rachel Williamson, regional president and market manager of Audacy Chicago, said the team of McGurren and Huff "will bring energy, positivity, chemistry, and a lot of fun to this fresh and dynamic local show to serve Chicagos country listeners. WTMX promoted Chris Petlak from afternoons to mornings, effective Jan. 24. She released a video to her own Facebook account that says shes sorry for her absence and that shes all right. Right now, thats a fair assessment. McGurren now hosts mornings on Audacy country station WUSN-FM 99.5. McGurren first made her accusations in a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, shortly after leaving the station in December 2020. oh and REINVENTION. McGurren currently works as a host at the country station, US99. Tell us what's wrong with this post? Such complaints are confidential, but her allegations later became public in a court filing that was part of DeNicolos defamation lawsuit. Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. PHILADELPHIA, PA - May 6, 2021 - Audacy announced a new morning show for US99 (WUSN-FM) in Chicago, welcoming local media veteran Melissa McGurren and Austin Huff as morning show co-hosts. You have permission to edit this article. In the defamation suit filed Thursday, she said Hubbard did not perform an investigation or conducted "a sham investigation" into her allegations, and the company attacked her credibility and integrity with comments it made last week to staff. Bye bye., Ferguson, who was not involved in the negotiations between Mandell and Hubbard, said: "I was surprised and disappointed when I heard the news, but I think it's important to be supportive when someone chooses to do something new in their life.". McGurren, the pride of Portage, Indiana, who rose from traffic reporter to co-host of Eric Ferguson's morning show at The Mix, has been off the air since she and the station parted company late last year. The decision mirrors another federal judges earlier decision dismissing McGurrens defamation claim against Hubbard. NAB Asks FCC to Complete 2018 Quadrennial Review, Laden Joins WABC/New York as News Director and Host, Audacy Launches ''Front Range Country 103.1'' in Denver, WPZS (Praise 100.9)/Charlotte Ups Melanie Pratt to APD, iHeartMedia's Podcast Platform Spreaker is Now Free, KINK-FM/Portland Adds ''The Greg Beharrell Show''. How could we improve it? Representatives for Hubbard and Ferguson did not respond to requests for comment. When she informed me of her decision, she described her time at the station as a privilege and that feeling is completely mutual. WTMX disc jockey Eric Ferguson speaks to Kaneland Middle School students in 2005. Her new role will make them direct competitors. Last week U.S. District Court. -. No reason was cited for the breakup, but reports persisted of friction between Ferguson and McGurren. Tuesdays comment of the day: Rita Buda: I can't wait to listen to Rick O'Dell's top 12 smooth jazz Christmas tunes. Nazareth won its fourth state trophy since 2019, and more importantly the programs first state title. Melissa McGurren, who spent 22 years with WTMX-101.9-FM and co-hosted the "Eric in the Morning" with Ferguson, in 2020 filed suit against WTMX owner Hubbard Radio Chicago, claiming an email sent to her former coworkers implied she was lying about alleged abusive behavior by Ferguson. Wednesdays comment of the day: Charles Schutt: Isn't joining NewsNation now pretty comparable to wanting a deckchair on the Andrea Doria or the Titanic AS they are going down? We are heartened by the fact that now two federal courts and an arbitrator have ruled in Hubbards favor and have concluded that the claims brought by Ms. McGurren and Ms. DeNicolo against Hubbard lacked any legal merit, attorney Michael Roche, a partner at Winston & Strawn who represented Hubbard Radio Chicago in the litigation, said in an emailed statement. It acknowledges the existence of plaintiffs pending EEOC claim, does not discuss particular facts, and simply indicates that the station has conducted its own investigations and does not agree with Plaintiffs characterization of events a classic statement of opinion.. similar defamation lawsuit filed by Cynthia DeNicolo, Hubbard parted ways with the morning host. Thank you for all those great messages. McGurren, who left the show in late 2020 after 22 years, has said in court filings that Ferguson created an unbearably hostile work environment. She's seeking $10 million in damages. She also loves artists like the Foo Fighters. our stories straight," and advised her to "stay silent and to deny any allegations by other women that Ferguson had engaged in inappropriate behavior," according to the lawsuit. Ferguson, 55, has denied the allegations but was sidelined from his popular morning show in October 2021, weeks after the Tribune first reported that DeNicolo had sued him earlier that year. :). Last December Hubbard filed to have DeNicolos suit dismissed and to strike some of the allegations in her second amended complaint. I know this is exactly where I'm supposed to be, and I couldn't be happier to make this new move in my career.". However, McGurren's suit states "Hubbard Radio's statement" that the company "thoroughly investigated" her allegations "is false." Being part of a morning show means shes sharing so much of her life with the people who listen. Veteran Chicago radio personality Melissa McGurrens effort to revive her $10 million defamation suit against Hubbard Radio has ended. McGurren accused Hubbard of intending to injure her and jeopardize her new career. Get the full report, and more Chicago media news, at robertfeder.com. Officials of the Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary station ended speculation today about McGurren's lengthy absenceand announced a parting of the ways. Huff, a native of Nashville, Tennessee, and self-described country music fan, is a graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri. He was sidelined from his popular morning radio show last year. Both she and McGurren are represented by attorney Carmen Caruso. Hubbard Radios statement that the company thoroughly investigated McGurrens allegations is false, according to McGurrens suit, as reported by the Tribune. Her writing gained recognition and since 2009, she's written for sites such as What to Expect, Where'd My Sanity Go, and dozens more. It's hard to choose, they all sound so great. Jeff England, vice president and market manager at Hubbard Radio Chicago, was quoted as saying: Our plans for the future of Eric in the Morning definitely included Melissa. Honestly, let her not forget that. Its actually good for the game, Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. It all comes just as Ferguson is back from his latest surgery for spinal stenosis, a procedure involving spinal decompression and disc fusion. After McGurren left WTMX, in December 2020, she filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. oh and REINVENTION. In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, The Mix ranked third overall in mornings with a 7.3 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 390,600. Melissa McGurren, who was a mainstay of Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary WTMX 101.9-FM for 22 years, has been hired by Audacy country WUSN 99.5-FM to lead a new morning show, Robert Feder writes. She has excellent taste. In a four-page ruling issued by the United District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Judge Ronald A. Guzman granted Hubbard Radio Chicago petition to dismiss the suit brought by McGurren. WUSN-FM (US99)/Chicago morning co-host Melissa McGurren has filed a defamation lawsuit against her former employer, crosstown Hubbard Radio, reports the Chicago Tribune. Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission was an opinion and therefore did not constitute defamation. Suffice it to say that we do not agree with Melissa's characterization of events.". Mom 1st. The rest of the station's lineup remains intact, with New York-based Katie Neal from noon to 3 p.m., Scotty Kay from 3 to 7 p.m. and Detroit-based Rob Stone and Holly Hutton from 7 p.m. to midnight. The Mix and its corporate owners have been engaged in a coverup that is now exposed as a lie, Caruso told the Tribune. His ruling included three reasons why he was accepting the motion to dismiss by Hubbard. Eric in the Morning assistant producer Cynthia DeNicolowho also occasionally worked as a babysitter for Ferguson and his then-wifealso has sued the station, claiming Ferguson used his star power to coerce her into sex acts when she first began working for the station, and, for years after she began refusing his come-ons, taunted her in front of co-workers. She is expected to be paid through the end of the year, when her contract expires. Cheryl Corley, Greg Kot win Headline Club Lifetime Achievement Awards, My childhood dream became the honor of a lifetime, Robservations: Sun-Times moving to Old Post Office; ABC 7 opens weekend anchor slot; Medill tracks local news decline, Robservations: StreetWise raises cover price; Sventoonie takes a break; Friends of Chicago Reporter mark 50. How would you rate this article? "I wish I could fully express my gratitude and happiness about joining the US99 team," McGurren said in a statement. McGurren claimed in her filing that the station's management protected Ferguson for years by allowing him to "perpetuate his misconduct that goes far beyond the limits of decency." Starting. We wish her the best.. Executives from the radio station said at the time they were surprised McGurren declined a contract extension. The arbitrator in McGurrens EEOC case ruled in Hubbards favor earlier this year. Starting Monday, she will host "Melissa and Austin" from 6 to 9 a.m. weekdays with co-host Austin Huff, a radio producer and podcaster just in from St. Louis. Eric Ferguson attends a Rosemont concert in 2015. In court documents filed Oct. 5, McGurren called Ferguson a serial abuser of women and claimed that station management for years has protected Ferguson in allowing him to continue in perpetrating his misconduct that goes far beyond the limits of decency despite ample notice from me and many of my co-workers that Fergusons behavior is unlawful. McGurren went on to say that the long-running morning host has grossly abused his power, and his conduct was the major reason the station became a hostile working environment., Her accusations were submitted as supporting evidence in an amended defamation lawsuit brought by former WTMX Associate Producer Cynthia DeNicolo against Hubbard. Thank you so much. McGurren also accused Ferguson of grossly abusing his power and that his behavior created a hostile work environment. She loves that they listen to her, that they reach out to her, and that they want to connect with her through their own stories. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Shes been gone from the program long enough that her fans have been a little worried. CHICAGO An Illinois District Court judge on Friday dismissed a $10 million defamation lawsuit by former Chicago radio host Melissa McGurren, who had filed suit against her former employer in . Her lawsuit claims station vice president Jeff England defamed her when he sent a message to staff in 2020 stating the station had investigated her claims and did not agree with [McGurrens] characterization of events a statement that McGurren said implied she was a liar, and which she claimed impugned her integrity. She's been with WTMX 101.9 The. MELISSA MCGURREN, who co-hosted "Eric in the Morning" during a 22-year stretch at the station, sued FERGUSON alleging a pattern of sexual misconduct. She has a son by the name of Porter, and she does share a little about him on her Instagram page from time to time. Im honored to wake up with this city every morning, and I cannot wait to have a ton of fun in the process.. Thanks for reading! Her coworker, Whip, calls her the secret weapon on their show. DeNicolo has also filed a separate $10 million defamation lawsuit against Hubbard Radio Chicago. Fans arent sure what happened, where she went, and how things are going for her right now, and we are curious ourselves. CHICAGO An Illinois District Court judge on Friday dismissed a $10 million defamation lawsuit by former Chicago radio host Melissa McGurren, who had filed suit against her former employer in connection with sexual harassment allegations against her former co-host on The Mix, Eric Ferguson. But we also owe it to ourselves and our listeners to have a deliberate and thoughtful process about our path forward, and candidly we are not there yet.. She is very proud of the young man her son is becoming, she loves that he is funny and helpful and that he is thoughtful.
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