According to the newspaper, the suit includes a declaration as an exhibit from another former employee, Jennifer Ashrafi, who said she left as the station's afternoon co-host in January, 2020 because she was so "disgusted" by the "misogyny, gender discrimination and hostile work environment that was pervasive" at the station. Melissa McGurren won't be a name you recognize unless you live in Chicago, but she's very famous in her own town. WTMX disc jockey Eric Ferguson speaks to Kaneland Middle School students in 2005. Marci Braun continues as program director of US99 and regional brand manager of the country format for Audacy. US99 Chicago Launches New Morning Show. 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. Representatives for Hubbard and Ferguson did not respond to requests for comment. Melissa McGurren wont be a name you recognize unless you live in Chicago, but shes very famous in her own town. In the suit, McGurren said the station falsely calls (her) a liar and attacks (her) integrity credibility when it said in a statement that it did not agree with McGurrens characterization of events in relation to Ferguson. How would you rate this article? The duo will be heard on "Melissa and Austin," weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. CT, effective May 10. The court agrees with Hubbard that the statements have nothing to do with DeNicolos conduct on the job.. 10 Things You Didnt Know about Melissa McGurren, Five Songs That Lead to the Creation of a Movie or TV Show, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Brandon Flynn. "Drew [Walker] returns to late mornings and middays and will continue to bring the energy and companionship country listeners have grown to love to get them through their day. The suit against Ferguson states that in 2004 she stopped providing oral sex in response to his demands, which he allegedly made by using the code words I need a back rub. She said Ferguson taunted her with the phrase throughout her remaining tenure at the station. Eric Ferguson attends a Rosemont concert in 2015. Shes a huge Frank Sinatra fan, too. After being missing from "Eric In The Morning" for the past several weeks, Hubbard Hot AC "101.9 The Mix" WTMX Skokie/Chicago has revealed that co-host Melissa McGurren is departing the station after declining a contract extension offered to her. Former WTMX Morning Co-Host Melissa McGurren Files $10 Million Defamation Lawsuit Against Hubbard. We dont know Jim, though, because she keeps his face out of all of her Instagram photos. MCGURREN also brought an EEOC Charge of. I cant believe Justin Fields and I are moving to Chicago at the same time, especially considering he throws a much tighter spiral than me, Huff was quoted as saying. oh and REINVENTION. After studying business in college, Tiffany embarked upon a career she never dreamed of. She became a stay-at-home mom and writer with her own blog. A defamation claim by former Ferguson co-host Melissa McGurren was dismissed earlier this year. McGurren called Ferguson a serial abuser of women, station management pulled Ferguson off the air, a separate $10 million defamation lawsuit against Hubbard Radio. 10 Things You Didnt Know about The Sticklers, Luann de Lesseps Accuses Russell Simmons of Groping Her, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Mariana Jasel, 10 Things You Didnt Know About Leo Sheng, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Lele Pons, Being a Movie Superhero Doesnt Always Mean Your Kids Will Like It, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Rila Fukushima, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Asya Branch, 10 Things You Didnt Know about Tricia Ana, Guy Builds Insane Star Trek Man Cave Theater, This Clever Never-Ending LEGO Climber Automaton. (Todd Rosenberg Photography) McGurren was offered a. Hes part of Melissas morning show. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Radio news and headlines delivered right to your e-mail box -- and it's free. A hearing on Hubbards motion to dismiss was held Tuesday, Aug. 30 and the court is expected to issue an opinion on the motion soon. Theres still some major concerns. Coldwell Banker Eric Ferguson, the longtime morning show host on WTMX-FM/101.9, sold his Hinsdale mansion for less than he paid for it. A second female former employee of WTMX-FM has come forward to say longtime on-air host Eric Ferguson engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct, alleging in a Thursday court filing that he groped. "We're incredibly excited to be growing . Sign the petition: action.bestfriends.org End Breed-Restrictive Insurance Practices in Illinois 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 . :). A thorough investigation would have uncovered that Jennifer Ashrafi brought many of these same issues, that corroborate Melissas characterization of events, to England in January 2020, months before Melissa filed her charge with the EEOC. She does not have COVID-19, nor does she have any other health conditions. McGurren had been with WTMX for 22 years serving as a traffic reporter until moving up to morning co-host following the departure of Kathy . decision dismissing McGurrens defamation claim, Column: For the Chicago Blackhawks remodel to work, their new house had better be built on a strong foundation, Merrillville food and beverage tax edging closer to reality, Remains found in Rockdale more than 25 years ago identified as Aurora woman, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that alleged Ferguson had harassed her. The duo will be heard on "Melissa and Austin," weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. CT, effective May 10. Being part of a morning show means shes sharing so much of her life with the people who listen. She is such a proud mom. Feder flashback: So you think you know Chicago television. In his ruling, Gomez cited the legal statute opinions that do not misstate facts are protected by the First Amendment and are non-actionable. Officials of the Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary station ended speculation today about McGurren's lengthy absenceand announced a parting of the ways. 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. However, McGurren's suit states "Hubbard Radio's statement" that the company "thoroughly investigated" her allegations "is false." Paddock Publications, Inc. is an Employee-Owned Company. You have permission to edit this article. She's been with WTMX 101.9 The. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. "The Mix is sad to announce that after 22 years with the station, Melissa McGurren was offered a contract extension which much to our surprise she declined," the statement said. McGurren comes from Hubbard Broadcasting crosstown hot AC "101.9 FM The Mix" WTMX, where she spent more than two decades, first as a traffic reporter then as co-host of "Eric in the Morning." She grew up in Portage, Indiana, which is not too far. While McGurrens case against Hubbard has ended, a similar defamation lawsuit filed by Cynthia DeNicolo against the broadcaster continues to be litigated in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The dismissal of Melissa McGurren's $10 million defamation lawsuit against Hubbard Radio Chicago doesn't mean the end of legal problems for Eric Ferguson or the parent company of hot adult . She is a mother. I wish I could fully express my gratitude and happiness about joining the US99 team, McGurren said in a statement. On Thursday, she alleged that WTMX-FM (The Mix) management perpetuated a culture of discrimination to protect cash cows such as its morning host Eric Ferguson "at any cost." Mom 1st. 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. Heres a fun fact: Shes been writing and creating her own radio shows since she was a little girl of only 8. On Aug. 16, the appeals court issued a mandate dismissing the case. The list of flaws with this team are many, but the fact that this Bulls front office thought Russell Westbrook might help them out could be atop that list. "We're incredibly excited to be growing our US99 family and making mornings . Her new role will make them direct competitors. The announcement, made Thursday, comes months after McGurren mysteriously left her morning. Guzman also provided McGurren with a window of time to amend her complaint and gave Hubbard 14 days to respond to her amended filing. McGurren alleged management did nothing about her concerns, then forced her out in December. McGurren also accused Ferguson of grossly abusing his power and that his behavior created a hostile work environment. Fans have been worried. Melissa McGurren, who worked for 22 years at the station, filed a $10 million defamation lawsuit against Hubbard Radio Chicago, claiming the company did not perform an investigation or conducted a sham investigation of her earlier allegations and that Hubbard attacked her credibility and integrity with comments it made to staff last week, the Chicago Tribune reports. 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 brand-new morning show. In the midst of her absence, some of her fans have even taken the time to post on social media that the show is no longer any good without her. At least four women have accused Ferguson of misconduct, which led the host of "Eric In the Morning" to leave the station last October. Thank you so much. Guzman denied a motion to reconsider the case in April and denied McGurrens motion to amend her complaint on June 30. McGurren spent most of . 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. I love smooth jazz Christmas music. -. They miss her, they want to see her back, and they are missing what she brings to the mix when shes on the air. 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The judge on Friday ruled that the station's statement regarding a complaint made by McGurren to the U.S. It just brings alertness and focus to the game., White Sox notebook: Benintendi, Anderson, Alberto, Saturdays win. Hubbard Radios statement that the company thoroughly investigated McGurrens allegations is false, according to McGurrens suit, as reported by the Tribune. The former morning show co-host at Hubbard hot AC The Mix WTMX Chicago has withdrawn her appeal of a federal court decision that dismissed the suit. The accusations of sexual harassment and abuse of power levied against Eric Ferguson continue to pile up as a fourth accuser has come forward, while the station he hosts mornings at, Hubbard hot AC 101.9 The Mix WTMX Chicago, is hit with a $10 million lawsuit from a former co-host of Fergusons. The Tribune also reports that McGurren, who co-hosted "Eric in the Morning" on The Mix, described Ferguson in a December complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission as a "serial abuser of women" who had subjected her to an "unbearable hostile work environment." You can find a comprehensive archive of his material here. Believer of love, kindness, truth and honesty. The Mix and its corporate owners have been engaged in a coverup that is now exposed as a lie, Caruso told the Tribune. She subsequently filed two lawsuits, one against Ferguson and the other against Hubbard. A statement released by the company alludes to a contract extension offer it says McGurren turned down, but it provided no other details. "A thorough investigation would have uncovered that Jennifer Ashrafi brought many of these same issues, that corroborate Melissa's 'characterization of events,' to England in January, 2020, months before Melissa filed her charge" with the EEOC. In court filings, McGurren said Ferguson demeaned, harassed and ridiculed her when they worked together. Much like McGurren made allegations attached as a filing in another former WTMX employees suit, Ashrafi is using a similar legal maneuver. He was sidelined from his popular morning radio show last year. She released a video to her own Facebook account that says shes sorry for her absence and that shes all right. But two weeks later, McGurrens lawyer filed a motion for voluntary dismissal of the appeal. She described him as a serial abuser of women and said management failed to respond and then forced her out when she demanded that the alleged harassment stop. Believer of love, kindness, truth and honesty. Typically, cohosts will announce if youve been on maternity leave, if you are taking personal time, traveling, whatever. After taking Ferguson off the air last October following a series of allegations of sexual misconduct and abuse of power by former female co-workers, Hubbard parted ways with the morning host last November. 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. 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. Melissa McGurren, who rose from traffic reporter to full-fledged co-host of Eric Ferguson's top-rated morning show, is out after more than two decades at WTMX 101.9-FM, Robert Feder writes. His name is actually Brian Paruch, but hes been called Whip for more than a decade. DeNicolo has also filed a separate $10 million defamation lawsuit against Hubbard Radio Chicago. Now, in her defamation suit, McGurren accuses Hubbard of intending to injure her and jeopardize her new career. Her new role will make them direct competitors. Last December Hubbard filed to have DeNicolos suit dismissed and to strike some of the allegations in her second amended complaint. 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. A former assistant producer for Ferguson, Cynthia DeNicolo, had alleged the company defamed her last year by stating it found no evidence to corroborate her allegations that Ferguson engaged in illegal workplace conduct at WTMX-FM 101.9. 13 talking about this. "Melissa and Austin" debuted on WUSN Monday, May 10, running from 6am-9am. It all comes just as Ferguson is back from his latest surgery for spinal stenosis, a procedure involving spinal decompression and disc fusion. DeNicolo was laid off from the station in May 2020 after a nearly 20-year career. McGurren then took her case to the U.S. Court of Appeals. While she does not address the actual reason for her disappearance, she does make it clear that she and her family are all healthy and shes hopeful everyone stays that way. Lefty reliever Brandon Hughes also has been on a later game schedule after a heavy workload last season. 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? Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 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. The breakup came less than a year after the ubiquitous duo known as "Eric & Kathy" were inducted in the Radio Hall of Fame. In a declaration attached to McGurrens defamation suit, Ashrafi said the station was a hostile, humiliating atmosphere for female employees. View the profiles of people named Melissa McGurren. When he stepped down after 25 years at the station, Ferguson said in a statement that he was energized to move forward and defend myself against claims made against me and the station.. In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, US99 tied for 15th in mornings with a 2.0 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 250,800. In her defamation suit, McGurren, who worked for 22 years at WTMX, claimed Hubbard did not perform an investigation or conducted a sham investigation of her earlier harassment allegations against Ferguson and that Hubbard attacked her credibility and integrity with comments it made to staff about her allegations.

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