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She became a stay-at-home mom and writer with her own blog. Veteran Chicago radio personality Melissa McGurrens effort to revive her $10 million defamation suit against Hubbard Radio has ended. But the remarks in Englands note, which soon after appeared in the press, did not rise to the level of defamation under Illinois state law, according to an order issued Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Ronald Guzman dismissing the case. 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. In a declaration attached to McGurrens defamation suit, Ashrafi said the station was a hostile, humiliating atmosphere for female employees. We wish her the best.. Shes always wanted to be in the business, and she always wanted to do things like this that she loves so much. 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. For the second time, a federal judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit related to the way Hubbard Radio Chicago handled misconduct allegations against onetime star host Eric Ferguson. 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. 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. McGurren and her agent, attorney Steve Mandell, declined requests for comment. Right now, thats a fair assessment. It is humiliating to watch and dehumanizing to know that nothing can be done because the management at The Mix approved Fergusons misconduct by their silence in not reprimanding him., Ashrafis filing continued: This is one of many examples of microaggressions and suggestive comments women at The Mix are expected to endure (in addition to being underpaid and marginalized). 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. Such complaints are confidential, but her allegations later became public in a court filing that was part of DeNicolos defamation lawsuit. She collaborated with the NFL, CDC, and Heads Up Football Program in 2012 and 2013. She alleged her former employer had falsely branded her a liar when the company said in an email to staff that it had thoroughly investigated her EEOC complaint and did not agree with Melissas characterization of events.. 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. I love Chicago and country music and Ive never been more confident in an opportunity or my team. Typically, cohosts will announce if youve been on maternity leave, if you are taking personal time, traveling, whatever. A defamation claim by former Ferguson co-host Melissa McGurren was dismissed earlier this year. Mom 1st. McGurren first made her accusations in a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, shortly after leaving the station in December 2020. Guzman also provided McGurren with a window of time to amend her complaint and gave Hubbard 14 days to respond to her amended filing. His ruling included three reasons why he was accepting the motion to dismiss by Hubbard. She also loves artists like the Foo Fighters. Melissa McGurren won't be a name you recognize unless you live in Chicago, but she's very famous in her own town. Believer of love, kindness, truth and honesty. McGurren, who left the show in late 2020 after 22 years, has said in court filings that. 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. Honestly, let her not forget that. Her coworker, Whip, calls her the secret weapon on their show. View the profiles of people named Melissa McGurren. "I wish I could fully express my gratitude and happiness about joining the US99 team," McGurren said in a statement. Officials of the Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary station ended speculation today about McGurren's lengthy absenceand announced a parting of the ways. Starting. 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. On Aug. 16, the appeals court issued a mandate dismissing the case. Thank you for all those great messages. Shes a lot more local than most people assume. 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. 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.. Her new role will make them direct competitors. Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. Thanks, you guys. WTMX disc jockey Eric Ferguson speaks to Kaneland Middle School students in 2005. 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. McGurren spent most of . 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. 0. CHICAGO - A federal judge has dismissed Chicago radio host Melissa McGurren's defamation lawsuit against her former employer, Hubbard Radio Chicago, whom she alleged falsely branded her a liar. Read the entire Chicago Tribune article here. I really truly am. 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. Melissa McGurren will co-host a new morning show on country station WUSN-FM 99.5 starting Monday. She's been with WTMX 101.9 The. Guzman again, disagreed, saying that the statement was an opinion based on its position rather than a statement of facts. Robert Feder, a lifelong Chicagoan, covered the media beat in his hometown from 1980 until his retirement in 2022. Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more. 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 . His name is actually Brian Paruch, but hes been called Whip for more than a decade. 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. McGurren currently works as a host at the country station, US99. Much like McGurren made allegations attached as a filing in another former WTMX employees suit, Ashrafi is using a similar legal maneuver. But in a Nov. 28 written opinion, U.S. District Judge Franklin Valderrama of the Northern District of Illinois found the statements were nonactionable and did not defame DeNicolo. I wish I could fully express my gratitude and happiness about joining the US99 team, McGurren said in a statement. McGurren said she quit the station in 2020 after years of complaining about Fergusons on- and off-air behavior, claims she said were ignored by station executives who sought to protect the popular host. 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.. The arbitrator in McGurrens EEOC case ruled in Hubbards favor earlier this year. She grew up in Portage, Indiana, which is not too far. 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. 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. 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. Tiffany and her husband are the proud parents of four children in her free time. Now, in her defamation suit, McGurren accuses Hubbard of intending to injure her and jeopardize her new career. A onetime producer of "The Jim Rome Show" for CBS Sports Radio, he owns and operatesKorkedBats.com,a comedy sports blog. Melissa McGurren, former morning co-host on WTMX 101.9-FM, worked at the Hubbard Radio Chicago station that's more popularly known as The Mix for more than two decades before leaving in 2020. Last December Hubbard filed to have DeNicolos suit dismissed and to strike some of the allegations in her second amended complaint. The judge also found that Hubbard did not cross the line because its statement expressed an opinion regarding McGurrens claim to the EEOC. You can find a comprehensive archive of his material here. 13 talking about this. 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. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Radio news and headlines delivered right to your e-mail box -- and it's free. How could we improve it? "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. (Daniel Boczarski/Getty). McGurren also accused Ferguson of grossly abusing his power and that his behavior created a hostile work environment. 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. A defamation claim by former Ferguson co-host Melissa McGurren was dismissed earlier this year. 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.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." A federal judge has dismissed Chicago radio host Melissa McGurren's defamation lawsuit against her former employer, Hubbard Radio Chicago, whom she alleged falsely branded her a liar while responding to her harassment claims against former co-host Eric Ferguson. A federal judge this week dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by a former co-host of one of Chicagos top morning drive radio shows over alleged harassment by star Eric Ferguson. Facebook gives people the. Join Facebook to connect with Melissa McGurren and others you may know. DeNicolo also sued Ferguson, claiming he abused his power to coerce sexual favors from her early in her career and then prevented her from advancing after she rebuffed efforts to restart an unwanted sexual relationship.. 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. Shes a huge Frank Sinatra fan, too. Believer of love, kindness, truth and honesty. You have permission to edit this article. We were disappointed by her decision not to renew her contract, but also know that this year has led all of us to assess our lives in different ways. Former WTMX Morning Co-Host Melissa McGurren Files $10 Million Defamation Lawsuit Against Hubbard. 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. After McGurren left WTMX, in December 2020, she filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. McGurren currently co-hosts mornings at Audacy crosstown country US99 WUSN. In her lawsuit against Ferguson, DeNicolo alleged that he blocked raises and promotions, then orchestrated her dismissal after she refused to resume a brief sexual relationship that occurred early in her career. Amidst the continuing allegations, station management pulled Ferguson off the air, saying he will be sidelined through October. "We're incredibly excited to be growing . Shes a radio host, and she has a huge fan base. When she informed me of her decision, she described her time at the station as a privilege and that feeling is completely mutual. Thanks for reading! How would you rate this article? 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. She is a mother. I know this is exactly where Im supposed to be, and I couldnt be happier to make this new move in my career.. 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. McGurren then took her case to the U.S. Court of Appeals. 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. The duo will be heard on "Melissa and Austin," weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. CT, effective May 10. He was sidelined from his popular morning radio show last year. "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. 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. The judge on Friday ruled that the station's statement regarding a complaint made by McGurren to the U.S. 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." In the court filings made public Tuesday, McGurren said that during her 22-year career at The Mix she rose from traffic reporter to show co-host with Ferguson and Brian "Whip" Paruch, who she. 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. A statement released by the company alludes to a contract extension offer it says McGurren turned down, but it provided no other details. 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? 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. Tuesdays comment of the day: Rita Buda: I can't wait to listen to Rick O'Dell's top 12 smooth jazz Christmas tunes.