Shes always wanted to be in the business, and she always wanted to do things like this that she loves so much. Shes a radio host, and she has a huge fan base. I really truly am. Radio Ink. Melissa McGurren - Facebook Melissa McGurren Drops Attempt To Revive Her Defamation Case Against Hubbard. Eric Ferguson attends a Rosemont concert in 2015. McGurren currently co-hosts mornings at Audacy crosstown country US99 WUSN. Melissa McGurren wont be a name you recognize unless you live in Chicago, but shes very famous in her own town. 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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Melissa McGurren will co-host a new morning show on country station WUSN-FM 99.5 starting Monday. After McGurren left WTMX, in December 2020, she filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Melissa McGurren - Facebook 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. While not claiming that Ferguson abused her specifically, Ashrafi said the disgraced morning host was rude and dismissive to women., His abusive behavior is open and known by all at The Mix, she said. At least four women have accused Ferguson of misconduct, which led the host of "Eric In the Morning" to leave the station last October. Being part of a morning show means shes sharing so much of her life with the people who listen. Weitere Informationen ber die Verwendung Ihrer personenbezogenen Daten finden Sie in unserer Datenschutzerklrung und unserer Cookie-Richtlinie. Tiffany and her husband are the proud parents of four children in her free time. Her new role will make them direct competitors. 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. His ruling included three reasons why he was accepting the motion to dismiss by Hubbard. 13 talking about this. Terms of her multiyear deal, negotiated by attorney Steve Mandell, were not disclosed. Get the full report, and more Chicago media news, at robertfeder.com. 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. Former WTMX radio host Melissa McGurren's defamation lawsuit dismissed 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. 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.. 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. McGurren first made her accusations in a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, shortly after leaving the station in December 2020. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 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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. Representatives for Hubbard and Ferguson did not respond to requests for comment. Ashrafi, who was afternoon co-host and traffic reporter at WTMX using the on-air name Jennifer Roberts, is the fourth former female staff member to back claims against the station and Ferguson. 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. Believer of love, kindness, truth and honesty. 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. Both she and McGurren are represented by attorney Carmen Caruso. -. 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. 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A defamation claim by former Ferguson co-host Melissa McGurren was dismissed earlier this year. Robservations: WGN Radio names Steve Alexander to succeed Orion Samuelson, 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. Report: Chicago Radio Host Melissa McGurren Sues WTMX She is such a proud mom. 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. May 6, 2021. 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. Such complaints are confidential, but her allegations later became public in a court filing that was part of DeNicolos defamation lawsuit. You can find a comprehensive archive of his material here. 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. "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. Moving to Chicago was a natural move for her. 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. 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. 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). Join Facebook to connect with Melissa McGurren and others you may know. McGurren called Ferguson a serial abuser of women, station management pulled Ferguson off the air, a separate $10 million defamation lawsuit against Hubbard Radio. 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. 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. It's official: The Mix bids farewell to morning co-star Melissa McGurren McGurren now hosts mornings on Audacy country station WUSN-FM 99.5. similar defamation lawsuit filed by Cynthia DeNicolo, Hubbard parted ways with the morning host. Shes dating someone right now, and apparently, his name is Jim. Radio host Eric Ferguson works in the WTMX-FM studio with Melissa McGurren, center, and former co-host Kathy Hart in 2009. . Not so, Valderrama wrote in his 20-page opinion and order. The Audacy station is pairing up Melissa McGurren and Austin Huff to host morning drive on WUSN-FM. She claimed Hubbard falsely branded her as a liar in a staff memo after she reported Ferguson for [] You have permission to edit this article. The announcement, made Thursday, comes months after McGurren mysteriously left her morning. 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. 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 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. Believer of love, kindness, truth and honesty. I wish I could fully express my gratitude and happiness about joining the US99 team, McGurren said in a statement. 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..