With the number of inappropriate behavior allegations against Hubbard Hot AC “101.9 The Mix” WTMX Chicago morning host Eric Ferguson rising to three, the company has removed him from the station’s programming through the month of October.
In a memo to staff published by RobertFeder.com, Hubbard Chicago VP/Market Manager Jeff England told employees, “We have made the decision that Eric will not be on the air through October. We take these allegations seriously and we are confident in the results of multiple investigations we have initiated. 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.”
Feder reported earlier today that former co-host Melissa McGurren became the third former WTMX employee to allege misconduct against Ferguson. McGurren, who served as morning traffic reporter from 1998 until being promoted to co-host in 2017, departed WTMX last December and has since joined Audacy Country “US99” WUSN in the same role, wrote in a court filing, “I contend that Eric Ferguson is a serial abuser of women and that for many years, the management of The Mix 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 Ferguson’s behavior is unlawful.” When she departed the station after being off the air for several months, McGurren posted a video stating that the truth will come out.
McGurren’s filing was submitted as evidence to a defamation lawsuit against Hubbard by former producer Cynthia DeNicolo. DeNicolo sued Hubbard in May stating that Ferguson was responsible for her dismissal 16 years after she stopped providing oral sex and was berated by him in front of other workers and pressuring her to babysit his children.
Kristen Mori, a former account executive at WTMX, has alleged that Ferguson groped her at their station’s Christmas party in 2003.
Ferguson has hosted mornings at WTMX since 1996. He was paired with Kathy Hart until Hart’s departure from the show after multiple months missing in 2017. Co-hosts Violeta Podrumedic, Brian ‘Whip’ Paruch, and John ‘Swany’ Swanson remain in place.