Melissa McGurren, former morning co-host at WTMX 101.9-FM, has become the third former employee of the station to file documents in court alleging misconduct by veteran morning host Eric Ferguson.
McGurren worked for 22 years at the Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary station, where she rose from traffic reporter to co-host of Ferguson’s morning show before she left in 2020. At the time she posted a video on social media saying the company's version of events was "not accurate" and added: "The truth will come out."
On Tuesday McGurren said as part of a filing in Cook County Circuit Court: “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.
“For many years, Ferguson has grossly abused his power, and his conduct was the major reason the station became a hostile working environment,” she said.
McGurren’s statements were added as supporting evidence to a defamation lawsuit against Hubbard Radio Chicago filed by Cynthia DeNicolo, who worked as an associate producer on Ferguson’s show. DeNicolo's initial lawsuit against Ferguson alleges he coerced her into an “unwelcome sexual relationship” in 2004 and engineered the elimination of her job in 2020.
McGurren initially made the claims against Ferguson in a discrimination complaint filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on December 30, 2020 — two weeks after she left The Mix — and in a demand for arbitration filed on June 24, 2021.
Ferguson and representatives of Hubbard Radio did not respond to requests for comment.
Earlier a female former sales employee of The Mix alleged in a court document that Ferguson groped her at their station’s Christmas party in 2003. Kristen Mori’s filing, which also alleged other inappropriate behavior toward women by Ferguson, was included in DeNicolo’s defamation lawsuit against Hubbard Radio Chicago.
McGurren now hosts mornings on Audacy country WUSN 99.5-FM.