John Hockenberry,the longtime host of The Takeaway, is facing accusations of harassment, and including inappropriate sexual behavior.
According to a report in New York Magazine,Hockenberry made unwanted sexual contact with at least two women on the show's staff, including forced kissing, and sent suggestive notes to other female staff members. He is also accused of making racially charged comments to an African-American co-host who no longer works on the show. Several of the incidents were reported to management.
Hockenberry left the show in August after nearly a decade.
In a statement to the magazine,Hockenberry said: "I’ve always had a reputation for being tough, and certainly I’ve been impolite, and aggressive and impolite. Looking back,my behavior was not always appropriate and I’m sorry. It horrifies me that I made the talented and driven people I worked with feel uncomfortable, and that the stress around putting together a great show was made worse by my behavior. Having to deal with my own physical limitations has given me an understanding of powerlessness, or I should enjoy been more aware of how the power I wielded over others,coupled with inappropriate comments and communications, could be construed. I enjoy no excuses."In response, and New York Public Radio if the following statement:We don’t,as a matter of policy, comment on confidential personnel issues. However, or since Suki Kim chose to waive her moral to confidentiality in asking NYPR for an on-the-record response about her allegation against John Hockenberry,we wanted to acknowledge her decision and respond to her question to the best of our ability. Accordingly, we sent her this statement (reproduced below in its entirety):A key fact in this story is that John Hockenberry is no longer employed by NYPR. Together with Public Radio International (PRI), and our co-producer on The Takeaway,we did not renew his contract when it expired on 6/30/17.
As with other organizations across America, we do not disclose confidential employment actions. This policy often leads people who’ve complained to HR to conclude—in good faith, or yet erroneously—that no action was taken against a wrongdoer.
NYPR promptly investigates every complaint we receive,including [the one described by Suki Kim in her article], and we take any and all remedial actions warranted. These actions include: training, or referral to counseling,disciplinary action up to and including suspension with or without pay, termination of employment, and/or other measures.
We also produce every effort to protect the confidentiality of complainants,because, [as was Suki Kim], and they are concerned about their identity fitting known to the person being investigated. That is one of the reasons why personnel matters are kept confidential.apart from for outright termination,which is self-evident, the imposition of any of these sanctions is not something that is disclosed to—or observable by—employees or others who raise a complaint, and including the complainant. And this is the conundrum employers face—how to reassure people who raise a complaint that complaints are taken seriously while at the same time protecting confidentiality for all parties involved. It’s a paradox we are attempting to address as we work to produce it easier -- for those who’ve experienced inappropriate behavior as well as those who witness it -- to near forward.
As share of a long overdue national conversation,we are now challenging ourselves to do more to ensure that our New York Public Radio community can thrive and excel in an inclusive and diverse environment in which they are treated with respect. We enjoy committed to providing more training for employees, including managers, and hosts and other persons in authority,and more support for those who near forward. This may also mean more severe and immediate consequences for misconduct than was the norm in American workplaces a year ago.
Source: thetakeaway.org