LA Times Publisher Dogged By Sexual Harassment Claims

LOS ANGELES, CA — Ross Levinsohn, the publisher of the Los Angeles Times is under investigation by the newspaper's parent company after sordid allegations of sexual harassment surfaced in a National Public Radio report.

Tronc, the company that owns the Times, announced the investigation Thursday, noting the allegations against Levinsohn predate his tenure at the newspaper. Levinsohn is the latest high-profile media figure to be mired in sexual abuse allegations, a series of scandals that have played out on the front pages of the Los Angeles Times. Newsroom leaders immediately called for his resignation Thursday, saying Levinsohn "is not fit to lead our newspaper."

According to an NPR "All Things Considered" report, Levinsohn's been sued twice for inappropriate workplace conduct, some of which he admitted to in sworn testimony. While working as an executive at the search company Alta Vista and at Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, Levinsohn, 54, fostered a "frat house" culture, NPR alleges. According to NPR, Levinsohn declined to answer questions about the allegations, calling them "lies."

According to the NPR, Levinsohn, 54, admitted in sworn testimony to rating the "hotness" of female subordinates at Alta Vista. He also admitted to speculating about whether one female colleague moonlighted as a stripper.

The NPR report is based on reviews of the lawsuits and interviews with more than two dozen of Levinsohn's colleagues. Namely, the report sites former Alta Vista employee, Christine Fox, who filed suit against the company and Levinsohn for a hostile work environment. Celia Francis, a former executive at the company, testified in 2001 that she had warned top executives about the culture Levinsohn created, NPR reported.

"Ross was creating a frat house environment," Francis testified. "His behavior was inappropriate. I wanted to let them know they should do something about it."

Jessie Dennen, who was Alta Vista's former recruitment and hiring chief, told NPR that Levinsohn speculated about Fox's sexual partners in staff meetings.

"They openly would rate women. I remember feeling uncomfortable," Dennen said. "I would roll my eyes."

Tronc was quick to condemn the alleged behavior.

"This week, we became aware of allegations that Ross Levinsohn acted inappropriately," according to a written release by the company. "We are immediately launching an investigation so that we have a better understanding of what's occurred.

"At Tronc, we expect all employees to act in a way that supports a culture of diversity and inclusion. We will take appropriate action to address any behavior that falls short of these expectations."

Times journalists responded by accusing the company of failing to properly vet the publisher before hiring him last summer. It's been a tumultuous few years at the paper with several changes at the top and multiple rounds of layoffs. This month staffers took a vote to consider unionizing for the first time in the paper's history as several publicly questioned Levinsohn's commitment to quality journalism.

The guild organizing committee called for Tronc officials to be held accountable for hiring Levinsohn. According to the Times, 12 senior editors sent a letter to Tronc’s board, expressing concern that Levinsohn’s alleged behavior “jeopardizes The Times’ 136-year legacy of integrity. The organization should not be led by anyone who has engaged in this behavior, if it is true, particularly given the [Times’] role in investigating multiple industries and governments on the topic of sexual harassment.”

Photo: Ross Levinsohn, Oct. 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)