EDITOR’S NOTE: WHTC morning news anchor Peg McNichol was one of the two main reporters on Deadline Detroit’s investigative report.
UNDATED (WHTC-AM/FM) — A prominent Detroit-area journalist and Michigan Radio senior politica analyst Jack Lessenberry is stepping down from his radio job.
The deicsion, called a “mutual agreement” by a spokesman for University of Michigan, the broadcast license holder, comes less than a week after an investigative report by Deadline Detroit of sexual harassment allegations dating back nearly 30 years.
Lessenberry, 66, had a Michigan Radio contract which included weekday commentaries aired on Michigan Radio’s three outlets: WVGR-FM in West Michigan; WUOM-FM in Southeast Michigan, and WFUM-FM in Flint and other Those commentaries will end immediately, according to Michigan Radio officials, who disclosed that he will be paid until July 31.
In a statement released as part of Michigan radio’s coverage, Lessenberry said he admitted “to absolutely no wrongdoing whatsoever.” The Deadline Detroit story, published last Thursday, reported women’s experiences spanning from Lesesenberry’s time at a Memphis newspaper to his work at Wayne State University, where he was hired to teach in 1993.
He now heads the journalism program and oversees internships for several majors in WSU’s Department of Communication.
The Deadline Detroit story detailed allegations by women of inappropriate behavior at his newspaper job in Memphis to the university and one case unrelated to either school or journalism.
Withing hours of Thursday’s report, Lessenberry resigned from his long-time role as a Metro Times columnist after that paper’s editor announced his supension until an internal investigation was competed. The next day he stepped away from student-related duties of his $62,246-a-year senior lecturer job while school officials arranged for an independent investigator to look into student reports.
Lessenberry’s role as a Toledo Blade columnist and ombudsman (reader representative) continues, despite a call from that newspaper’s union to fire him. He’d also worked as a newsroom writing coach. The Blade is investigating any reports from its employees.
