Joe Benigno, CBS Radio + Entercom Named in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

NY Post had the original story: https://nypost.com/2018/07/18/wfan-host-joe-benigno-accused-of-sexual-harassment/

40-year-old former CBS Radio ad exec Lauren Lockwood is bringing the suit alleging
"the station’s executives tolerated a hostile work environment that subjected her to sexual harassment."
For the last five years of her employment she was based in New York and sold radio ads for Yankees broadcasts
and was employed there from 2006 until her firing in July 2017.

Joe Benigno, CBS Radio, CBS Sports Radio and Entercom Communications (the parent company of the two latter parties)
are named as defendants in the suit, as are two other CBS advertising executives - Sean Argaman and Mark Zukerman -
as well as 10 unnamed "John Doe" defendants and five unnamed "ABC Corporations."

Entercom statement:

“We learned of a lawsuit involving a former employee who was discharged roughly a year ago.”
“We do not comment on pending litigation, but we do intend to defend the company vigorously.”

From Benigno's agent Mark Lepselter via Newsday:

“Joe’s been at the station for the better part of 25 years and had no issues, to my knowledge.”
“With any story you hear, people need to always consider the source . . . Joe denies the allegations,
and as anyone can imagine is extremely upset for him and his family.”

and the NY Daily News:

“Joe categorically denies the allegations.”
“My father once told me on any story, always consider the source and those who live in glass houses.
We’re more than prepared to handle the situation if need be.”
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Other stories, some with more details:

Newsday report which includes link to the complete legal document
(Warning: Document contains vulgar and offensive language):

https://www.newsday.com/sports/medi...ainst-cbs-radio-joe-benigno-others-1.19929592

Newsday main article: https://www.newsday.com/sports/medi...named-in-sexual-harassment-lawsuit-1.19930963

NJ.com articles: https://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2018/07/wfans_joe_benigno_accused_of_sexual_harassment_see.html

and https://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2018/07/joe_benignos_wfan_partner_i_cannot_talk_about_sexu.html

(Evan Roberts opened his 10 AM - 1 PM show with an understandably vague statement
saying that "I know, you know there's a big story out there. But...I cannot talk about it.")

NY Daily News: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york...no-booze-babes-and-brawls-20180718-story.html

and http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ny-sports-wfan-joe-benigno-20180719-story.html

(Bernie + Sid of WABC respond in the above article.)
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Benigno was already off the week of 7/16 - 7/20/2018 for a previously scheduled vacation.
Joe has already been removed from the WFAN Radio Network FanFest on Sunday 7/22/2018 where
he was previously scheduled to appear with Evan Roberts in the 4-5 PM hour.

Promotional announcement for WFAN FanFest (Macombs Dam Park Bronx NY - Mets-Yankees Subway Series):
https://wfan.radio.com/events/wfan-jeep-yankees-radio-network-fanfest

His bio remains on the WFAN site (for now): https://wfan.radio.com/hosts/joe-benigno

The NY Post follows up with an article saying that WFAN stands behind Joe Benigno and that he
will return from vacation on Monday 7/23/2018 for his 10 AM - 1 PM show with Evan Roberts.

https://nypost.com/2018/07/19/wfan-stands-by-joe-benigno-amid-bombshell-sex-harass-suit/

Craig Carton, Sid Rosenberg + Bernie McGuirk say there was not a "frat-house atmosphere"
at WFAN that they know of:

https://nypost.com/2018/07/19/craig-carton-defends-wfan-amid-frat-house-lawsuit/

https://nypost.com/2018/07/19/old-wfan-voices-reject-parts-of-bombshell-lawsuit/

No one here knows the facts so we shouldn't speculate on what we don't know but I have to do it, sorry. If this was to end up being a huge negative for Entercom sticking by him and eroded away at WFANs credibility and sales, ESPN would love to scream "The Beningo ate yo baby".

As well, this sort of behaviour (if it indeed is that virulent and unashamed) naturally is not limited to radio stations. Since leaving radio I've worked in restaurants, air freight, limo/cab jobs and home improvement. The work-spouse stuff, plus whatever other delights, scandals and pursuits, are not a syndrome peculiar only to radio stations. I should know. I've actually been on the giving and the receiving end of these workplace setbacks.
In recent months we've all seen this sort of wolf-lamb panting reaching our highest levels of government. So this is at a radio station. So what? What else is new?

So I'm not making any judgments. Those are not up to me. It'll all sort itself out.

Later Friday 7/20/18, WFAN had a change of mind and put Joe Benigno on indefinite leave.

The info was contained in a company memo sent to advertisers by Entercom Regional President Susan Larkin, stating:

“Joe Benigno initially will be on leave while we work through this matter carefully, to avoid any potential distraction
from the great sports talk content our listeners, advertisers and community expect us to deliver each day.”

Also: the lawsuit “also includes troubling allegations that were not raised during Lockwood’s employment,
but were made through this lawsuit seeking millions ($5 million) in compensatory damages.”
“WFAN takes allegations of this nature very seriously, and we are looking into all of the allegations.”
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Seems that WFAN + Entercom maybe were getting some pushback from listeners and advertisers about their
original support of Benigno and allowing him to be on-air during their own investigation

Being on-air would have been far too awkward and problematic for the station and its board ups/show producers
who would have had to be careful screening calls along with itchy fingers on the dump button trigger.

Newsday: https://www.newsday.com/sports/media/joe-benigno-wfan-1.19980331

NY Daily News: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/ny-sports-joe-benigno-wfan-leave-20180720-story.html