Details Emerge About Accusations Against Ashbrook

Tirades directed at young women in the studio. Name calling and belittling critiques of show ideas during meetings. “Creepy” sex talk, hugs and back or neck rubs after a dressing down. That’s the pattern of alleged abuse described by 11 mostly young women and men who filed a multi-page document outlining their complaints against On Point host Tom Ashbrook.

Non-Com WBUR 90.9 FM Boston reports details of the document emerged in an interview with one of the complainants and a second source who reviewed it. It was delivered to WBUR and the station’s owner, Boston University, on Thursday. Interviews with more than a dozen current and former On Point staffers confirmed the nature of the allegations.

On Point, produced at WBUR in Boston, is carried by more than 290 NPR stations in the United States. Ashbrook has been the widely acclaimed host for 16 years.

The accusations suggest there’s a side of Ashbrook the public does not see. Some former staffers say they were proud to work for On Point and call Ashbrook a terrific host. But a former producer who signed the complaint says she came forward out of concern for current and future On Point staff.

"Working at On Point as a young woman in journalism sets up a very bizarre understanding of expectations," said the former producer who signed the complaint. "It has taken several years to adjust my understanding of what is normal behavior and what is not in the workplace."

WBUR and Boston University have placed Ashbrook on leave while an outside investigator reviews the allegations.

Ashbrook repeated the comment he texted soon after he was placed on leave on Friday, saying he is “stunned that a few former colleagues have apparently come forward with allegations that have not been shared with me. I have no idea what is being alleged, nor by whom.”

Five current or former producers say they met with station managers multiple times, dating back at least five years, to raise concerns about Ashbrook.

“Management was happy to tolerate high turnover in the interest of keeping it quiet,” said the former employee, who works for another news organization and worries that going public would hurt his career prospects. “Some left journalism because of Tom and that to me is unconscionable.”