NYC Radio: WNYC Fires Lopate, Schwartz

Leonard Lopate

Two weeks after their abrupt suspensions, longtime WNYC hosts Leonard Lopate and Jonathan Schwartz have been fired, according to WNYC.org.

In a statement, spokesperson Jennifer Houlihan Roussel wrote “New York Public Radio has terminated the employment of Leonard Lopate and Jonathan Schwartz following two separate investigations overseen by outside counsel. These investigations found that each individual had violated our standards for providing an inclusive, appropriate, and respectful work environment.”

It’s a stunning end for two of WNYC’s most recognizable voices: Lopate interviewed everyone from Barack Obama to Liza Minnelli on his long-running weekday show, while Schwartz maintained a devoted following for his weekend program dedicated to the American Songbook.

Schwartz declined comment when reached shortly after the announcement. Lopate said he was “really sad and totally shocked.” He called the decision “unjust.”

NYPR placed Lopate and Schwartz on leave on Dec. 6, pending investigations into “inappropriate conduct.”

Jonathan Schwartz

Earlier this week, Schwartz told WNYC News, "This episode in my life truly is the most hurtful, outrageous and saddest I’ve ever experienced — and more.” Lopate said he was “stunned” by his suspension.

This investigation by reporters at WNYC News has not determined the specific reasons for the termination of Lopate and Schwartz. However, it has learned of multiple complaints against both hosts over the course of more than a dozen years. In several cases, they involved allegations of inappropriate comments and bullying.

Some of these incidents were brought back to the attention of management after news of the behavior by the former host of The Takeaway, John Hockenberry, became public. NYPR declined to comment on the incidents described in this article and would not say whether they contributed to the decision to fire Lopate and Schwartz.

The organization has been in crisis since Dec. 1, when New York magazine's The Cut published an article detailing how Hockenberry made sexual advances toward some colleagues and undermined and insulted others, including several women of color who had co-hosted the show. WNYC News followed that story with its own report. In a statement, Hockenberry said, "My behavior was not always appropriate and I’m sorry."

Lopate, 77, has been the host of his eponymous show for more than 30 years. During that time, he’s won numerous awards, including a George Foster Peabody Award. He has interviewed luminaries including Jimmy Carter, Margaret Atwood and Tom Hanks. Within a single show, topics can range from the rise of ISIS to the virtues of mustaches.

For those who worked on the show, the experience could be exhilarating, placing them at the center of current political debates and cultural events. Some of the show’s longtime contributing producers said they couldn’t imagine Lopate saying anything inappropriate.

But other producers described a turbulent workplace, with a host who has exhibited emotional outbursts and, they said, has made sexually suggestive comments.

Jonathan Schwartz, 79, has been a fixture of New York City radio since the late 1960s. In 1999, he joined WNYC, serving up programs heavy on Frank Sinatra, Norah Jones, and his own stories about the music business. Until Schwartz was suspended, he hosted a total of eight hours on WNYC-FM on the weekends, and had his own digital stream called The Jonathan Channel.

He has also been volatile on occasion. In one instance about three years ago, he shouted insults and obscenities at another WNYC host inside the newsroom. Reporters and editors who heard the commotion rose from their desks in alarm. Schwartz quickly left.