LA Times CEO Investigated For Sexual Harassment

Ross Levinsohn

The Los Angeles Times has aggressively covered #MeToo sexual harassment charges against powerful figures in Hollywood.

Now the company that owns the newspaper is investigating its publisher and CEO, Ross Levinsohn, after a report uncovered two sexual harassment lawsuits in which he was a defendant and past complaints of inappropriate conduct toward women, according to USAToday.

Tronc said the publishing company became aware of the allegations this week and launched an investigation.

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

Tronc declined to say if Levinsohn would be placed on leave or suspended during the investigation.

Levinsohn, a longtime digital media executive who held positions at Yahoo and News Corp., has been publisher of the Tronc-owned newspaper since August.

The news landed one day before federal labor officials are scheduled to announce the results of a union vote taken by the Los Angeles Times newsroom earlier this month. The Los Angeles Times guild organizing committee called for Levinsohn's immediate ouster, saying he's not "fit to lead our newspaper."

The committee also urged Tronc to conduct an independent investigation to determine whether Levinsohn acted inappropriately toward Los Angeles Times employees during his tenure as publisher.