NPR Report Cites 'High Level Of Distrust' Of Management

An outside legal review of NPR's handling of allegations against its former top news executive, Michael Oreskes, found that questions were raised about his behavior toward women even before he was hired. And concerns about misconduct were reportedly flagged throughout Oreskes' 2 1/2-year tenure at the network right up to the day he was fired.

Repeated warnings from the network's top leadership about Oreskes' inappropriate conduct and expenditures proved ineffective, the review by the law firm Morgan Lewis noted.

"Attempts to curtail Oreskes' conduct and attention to women were not successful," the report stated. "While management made multiple attempts to counsel Oreskes about his conduct, he was not deterred from pursuing conversations and dinner meetings with women inside and outside of NPR that were inappropriate and served a nonbusiness purpose." Oreskes was forced to resign on Nov. 1.

According to NPR, the nine-page report on the review's findings was released to NPR staffers Tuesday afternoon, as NPR CEO Jarl Mohn and Chief Operating Officer Loren Mayor had promised. Morgan Lewis conducted the review from December to February, interviewing 86 current and former NPR employees, 71 of whom are women.

The law firm also surveyed the culture at NPR and found a "high level of distrust" in management to address such problems effectively. More broadly, it found a "perception of a culture at NPR that favors men," in a way that it said many employees believe "can foster harassment and bullying."

Morgan Lewis suggested several fixes: NPR should require all employees to undergo sexual harassment training, preferably in person; NPR should contract with an outside firm to conduct investigations into sexual harassment complaints, at least for now, as a way of rebuilding trust; NPR's board of directors should monitor complaints, processes and resolutions; and NPR should conduct a gender equity study of pay and promotion.

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