Tronc says Los Angeles Times Publisher and Chief Executive Ross Levinsohn has been cleared of wrongdoing following a three-week investigation into his conduct, and he will move into a new role at Tronc.
Levinsohn has been on unpaid leave since Jan. 19 following a report by National Public Radio that he was the defendant in two sexual harassment lawsuits. NPR said Levinsohn engaged in “frat-boy” behavior when he was an executive at other media companies. It said he testified that he had rated the “hotness” of female colleagues and speculated whether a female subordinate had a side job as a stripper.
Tronc said Wednesday that Levinsohn will become chief executive of Tribune Interactive, a business unit that Tronc plans to form following the sale of The Times and the San Diego Union-Tribune to Los Angeles billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong. The company also noted in a SEC filing Wednesday that Levinsohn stepped down as publisher and chief executive of The Times.
“Following an independent investigation and a report to the board of directors finding no wrongdoing on the part of Mr. Levinsohn, the board determined to reinstate Mr. Levinsohn and appoint him chief executive officer of Tribune Interactive,” the company said in a statement. He will report to Tronc CEO Justin Dearborn, the company said.
Before joining The Times, Levinsohn worked at Guggenheim Digital Media, Yahoo and Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.
–City News Service