Tim Eby, former General Manager of St. Louis Public Radio, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the station and the University of Missouri Board of Curators. Eby was removed from his role in September 2020 over allegations he turned a blind eye to the “legacy of structural racism” at the station.
Represented by attorney Christian G. Montry, Eby is seeking more than $100,000 in damages. In an article published by St. Louis Public Radio journalists on Medium, Eby was described as someone who could “make necessary changes to policies and practices” in order to “transform the station into a diverse, inclusive, and equitable place to work.” Instead, the journalists allege he chose to maintain “white supremacy at the station by remaining complacent with the status quo.”
Even after being being removed as GM, the University gave Eby a six-month pay extension plus benefits, and allowed him to work with the station as a consultant.
Eby served as SLPR’s General Manager for 11 years. He previously managed Ohio State University’s WOSU after spending 21 years at WVPE in South Bend, IN. He is currently serving as the executive director of the Special Education Foundation based in Maryland Heights.
In the lawsuit, he asserts that the accusations of racial and financial mismanagement have damaged his reputation, affecting his ability to find work in his field. According to the lawsuit, Eby took a voluntary 10% pay cut during the financial strain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and claims the station refused staff demands for changes that were “financially impossible” or would result in illegal “race-based hiring criteria.”
Rachel Lippmann, a member of the organizing committee for the St. Louis Public Radio Guild, disagreed with the claims made in Eby’s lawsuit. A spokesman for the University of Missouri System simply said, “We are looking forward to responding to the lawsuit in court.”
