A co-host for a popular NPR podcast left the public radio network after it opened an investigation in March into his conduct in the workplace, according to two people with knowledge of his departure.
The co-host, Ramtin Arablouei, has not hosted new episodes of the show, “Throughline,” for weeks. But neither he nor NPR have said anything publicly about his absence.
His departure, the people said, came after an employee on the show said that he had behaved inappropriately toward her and made an offensive remark during a team meeting. The comments eventually led to an internal investigation. It was unknown whether Mr. Arablouei’s departure was related to the investigation.
Heather Walls, an NPR spokeswoman, said in a statement that “any concerns raised through appropriate channels are reviewed carefully.”
“We take allegations regarding workplace conduct seriously and are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful and professional environment for all employees,” Ms. Walls said.
Mr. Arablouei did not respond to messages asking about his departure..
Mr. Arablouei has been involved with some of public radio’s most ambitious podcasts. Before cofounding “Throughline,” Mr. Arablouei helped create “How I Built This,” a popular business podcast hosted by the journalist Guy Raz, and he has also made contributions to shows including “TED Radio Hour,” “Hidden Brain,” “Radio Ambulante” and “Reveal,” a podcast from the Center for Investigative Reporting.
The investigation into Mr. Arablouei began in March, after an employee of “Throughline” told a manager about her experiences working with him, the two people said. The manager filed a formal internal complaint on the employee’s behalf, and a lawyer at the network opened an investigation.
The employee told the lawyer that Mr. Arablouei had made her uncomfortable by discussing details of his personal life during frequent one-on-one meetings. She also said he had made inappropriate remarks during meetings with the “Throughline” team and flirted with guests and a contract employee of the show. During one meeting, the employee said, Mr. Arablouei said that one producer was “a case for race mixing,” a remark that struck some attendees as an untoward appraisal of her physical appearance.
Over the next few weeks, a lawyer for NPR, Ali Parker, interviewed other members of the “Throughline” team, according to three people with knowledge of the investigation. On April 1, Ms. Parker told the employee whose interview led to the complaint that many of her claims had been corroborated.
NPR informed the staff of “Throughline” in a meeting that same day that Mr. Arablouei was leaving the network but did not explain why. On April 16, NPR sent a message to stations saying that Mr. Arablouei’s co-host, Rund Abdelfatah, would tell listeners that she was the podcast’s solo host in the coming weeks.
Benjamin Mullin reports for The Times on the major companies behind news and entertainment. Contact him securely on Signal at +1 530-961-3223 or at [email protected].
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