Boston Globe brass cleared star “Spotlight” editor Brendan McCarthy of workplace-misconduct allegations this spring after an internal probe sparked by staff complaints that he allegedly berated colleagues.
At least two Globe journalists filed written complaints to head of human resources Rohini Murthy earlier this year accusing McCarthy of verbal harassment tied to editorial disputes, Semafor reported, citing eight current and former staffers.
The accusations included claims that McCarthy cursed at members of the investigative unit and staff on Spotlight-related projects, and that one employee alleged he reduced the roles of colleagues who complained about his management.
McCarthy told co-workers he was frustrated that reporters and producers weren’t receptive to feedback on key details of sensitive projects, the outlet said.
Human resources opened a formal inquiry, during which McCarthy acknowledged being blunt but denied crossing workplace lines, according to Semafor.
By late spring, the Globe concluded McCarthy hadn’t violated company rules and imposed no discipline, Semafor reported.
The paper said in a statement to Semafor that while its policy is not to discuss individual incidents, it had investigated the allegations against McCarthy and “determined no further action was warranted.’
A Globe spokesperson added in a statement to Semafor: “Our award-winning Spotlight team undertakes important and impactful work that is a large part of our commitment to providing readers with trusted news and information.”
“We recognize the dedication and leadership that Spotlight Editor Brendan McCarthy contributes to this effort, and his track record as a respected colleague in the newsroom and industry speaks for itself,” the paper said.
A Globe spokesperson referred The Post to its statement to Semafor.
Nancy Barnes, the newspaper’s editor, told Semafor that she was “incredibly proud of the important and difficult work that Spotlight is tackling under Brendan’s leadership.”
“I am fortunate to have him on my team,” Barnes said of McCarthy.
Semafor said it spoke with more than a dozen current and former Globe journalists. Some described McCarthy as crossing lines with staff while others cast him as a demanding editor focused on results.
The dispute played out as the Globe leans on Spotlight’s brand for high-impact investigations under owner and publisher John Henry, Semafor noted.
The unit’s legacy was immortalized in the Oscar-winning 2015 film “Spotlight,” which dramatized the team’s Pulitzer Prize–winning investigation into clergy sex abuse in Boston.
McCarthy, a 2004 Emerson College graduate, leads the storied unit that won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting for “Blind Spot,” which exposed failures to keep dangerous drivers off the road.
The Globe’s staff page lists him as Spotlight editor and notes his role overseeing the team that captured the prize.
This year, McCarthy’s team published “Snitch City,” a multipart investigation into police misuse of confidential informants across Massachusetts, along with a podcast series.
The “Snitch City” project triggered pushback from New Bedford officials and a leadership change inside the police department, according to Globe coverage tied to the series.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
