Benjamin Homel, known professionally as Randy Michaels, is an American broadcasting executive and a former member of the

National Association of Broadcasters The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) is a trade association and lobby group representing the interests of commercial and non-commercial over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States. The NAB represents more than ...

TV Board.

Biography

Michaels has been involved in large market radio broadcasting since the early 1970s, first in front of the mike as evening personality at adult contemporary WGR in Buffalo. He later moved into management, and was CEO of Jacor Communications in the 1990s selling to Clear Channel in 1999 and remaining there as CEO until 2002. Early in 2005, Michaels began working with Oak Hill Capital partners on acquisition opportunities, culminating in the creation of Local TV LLC, a company that acquired nine local network-affiliated television stations formerly owned by

The New York Times Company The New York Times Company is an American mass media company that publishes ''The New York Times''. Its headquarters are in Manhattan, New York City. History The company was founded by Henry Jarvis Raymond and George Jones in New York City. ...

. In early 2007, Michaels became CEO of the company. On December 22, 2007, Local TV announced it was acquiring eight large market stations from

Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch ( ; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-born American business magnate. Through his company News Corp, he is the owner of hundreds of local, national, and international publishing outlets around the world, including ...

News Corporation News Corporation (abbreviated News Corp.), also variously known as News Corporation Limited, was an American multinational mass media corporation controlled by media mogul Rupert Murdoch and headquartered at 1211 Avenue of the Americas in New ...

. On December 20, 2007 Michaels became executive vice president (EVP) of the Chicago-based

Tribune Company Tribune Media Company, also known as Tribune Company, was an American multimedia conglomerate headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Through Tribune Broadcasting, Tribune Media was one of the largest television broadcasting companies, owning 39 ...

and chief executive officer (CEO) of Interactive and Broadcasting operations as part of the management restructuring following the consummation of the Tribune Company privatization transaction. Under Michaels, Tribune Company was widely reported to have undergone a negative change in atmosphere, with instances of profanity from executives and strange memos being issued from management, as well as a controversial private poker party in Tribune Tower. ''The New York Times'' cited multiple witnesses who saw Michaels tell them to "watch this" before offering a waitress $100 to show her breasts at a Chicago hotel bar in 2008. The group he was with was "dumbfounded." On October 23, 2010, Michaels was asked to resign as Tribune's CEO by the board of directors, and was replaced temporarily by a four-member Executive Council, and later by

Eddy Hartenstein Eddy W. Hartenstein is a business leader and has with a career in the media industry. Hartenstein currently serves as a board member at Broadcom, where he is also lead independent director, TiVo, and Sirius XM Radio, where he is also lead inde ...

, member of the interim council and publisher of the ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...

''. Michaels is also the sole proprietor of Radioactive, LLC, a

holding company A holding company is a company whose primary business is holding a controlling interest in the securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own shares of other companies ...

for radio broadcast licenses. Michaels also controls Merlin Media, LLC, which owned radio stations in New York City and Chicago. On October 14, 2011, Michaels was arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Middletown, Ohio. Michaels pled guilty to a construction zone traffic charge.

Notes

References

*Crain's New York Business.
"101.9 kills the talk, cues the rock 'n' roll"
July 17, 2012. After a yearlong experiment, Randy Michaels' Merlin Media pulled the plug on FM News 101.9 and started blaring alternative rock music once again. * Kinsley, Michael.
"My Most Productive Column Ever: Measuring Value by Word Count: What a Brilliant Idea!"
''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...

'', June 9, 2008. Accessed August 24, 2008. (Comments on Randy Michaels, with reference to article by Saba.) *Saba, Jennifer.
"Update: Tribune Hints at Big Staff and Page Cuts -- and Measuring Reporters' Value By the Inch
". ''

Editor & Publisher ''Editor & Publisher'' (''E&P'') is an American monthly trade news magazine covering the newspaper industry. Published since 1901, ''Editor & Publisher'' is the self-described "bible of the newspaper industry." Originally based in New York City, ...

'', June 6, 2008. (Subscription-only access.) {{DEFAULTSORT:Michaels, Randy Living people American radio personalities American telecommunications industry businesspeople Year of birth missing (living people)