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 Industry trade group, trade association and lobbying, lobby group representing the interests of commercial and non-commercial over-the-air radio and television broadcasting, broadcasters in th ...
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 corporation that publishes ''The New York Times'' and its associated publications such as ''The New York Times International Edition'' and other media properties. The New York Times Company's ...
.
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's
News Corporation.
On December 20, 2007 Michaels became executive vice president (EVP) of the Chicago-based
Tribune Company 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, member of the interim council and publisher of the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
''.
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 Security (finance), securities of other companies. A holding company usually does not produce goods or services itself. Its purpose is to own Share ...
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'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', 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'', June 6, 2008. (Subscription-only access.)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Michaels, Randy
Living people
American radio personalities
American telecommunications industry businesspeople
Year of birth missing (living people)