CHICAGO (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The Tribune Company has appointed radio industry vet Randy Michaels to the position of Chief Operating Officer, responsible for all aspects of the company’s publishing, broadcasting and interactive divisions. The appointment is effective immediately.
A former radio personality, and Clear Channel VP of Programming, Michaels has been with The Tribune Company since December 2007. Prior to joining the Trib, he spent a time at Jacor Communications.
Michaels made waves last month when he plundered a number of execs from his former home at Clear Channel, including Marc Chase, former CCE VP of Programming, Jerry Kersting, head of finance and Steve Gable, CCE's VP of Technology. Michaels also raised some eyebrows by bringing in former XM Radio impresario Lee Abrams as a new VP of Innovation.
All of these changes would indicate that The Tribune Company is looking earnestly for ways to diversify its content offerings away from newsprint, a medium which has been undergoing a period of transition as circulation and ad revenue fall.
"The advertising environment is tough, the real-estate crisis is affecting our classifieds something awful, and people are saying 'newspapers are dead.' So, naturally, I want to take on even more responsibility for our print business." noted an insouciant Michaels. – CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
