Human Toll Of Urban One/Emmis Sale
• As Urban One’s $25 million purchase of the Emmis Indianapolis stations grows closer, some personnel fallout has begun — eight current Emmis employees have been downsized, including WIBC reporter Eric Berman, who had been with the station for nearly three decades. Berman broke the news of his departure on Twitter, stating, “Some personal news: this morning my tenure at WIBC came to an end. For 28 years, it has been my privilege to bring you fair and detailed coverage of news affecting Hoosiers’ lives, and I hope you’ll stick around for whatever comes next.”
According to the Indianapolis Business Journal (subscription required) the other adversely affected employees were from the marketing, IT, and online content creation departments. The Journal also includes an Emmis statement that reads, “Today, Emmis notified eight individuals that their positions have been eliminated. Impacted individuals are being provided severance and offered insurance coverage. These are difficult days, and we wish them nothing but success.”
Urban One/Radio One CEO Alfred Liggins also told the Journal that the company will be relocating the Urban/Rhythmic format on WHHH (Hot 96.3) up the dial to 100.9, replacing Top 40 WNOW (Radio NOW 100.9). As was recently reported, WHHH’s current frequency, 96.3 is being spun off to Bible Broadcasting Network.
• The sale, which was originally announced in June, includes these Emmis properties: AC WYXB (B105), Country WLHK (97.1 HANK FM), Sports-Talk 93.5/107.5 The Fan (WIBC-HD2), News-Talk 93.1 WIBC-FM and Network Indiana. Also part of the sale: translators W228CX (93.5) and W298BB (107.5), which rebroadcast The Fan.
