| « Uptown Welcomes $600,000 Solar Panel Project | Chicago Community Trust Releases On The Table Report » |
Election 2014 Thu Oct 02 2014
Rauner Firm Selected Randy Michaels to Lead Media Company
GTCR, the private equity firm started in part by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner, brought on disgraced former Tribune Company executive Randy Michaels in 2011 to run Merlin Media.
At the time Emmis Communications sold a controlling interest in Merlin Media and transferred ownership of three radio stations, two of which were in Chicago, to GTCR.
Michaels was an executive at the Tribune Company from 2007 until 2010. The New York Times published an article in October 2010 detailing the behavior of Michaels while he was at the Tribune, which included sexual harassment of female employees.
Michaels resigned from his job later that month.
Merlin Media created an FM news station on 101.1, replacing the alternative rock station Q101 at that same frequency. The station failed and has subsequently been replaced by another alternative rock station at that frequency.
Rauner retired from the firm at the end of 2012. His campaign did not return requests for a comment.
