Industry News

Warshaw’s Soros Fund Management Suit Changes Venues

Both parties in Connoisseur Media CEO Jeffrey Warshaw’s suit against Soros Fund Management and Michael Del Nin agreed to moving the matter from Superior Court in Bridgeport, Connecticut to the Complex Litigation Docket in Stamford. Warshaw is suing for breach of contract, unfair trade practicesimg and more in alleging that he had a deal with Del Nin in 2022 and began working together “to try to acquiring Cox Radio, with Del Nin agreeing that Warshaw would manage the business as CEO upon successful acquisition.” Warshaw also says he steered SFM and Del Nin to the deal that made SFM a majority stake holder of the new Audacy in early 2024 and alleges he was promised he’d be the next CEO of Audacy or that he would get 5% of SFM’s profits from the Audacy acquisition. As for the change of venue, both parties agree the case involves both complex legal issues and a claim for monetary damages. The defendants says it’s likely to require resolution of “complicated legal and factual issues.” (Del Nin has already moved to dismiss on jurisdiction grounds, which involves questions of constitutional law.) Plus, SFM anticipates the case will benefit from careful discovery oversight as it will need discovery from Warshaw as well as potentially from third parties, including from Connoisseur and the other investment firms Warshaw references in the Complaint.

Industry News

Del Nin and Soros Fund Respond to Warshaw’s Lawsuit

Last month, Connoisseur Media CEO Jeffrey Warshaw filed suit in Superior Court in Connecticut against Soros Fund Management and the company’s Michael Del Nin for breach of contract, unfair trade practices and more. Warshaw alleges that he had a deal with Soros Fund Management’s Michael Del Nin in 2022 and began working together “to try to acquire Cox Radio, with Del Nin agreeing that Warshaw would manage theimg business as CEO upon successful acquisition.” While both parties were doing due diligence on the CMG deal, Warshaw learned that an Audacy majority stake holder was willing to sell its stake in the company. Warshaw says he steered SFM and Del Nin to the deal that made SFM a majority stake holder of the new Audacy in early 2024. Warshaw alleges he was promised he’d be the next CEO of Audacy or that he would get 5% of SFM’s profits from the Audacy acquisition. After that though, Warshaw says Del Nin balked and denied there was ever an agreement, calling any such claims “fabricated.” Now, Soros and Del Nin filed both a Motion to Dismiss saying the “Court lacks personal jurisdiction over Mr. Del Nin under Connecticut’s long-arm statute”; and a Motion to Revise that asks Warshaw to revise his complaint with specific details about his contracts – written or verbal – that he claims were breached, and more. In the Motion to Revise, Soros and Del Nin imply that Warshaw doesn’t have the contractual proof necessary to support his claim.

Industry News

Jeffery Warshaw Sues Soros Fund Management for Breach of Contract

Connoisseur Media CEO Jeffrey Warshaw is suing Soros Fund Management for breach of contract, unfair trade practices and more in Connecticut Superior Court. In the complaint, Warshaw alleges that he had a deal with Soros Fund Management’s Michael Del Nin in 2022 and began working together “to try to acquireimg Cox Radio, with Del Nin agreeing that Warshaw would manage the business as CEO upon successful acquisition.” While both parties were doing due diligence on the CMG deal, Warshaw learned that an Audacy majority stake holder was willing to sell its stake in the company. Warshaw says he steered SFM and Del Nin to the deal that made SFM a majority stake holder of the new Audacy in early 2024. Warshaw alleges he was promised he’d be the next CEO of Audacy or that he would get 5% of SFM’s profits from the Audacy acquisition. After that though, Warshaw says Del Nin balked and denied there was ever an agreement, calling any such claims “fabricated.” Warshaw is seeking compensatory and punitive damages and asking that the court award specific performance of their agreement.

Industry News

Tegna Launches “Austin & Birm” Show Under Shadow of Civil Lawsuit

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Tegna, operator of sports talk WBNS-FM, Columbus “97.1 The Fan” and WBNS-TV, announced the debut of the “Austin & Birm” show, a video podcast now available on both stations’ YouTube channels. The stars, Austin Ward (left) and Jeremy Birmingham (right), are accused in a civil suit of theft, breach of contract and unjust enrichment filed by former employer THE Media. Awful Announcing reports that two are accused of “skimming money from sponsorship and ad deals — funds that were exclusively intended to compensate Ohio State athletes’ appearances on ‘THE Podcast.’ The suit alleges the two even admitted in writing to pocketing a portion of those payments, with Birmingham specifically stating that after paying players, the leftover revenue was split between him, Ward, and an unnamed third party.” Read the Awful Announcing story here.

Industry News

Cumulus Sues Dan McDowell and Jake Kemp for Violating Non-Compete

Cumulus Media is filing suit in U.S. District Court in Northern Texas against former KTCK-AM/FM, Dallas-Fort Worth personalities Dan McDowell and Jake Kemp claiming the duo are in violation of several clauses in their contracts with the company. If you recall, McDowell and Kemp left Cumulus last month after they were unable toim come to terms on a renewal to remain with “The Ticket.” The sticking point was their desire to explore digital initiatives outside of their work with Cumulus. They have since launched a podcast via Patreon that Cumulus says violates their six-month non-compete. The company also alleges the two have violated the non-solicitation and non-disparagement clauses of their contract. It alleges the duo have “commandeered” company-owned social media accounts, threatened to release “conversations Defendants illicitly recorded” with company executives. Cumulus is seeking “emergency injunctive relief” plus attorneys’ fees and costs.