Emmis New York Market Manager/GM Deon Levingston has exited the company following the expiration of his contract at the end of 2015.
Levingston joined Emmis in February 2014 as part of the company’s purchase of WBLS and WLIB New York from YMF Media where he had served as VP and GM for the stations under YMF and Inner City Broadcasting’s ownership. He also served as President of YMF from October 2013 until joining Emmis.
In addition to Levingston, we have heard that other employees across the company on the upper end of the pay scale will not have their contracts renewed as they come up for renewal. Like Cumulus, Emmis has been issued a delisting warning from NASDAQ for its stock not rising above a $1 per share for a month straight. Emmis has until June 7, 2016 to come into compliance.
Deon is a great broadcaster. He’ll land well. As for the rumored cuts, my fear is we might be seeing Emmis getting its financial house in order before a pursuing a sale.
Agreed. He’s one of the best. Excited for his next move.
It’s all about cutting costs to boost share price.
You might well be right, Joseph. If you’ve spent any time in radio, you understand cost cutting like what is rumored could be a sign of either. More to point, another staff reduction reported by the Indpls Star is Mike Corbin gone from the WIBC Indpls newsroom. The Emmis spokesperson saying more information on staff reductions and senior executive pay cuts “primarily in radio division” comes with Thursday’s quarterly earnings call.