He changed the status on his personal "LinkedIn" page, said a poster on the New York Board of Radio-Info.com at 11:49am today (1/1/12). Sabo's listing now says "Past COO" of Randy Michaels-run Merlin Media, with an ending date for the job of December 2011. Sabo ("SAY-boh") continues to list his own Hitviews and Sabo Media consultancies. Radio-Info.com believes that Sabo's departure may have been underway for a month or more. He was a featured speaker at the December 8 Arbitron Client Conference in Baltimore, and was identified there as the COO of Merlin Media. But he never referenced Merlin in an entertaining presentation that touched on a popular YouTube video starring his one-year-old daughter ("who thinks a magazine is a broken iPad"). Merlin owns two stations in Chicago, one in New York, and has a pending $22.5 million deal to acquire Philadelphia-market WKDN, Camden, NJ (106.9). The thread on the New York Discussion Board of Radio-Info.com is 
Majestic principal James Matteucci has recently purchased six stations in New Mexico, and John Sebastian is the company's newly-hired VP of Operations. He will be based in Roswell, starting on the job January 16. Sebastian calls Matteucci "one of the dynamic and creative business people I've had the pleasure to work with." Sebastian will also be working with "legendary DJ and programmer Roger W. Morgan", who brings 15 years of sales experience to Majestic. The stations include classic hits KBCQ (1230) and modern AC "Modern music" KBCQ-FM (97.1). Sebastian says "there are a number of very good people working at the radio properties now...our immediate goal is to give direction that will stimulate all of us to be the very best we can be." Sebastian is at 480-305-3962 and JohnSeb@cox.net. He has programmed in Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, Nashville and elsewhere.
$2.6 million is less than half of the dollar value of shares of 6.25% preferred stock that Emmis offered to buy on November 30. At that time, it was willing to pay between $12.50 and $15.56 a share for between 480,000 and 385,604 shares. Emmis later raised the minimum amount it was willing to pay, but did not extend the expiration date of the Dutch auction. It ended Friday, December 30. Today Emmis announces preliminary results: "a total of 164,400 shares were properly tendered" at the top of the range, $15.56 per share. Several holders of Emmis preferred stock have announced a "lock-up agreement", committing them to act together to improve the terms for shareholders. Emmis says "the number of shares and the purchase price" from the Dutch auction are preliminary and subject to change. A "Dutch auction" means that shareholders can choose their own selling price and number of shares to be tendered, with Emmis making the final decision. Each shareholder then sells on the same terms. Buzzing on the Boards
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93.1 A new brand or just a tweak
– New York -
Whither Krenn?
– Pittsburgh -
2012 Radio Topics
– Atlanta -
Alternative or Country to reappear in NYC
– New York -
Bills Leaving Cumulus...who will get them?
– Buffalo/Niagara Falls/Rochester -
KVIL
– Dallas-Fort Worth -
R.I.P. FSR's Zakk & Jack Show
– Sports -
Cumulus flipping FM station to sports
– Dallas-Fort Worth -
106.9 Changes - When?
– Philadelphia -
Rock 99 Birmingham now Top 40 99.5 The Vibe
– Alabama
