Geraldo Rivera has filed a lawsuit against Cumulus Media Inc., accusing the national radio broadcasting company of backing out of a one-year $600,000 contract extension for him to continue hosting a daily news talk-radio show at WABC in New York.
Geraldo claims his agent struck the deal last year with Cumulus’ previous management and that the new CEO isn’t honoring the arrangement, therefore, breaching his contract.
According to Bloomberg, Geraldo contends in the lawsuit that over the Thanksgiving holiday Cumulus’ current management locked him out of his studio and office at WABC-AM after they refused to honor a his 2016 contract extension. A Cumulus spokesman told Bloomberg Geraldo was offered a new contract and he rejected it.
The lawsuit states that EVP John Dickey, who was ousted in a board shakeup, acknowledged the employment agreement in an e-mail sent to Geraldo on September 30.
Geraldo posted a lengthy rant on his Facebook page and promised to sue.
“In locking me out of my studio as of last Friday even though my contract does not expire until December 31st and in refusing to honor the 2016 deal negotiated by the ousted Dickeys, they have breached my contract. That slight will not go unanswered.
Trust me on this, it is not about the money…. But because of their unforgivable disrespect, I will fight them and they will end up costing their battered company far more in damages than they expect to save in my salary.”
