Michael Weiner v. the Orig. Talk Radio Network
Opinion
Opinion
MEMORANDUM and ORDER
The Original Talk Radio Network, Inc. (OTRN) appeals the district court’s confirmation of an arbitration panel’s award in favor of Dr. Michael A. Weiner, known on-air as “Michael Savage” (Weiner). OTRN syndicated Weiner’s talk-radio show for at least a decade before their business relationship soured in 2010. As the expiration of the parties’ syndication agreement (the Agreement) drew near, a third party made a competing offer for Weiner’s services, which OTRN sought to match pursuant to a “right-to-match” provision in the Agreement. But Weiner refused to recognize OTRN’s offer, arguing that OTRN had failed to properly exercise its right to match. This caused OTRN to insist that the parties proceed to arbitration to settle their dispute pursuant to the Agreement’s arbitration clause.
In September 2012, the arbitration panel issued its award, terminating the Agreement and awarding Weiner over $800,000 in withheld compensation. Weiner subsequently filed a motion to confirm the arbitration award, which the district court granted in May 2013. He has also asked this court to impose sanctions on OTRN for filing a frivolous appeal.