10-13-13
"We are not vindictive, but we do look forward to catching the rats and finishing what they started." Those are the latest words from TRN CEO Mark Masters who has issued his second statement regarding talk show host Andrea Tantaros. He's making it clear he is not about to let Tantaros walk away from her show without a fight and claims one of his compietitors is involved. "Andrea cannot unilaterally break her contract, and we are in full compliance with the agreement. Any statements to the contrary from her attorneys or anyone else are just bluster to attempt to hide the "payday" strategy."
Tantaros filed a breach of contract lawsuit against TRN last week and quit the show TRN was syndicating. While a former TRN employee told Radio Ink late last week she was not in a position to get back on the air with another syndicator, Masters says in his latest statement, that's exactly what's going on here. "Though we continue to believe that Andrea is a victim of those who would offer her enough money to take extreme actions....Andrea's advisers would have been much better served to simply call and ask if we would be willing to sell the Show and her contract to the competitor which seeks them." Masters called the unnamed syndicator, "unethical competitors."
Part of the reason Tantaros walked was her claim that TRN was not responding to her about how the production of the show was changing, employees hired to help run the show were being fired, not getting a list of affiliates or
how much advertising was being sold (she had a revenue sharing deal). Masters says that information has been sent to Tantaros, and it was sent on time, calling that claim absurd. "TRN Entertainment understands the contention asserted to date as to a claimed termination notice issued on Wednesday, October 9, 2013, it was that TRN Entertainment did not respond to a letter issued on Friday, September 13, 2013 within 20 business days thereafter, and that, as a result, a termination notice could be issued. However, that claim is facially absurd. The 20 business day period extended through Friday, October 11, 2013, and TRN Entertainment timely issued its response, as it had scheduled internally, one day early, on Thursday, October 10, 2013. Contrary to reports circulating from whatever sources, TRN Entertainment is also current on all of its payment obligations under the agreement, and there were no payment delinquencies which had to be cured as of the Friday, October 11th date in any event.
Masters say, "Those who have influenced her and put her into this embarrassing position have damaged TRN Entertainment, and we will pursue them for their greed and other malevolent motives, so that this will be a cautionary tale, not to be repeated. I believe in her and continue to look forward to a long term relationship with her, in accordance with our existing contract which remains in full force and effect, once we sort the current manufactured intrigues out. We also like a good fight when it is for the right reasons, and this is for all of the right reasons. We are not vindictive, but we do look forward to catching the rats and finishing what they started."
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