Indianapolis…Emmis Communications Corporation (Nasdaq: EMMS) today announced that Paul W. Fiddick has been named President of Emmis International.
“We are incredibly fortunate to find someone with Paul’s tremendous radio experience,” Jeff Smulyan, President of Emmis Communications, said. “He is truly a leader and a well-known visionary in the field, and his political skills will be a nice addition as well.” Smulyan noted that the addition of Fiddick will allow Randall Bongarten to focus exclusively on Emmis Television. Bongarten had been serving as President of Emmis’ TV Division and Emmis International.
Fiddick, 52, served as Assistant Secretary for Administration for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a Senate-confirmed Presidential appointment, from November 1999 until May 2001. He co-founded Heritage Media Corporation in 1987, and was President of its 24-station radio division until its sale in 1998. From 1982-86, he was president of Multimedia, Inc., which owned 12 radio stations in seven medium-sized markets, and worked in a variety of capacities at radio stations in Kansas City, Mo., and Milwaukee, Wisc. He served on the Board of Directors of both the National Association of Broadcasters (1994-98) and the Radio Advertising Bureau (1983-99), including a term as Chairman (1993-94).
Fiddick, who graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in journalism, has already begun his new duties.
Emmis International currently includes Sláger Rádío network in Hungary, as well as Radio 10 and Mega 98.3 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.