Former KWAM Talk Host Sues Over Contract Breach

RADIO ONLINE | , , | :am CT

News/Talk KWAM-AM/Memphis ousted afternoon host Thaddeus Matthews (4-7pm) last Friday and now the "Express Yourself" host has filed a $500,000 lawsuit in Shelby County Chancery Court alleging breach of contract. According to the Memphis Daily News, KWAM President/GM George Bryant is also named in the suit which alleges Bryant breached Matthews' contract when he fired him and brought in syndicated talk host Ben Ferguson.

Matthews' attorney first sought a temporary injunction to keep Ferguson from starting at KWAM, reported the newspaper, after Ferguson left his previous station, crosstown rival WREC-AM. A TRO was denied and Matthews is now proceeding with his suit.

Matthews said that he and the station agreed to the terms of his new contract in January. However, the small print read: "Station reserves the right to cancel this contract at any time if the show does not meet FCC or KWAM programming requirements in sole discretion of KWAM's management."

Bryant told the Daily News, that a change in hosts was about a change in direction for the station and the afternoon slot.