Michaels says "Walter has unparalleled experience and a true passion for this industry, making him a perfect fit to lead Merlin Media's operations. He has founded two businesses of his own in Sabo Media and Hitviews, and that core competency will be hugely valuable to us." The Sabo Media consultancy was begun in 1984 and has worked with Group W, RKO, Newhouse, Viking Publishing, Press Broadcasting, Greater Media, AMC Movie Theatres, Clear Channel, Gannett, Infinity and Dow Jones, plus Canada's Standard Broadcasting and the CHUM Group. He was involved with Sirius for over eight years, dating to before its launch. In 2007, Sabo started video-placement company Hitviews. Merlin Media says he will keep Hitviews active, as he takes up the new COO position. As an operating executive, Sabo was part of ABC Radio Networks and the NBC-owned FM stations - a group that once included WKQX, a station that Merlin is now buying from Emmis.

Merlin Media is a Chicago-based partnership involving former Jacor, Clear Channel and Tribune executive Randy Michaels, private equity firm GTCR, and Emmis, from whom it is buying alternative "Q101" WKQX and classic rock "Loop" WLUP (97.9) in the Windy City, plus rock WRXP, New York (101.9). The recruitment of Walter Sabo as an operating executive for Merlin had been mentioned by Robert Feder at TimeOut Chicago as Merlin's $110 million deal with Emmis Communications was first announced. The News/Talk Board of Radio-Info.com is talking about Walter Sabo ("SAY-boh") here.