Joe Thomas will not be allowed to host a morning show on WTON-AM in Staunton, Virginia due to his current non-compete agreement with WCHV, a Virginia judge has ruled.
Thomas was fired from his Program Director and morning show host role at WCHV in Charlottesville in May after he purchased WTON-AM in Staunton from Stu-Comm for $275,000. Staunton is roughly 40 miles west of Charlottesville but inside the designated market area.
Monticello Media, parent company to WCHV, filed a temporary injunction to stop Thomas from hosting a new morning show on the station he purchased, claiming it had lost upwards of $25,000 from advertisers after his exit. A judge sided with the radio company, arguing that “Monticello Media is entitled to its market. He can’t be on the air in the metropolitan statistical area.”
By issuing the ruling, the judge enforced a six-month non-compete clause from the contract Joe Thomas held with Monticello Media.
However, Thomas believes his non-compete agreement only limits him from host a morning radio show, telling The Daily Progress “There’s a whole afternoon out there” alluding to the potential for hosting a local show outside of the morning daypart. Furthermore, Joe Thomas asserts his salary — which he reported to the court as $55,900 — falls below the minimum figure for enforcement of non-compete agreements under Virginia state law.
Additionally, non-compete agreements are set to be null and void in sweeping changes by the Federal Trade Commission, barring an injunction from any federal court, on Tuesday, September 3rd.
