Clear Channel says settles Tribune lawsuits

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Clear Channel Communications Inc said on Wednesday it settled lawsuits against Tribune Co and several former Clear Channel employees lured away by the newspaper publisher and broadcaster.

Clear Channel said Tribune agreed not to further solicit or hire Clear Channel employees under contract.

The company accused Tribune in May of hiring a key executive to run its interactive division, claiming misappropriation of trade secrets.

Several former Clear Channel executives now work at Tribune, including the former chief executive, Randy Michaels, Tribune's chief operating officer.

"We did nothing wrong here and paid nothing to settle these lawsuits," Tribune spokesman Gary Weitman said in an e-mailed statement. "We have never tortiously interfered with the contracts of Clear Channel employees and we won't in the future."

(Reporting by Robert MacMillan; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Carol Bishopric)