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Laura Ingraham Radio Absence Still Mysterious: AWKWARD MOMENTS
Radio Equalizer ^ | 06/09/08 | Brian Maloney

Posted on 06/10/2008 12:21:39 AM PDT by raccoonradio

Ingraham Takes Award, Doesn't Explain Radio Silence *** WITH IMPORTANT UPDATED DETAILS ***

Less than a week after her sudden absence from the radio airwaves, syndicated talker Laura Ingraham found herself in a truly awkward position while picking up a radio industry award Saturday evening.

And today, the mystery over her program's fate has only deepened.

During the 2008 New Media Seminar, a talk radio convention held in Manhattan, Ingraham received the "Judy Jarvis Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions by a Woman to Talk Radio".

Touching on her past accomplishments in talk radio, Ingraham gave a brief speech to attendees, which included your Radio Equalizer. But she had not a word to say about her broadcast disappearing act.

Standing just a few feet away was Talk Radio Network honcho Mark Masters, whose firm syndicates Ingraham. Regardless of any potential conflict that may have emerged between the two parties, neither said anything during the ceremony. Nonetheless, one could feel a certain amount of tension.

During the convention, many attendees approached your Radio Equalizer looking for information about her fate. But the biggest clue to date has come from Ingraham herself, with this note now posted on her website (UPDATE-- it's been removed from the site):

IMPORTANT NOTE TO LAURA LISTENERS

Due to contractual obligations, for the present time I am unable to reveal why I am not currently hosting The Laura Ingraham Show. Rest assured, this absence is not of my choosing, nor is it health or family related. I am ready, willing and eager to continue the conversation we started seven years ago about politics and the culture. (Heck, if cancer couldn't keep me off the airwaves for long, nothing will.)

Keep checking the site for a schedule of my appearances on the Fox News Channel. All queries regarding my on-air status should be directed to Talk Radio Network's management at 541 474 2297 or send an email. Thanks for sticking with me, and...Power to the People!

Earlier this evening, your Radio Equalizer contacted a reliable industry source who backed up Ingraham's version of events. Discounting earlier rumors that Laura had abandoned her own show, possibly to take a Fox News Channel slot, the insider said "she didn't walk off anything".

As to the reason for the possible lockout by her network, others speculate it's related to rumors she's been shopping her program to other syndicators in advance of her contract's upcoming expiry date.

Stay tuned for further details.

UPDATE: according to an industry source, Ingraham may have brought some of her troubles upon herself by possibly violating the terms of her contract: "Laura was 'locked out' because she's been negotiating secretly with individual Citadel-ABC program directors to get on their stations in the event they lose Sean Hannity. She's looking to make $4 million a year, far more than her show currently generates in terms of revenue.

"She was operating behind the back of Mark Masters and the Citadel-ABC people have been talking to her. She does not want to quit radio, quite the contrary. She really wants TV, too," said the insider.

Ingraham is apparently looking to move her show into a live midmorning slot on key ABC talk stations should Hannity leave the company, as many expect. This scenario would see hosts from WABC, WMAL/ Washington and WBAP/ Dallas slide into afternoon drive slots.


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; Politics
KEYWORDS: citadel; lauraingraham; seanhannity; talkradio; talkradionetwork; tammybruce; wabc; wmal
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To: Biggirl; All

There was some speculation Hannity could jump to another
company like Premiere (associated with Clear Channel;
they do Rush), Westwood One, etc. and some felt he could
eventually wind up with a 12-3 pm (ET) slot, either right away with a syndicator that isn’t Premiere, OR if Rush retired,
Premiere could put him on in place of Rush.

Hannity’s contract with Citadel-ABC runs until next year but
there was word he felt that as of this month, a year after
Citadel bought ABC, he could be free to jump from the
company (i.e., the sale would negate his deal, after ONE
year) but recently Farid Suleman of Citadel-ABC met withj
Sean and I guess they’re trying to keep him. And now you
wonder if, as said above, Citadel-ABC might be trying to
sign her in case Sean flees.


41 posted on 06/10/2008 6:51:56 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: Ditter

>>Why might he be leaving?

Quest for more money? The contract he signed a few yrs
ago was $5 million a year.


42 posted on 06/10/2008 6:53:39 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: Charles Henrickson

Yeah. She needs a better syndicator. Down here in South Florida NO Laura Ingraham on the radio except some nighttime excerpts on a Palm Beach radio station. WIOD should pick here up for the 9 AM to Noon slot. Hope she is back on the radio soon...AND in South Florida.


43 posted on 06/10/2008 6:59:46 AM PDT by PJ-Comix (Join the DUmmie FUnnies PING List ---The BIGGEST on the FR!!!)
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To: PJ-Comix; All

In Boston where I am there are smaller stations which run
her live (late mornings) north and west of Boston and
WTKK (Boston) runs her on a 13 hour delay.

Here is more via Tom Taylor’s http://www.radio-info.com column:


What’s up with Laura Ingraham?
Affiliates are noticing that she’s been absent from the mic for the last week, and that her contract with Talk Radio Network is supposedly up in July. I hear TRN’s Mark Masters – who happily signed Ingraham when she left Westwood and gave her a better daypart* – has put a new contract in her hands. But has she signed it? And if she hasn’t, is TRN using a common management tactic by keeping her away
from the studio until she does, as a negotiating ploy? Her unsigned
status leads to rumors that Ingraham too might be thinking about joining a new syndication unit that would include Sean Hannity and perhaps others. (Don’t count out Fox in all the speculation about Hannity, by the way.) Whatever the truth – and I think the situation
is day-to-day fluid – the timing sure is interesting. Laura’s website
carries this statement: “Due to contractual obligations, for the
present time I am unable to reveal why I am not currently hosting The
Laura Ingraham Show. Rest assured, this absence is not of my
choosing, nor is it health or family-related. I am ready, willing and
eager to continue the conversation we started seven years ago about
politics and the culture. Heck, if cancer couldn’t keep me off the
airwaves for long, nothing will.” She also lists the email and direct
phone number of TRN’s management – doing a little negotiating of her
own.

*—she used to be on at 7 pm when with Westwood One,
I believe.

The reference to Fox is Fox NewsTalk Radio which has
Brian and the Judge, John Gibson, Bill O’Reilly (the
show is prod. by Fox News Talk but syndicated by
Westwood One), Tom Sullivan, Spencer Hughes, and Alan Colmes.


44 posted on 06/10/2008 7:17:18 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: Charles Henrickson
In case Laura is reading this thread, I now present one of your MANY parody songs. Remember, Laura, Charles Henrickson is the BEST song parodyist out there. Something to keep in mind for when you're back on the radio:

IT'S NOW OR NEVER (Time to impeach)
Tune: "It's Now or Never"

It's now or never
Time to impeach
His crimes--whatever
So it's a reach
This year is 2008
It's now or never
Our hate can't wait

When I first saw Bush
And that evil Cheney
My life's been awful
My skies turned rainy
I've watched all these years
Chimpy's smirks and Dick's sneers
Now that we won
Let's have some fun--
Impeach!

It's now or never
Time to impeach
His crimes--whatever
So it's a reach
This year is 2008
It's now or never
Our hate can't wait

Just like a bad weed
Spreading rage enlarges
That's why we don't need
No stinking charges
Bush just needs kicking
And the clock is ticking
This ain't so tough
Make something up--
Impeach!

It's now or never
Time to impeach
His crimes--whatever
So it's a reach
This year is 2008
It's now or never
Our hate can't wait

It's now or never
Our hate can't wait
It's now or never
Our hate can't wait
It's now or never
Our hate can't wait!

45 posted on 06/10/2008 7:34:49 AM PDT by PJ-Comix (Join the DUmmie FUnnies PING List ---The BIGGEST on the FR!!!)
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To: Ditter

I actually like Hannity—my only other choices in that time slot are the McCainiac Michael Medved, Laura Schlesinger, whose nagging quickly gets old, or liberal talk radio.

The only “conservative” talk show host that I refuse to listen to is Michael Savage.


46 posted on 06/10/2008 7:35:23 AM PDT by Fiji Hill
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To: raccoonradio

I am SO behind.

When did IMUS join WABC?

Sean is leaving WABC?


47 posted on 06/10/2008 7:59:19 AM PDT by NucSubs (Cognitive dissonance: Conflict or anxiety resulting from inconsistency between beliefs and actions)
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To: L.N. Smithee

I cannot stand Monica either, but what is wrong with Tammy Bruce?

I used to like Laura but I lost a lot of respect for her this year over McCain and her single-motherhood by choice thing.


48 posted on 06/10/2008 8:00:46 AM PDT by NucSubs (Cognitive dissonance: Conflict or anxiety resulting from inconsistency between beliefs and actions)
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To: CalvaryJohn
Hannity could be leaving? Oh please let it be true! I can’t believe anyone who sucks so bad could rise so high.

LOL! He is an imbecile isn't he? Man does he give conservatives a bad name.

49 posted on 06/10/2008 8:01:42 AM PDT by NucSubs (Cognitive dissonance: Conflict or anxiety resulting from inconsistency between beliefs and actions)
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To: NucSubs

What’s this “single motherhood by choice” thing? I’m out of the loop.


50 posted on 06/10/2008 8:26:39 AM PDT by Johnny_T
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To: raccoonradio

This morning Monica Crawley filling in for Laura said Laura will be back.


51 posted on 06/10/2008 8:31:26 AM PDT by Spunky (You are free to make choices, but not free from the consequences)
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To: Enchante

I agree. She can be quite good and very entertaining, but her interviewing skills need a lot of work. She listens, not for the person’s points or to what they are saying, but rather for an opening so she can talk. If there is no opening, then she simply interrupts and talks over anything they might say. Laura is good for commentary, but lousy at interviewing.


52 posted on 06/10/2008 8:36:38 AM PDT by GBA
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To: Exit148
BUT — there is no one like him when he is in ‘pit bull’ form. He doesn’t let anyone spin, nor get away with not answering a question.

"You're still not answering my question."

Heh heh. The schmucks hate that, they hate it.

It makes them lose their place in their script.

He interrupts their practiced tape loop.

It's good that he's so annoying.

I'm feeling very annoyed this year.

53 posted on 06/10/2008 8:44:12 AM PDT by PhilDragoo (Hitlery: das Butch von Buchenvald)
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To: raccoonradio

BUMP for later


54 posted on 06/10/2008 8:46:02 AM PDT by Dante3
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To: NucSubs

Imus came back on Dec. 3

As for Hannity, while his contract with Citadel (which bought
ABC Radio) runs out next year, there was talk he was hoping to exit as soon as this month—because last year at this
time Citadel bought ABC and Sean may feel that his contract
may allow him to leave now. Last week Citadel CEO Farid
Suleman had dinner with Sean and they’re hoping to keep him.

—IF Sean leaves, he would be leaving the entire Citadel-ABC
deal nationwide and joining up with a different syndicator.
One theory has Clear Channel (owner of hundreds of
stations) and its syndication arm Premiere (Rush, Coast
to Coast, Beck) doing some kind of joint venture with
ABC-Citadel which might mean that Sean would be on ABC-
Citadel’s biggest stations (like WABC) as well as Clr.
Chnl stations nationwide. But nothing is decided yet.

For now Sean is staying where he is but if he signs
with another syndicator there is a chance he may wind up
on different stations or times in different cities.
Again, Sean’s deal is with WABC’s parent Citadel-ABC

Wikipedia:
>>In 2004, Hannity signed a $25 million five-year contract extension with ABC Radio to continue the show through 2009.

But Sean may feel ABC’s sale to Citadel may mean he
can escape early.

Wikipedia, on ABC Radio:
>>The acquisition of ABC Radio by Citadel Broadcasting was officially completed on June 12, 2007

(Tomorrow is the one yr anniversary of that deal
and is the date some are saying where Sean could
poss. leave ABC. It’s all up in the air! Citadel
is having financial problems at the former ABC Radio-
owned stations. Many talk hosts and other workers
were let go on March 1...Sean may want to jump to
a lucrative offer at another company)\


55 posted on 06/10/2008 8:56:06 AM PDT by raccoonradio
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To: Auntie Mame
"I've lost a lot of respect for her."

Did you read this? It was on her website and also in the above information. Whatever it is Laura IS NOT ABLE TO TALK ABOUT IT.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO LAURA LISTENERS
Due to contractual obligations, for the present time I am unable to reveal why I am not currently hosting The Laura Ingraham Show. Rest assured, this absence is not of my choosing, nor is it health or family related. I am ready, willing and eager to continue the conversation we started seven years ago about politics and the culture. (Heck, if cancer couldn't keep me off the airwaves for long, nothing will.)

56 posted on 06/10/2008 8:57:06 AM PDT by Spunky (You are free to make choices, but not free from the consequences)
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To: NucSubs; Johnny_T
"I used to like Laura but I lost a lot of respect for her this year over McCain and her single-motherhood by choice thing."

Give the lady a break. She was engaged to be married and the jerk ditched her when he found out she had cancer. It isn't as if she got insemenated to have a child without marriage. She adopted a 3 year old girl who needed someone.

57 posted on 06/10/2008 9:08:38 AM PDT by Spunky (You are free to make choices, but not free from the consequences)
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To: Spunky
First of all, its my understanding, from LI's own mouth, that he did NOT leave her because of her cancer.

Secondly, something is right or it is not. You are justifying her hypocrisy and cognitive dissonance.

"It's for the children" is the hew and cry of every liberal out there are is one of the major reasons the nation is a mess.

This is LI herself on traditional families;

Family matters The American family is besieged by a hostile culture, destructive government policies, and by our own selfishness. Under attack from all sides, the traditional family is now regarded as just another social arrangement, no better than any other. Despite every statistic showing that traditional family life is the healthiest for us and for the future of the society, the dominant culture continues to degrade its significance. Individualism is wonderful, but individuals without families are lost. Families are a true source of power.

This is a woman hes says traditional families are under attack due to selfishness (!!!) and that there is nothing better than the traditional family, and then goes out and deliberately creates a non-traditional family, with NO male role model. No father.

58 posted on 06/10/2008 10:02:51 AM PDT by NucSubs (Cognitive dissonance: Conflict or anxiety resulting from inconsistency between beliefs and actions)
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To: Spunky

Sorry about my typos. I really need to proofread better.

Should read “AND is one of the major reasons the nation is a mess.”

Should read “This is a woman WHO says traditional families are under attack due to selfishness...”


59 posted on 06/10/2008 10:18:19 AM PDT by NucSubs (Cognitive dissonance: Conflict or anxiety resulting from inconsistency between beliefs and actions)
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To: raybbr
1) Laura just adopted a girl from Guatemala and maybe she wants to spend some time with her.

I wonder how many critics of single women adopting children are going after Laura for this? There is usually a pretty good outcry against this practice here on FR.

Which is precisely why some at FR at times need to take a chill pill, or a valium, or both. Like with Tammy Bruce, Laura doesn't seem to be critical on-air or otherwise of what 'the masses' do, and they have their own personal business or personal issues (like us all) to tend to -- or whatever fills them emtionally, or fills their soul with joy.

It's not up to me, you or FR to judge.

60 posted on 06/10/2008 10:18:43 AM PDT by SilvieWaldorfMD ("I'll have a Big Mac super-sized combo meal.... with a Diet Coke!")
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