Posted on 06/18/2008 12:57:37 PM PDT by raccoonradio
Just heard that from a group exec who’s been critical of her syndicator’s lockout of a star talent during the last weeks of the Spring rating period. (Laura’s been gone since June 2.) He emails me to say “the Laura Ingraham people called” – meaning TRN – “and they say she will be back on or before June 30.” I think that’s been their line for a couple of weeks now. Problem is, the Arbitron Spring survey period ends next Wednesday, June 25.
The Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz supplies one detail that’s new: I thought Ingraham’s contract was up in July. But Kurtz says her deal with Talk Radio Network doesn’t expire until September. He further says “she is contractually barred from negotiating with other syndicators until later this Summer.” Thus the hardball stance by Mark Masters at TRN. Laura’s attorney Eric Bernthal says “The fact is, they took her off the air. There’s no doubt in my mind they did it as a tactic in contract negotiations.” He also says “She has always appreciated what Mark Masters and TRN did for her early in her radio career. They bet on her five years ago [after she left Westwood] and invested in her and backed her.” Now Masters really, really doesn’t want to let her go anywhere else.
Laura Ingraham is 100% pro-life now, and converted to Catholicism.
Pro-life is my litmus test, but I do care very much about other conservative issues, as well.
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