I think this is a Salem tactic. They carry a show, allow it to become popular and then start asking for a fee to carry the show.
I believe that is what they did to Dave Ramsey (the finance guy) a few years ago. They asked him to pay somewhere between a million and two million dollars to clear his show on their stations. I wonder if that’s what is going on with Laura.
Yes, that's their business model. Just about everything you hear on commercial radio, music, talk, religious shows, is essentially a paid commercial. The show producers try to make a profit by selling advertising above what their air time costs.