Posted on 08/22/2013 7:53:13 PM PDT by iowamark
Industry sources very close to the negotiations confirmed to Radio Ink late last night that Rush Limbaugh will not be leaving Cumulus stations when his contract is up at the end of this year. The one exception will be in New York City where Limbaugh will switch from WABC to Clear Channel's WOR-AM. A deal between Cumulus and Limbaugh, who is syndicated by Clear Channel owned Premiere Radio Networks, was struck when Premiere agreed to unbundle Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, according to sources.
This negotiation became very public with Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey making statements that the talk format was not producing the revenue he believed they should, even labeling them "code red." At times, Limbaugh was caught in the cross-hairs of those statements over his highly publicized statements about Sandra Fluk, which Cumulus said cost them revenue. Limbaugh was even forced to mention the negotiations on his program several weeks ago. But business is business and Rush Limbaugh, who recently celebrated 25 years on the air, is still the number one Talk Radio Host in the world. It would have been very difficult for Cumulus to overcome the loss of both Sean Hannity (see next story) and Rush Limbaugh.
In 2014 Cumulus will try to drive revenue with Michael Savage in Hannity's slot. Hannity was just too expensive for Cumulus, according to sources, and when Premiere finally agreed to negotiate Hannity and Rush separately, Cumulus saw that as an opportunity to move Savage in. Cumulus syndicates Savage, who can be very hard-core to the right of most other syndicated talkers. How will advertisers accept Savage? Cumulus has most likely calculated that it can generate more profit from a show it distributes itself compared to paying a price it considered too high for the number two talker, Sean Hannity.
Changes to the talk radio landscape in America will start to unfold in 2014. Contracts for both Hannity and Limbaugh expire at the end of this year.
I hope so, too.
I'm not sure what to make of all of this...
Raccoonradio: Can you help us out here? Do you think Rush will be OK? What happens to Hannity?
Outside of Hal Jay and Rush, WBAP is a wasteland now.
bump
Overall I agree, however I do think Sean serves a purpose, and pulls in a different, less sophisticated audience than Rush does.
Kind of like "Hannity's Introduction to Conservative Talk Radio" for liberals, moderates, unaffiliated voters, fence-sitters and low-information voters...
I tried to get FReeper AnnaZ to run for a slot on WBAP years ago.
She is good, and I know it is a ton of effort to do 3 hour show.
I Don’t have that drive.
Hannity does, but he sucks.
If I was getting paid good I might be able to squeak out 3 hours a week.
Rush will be fine.
He is one of the only radio professionals left.
I know people grouse about him, but he is great, the timing.., The wit.
Maybe we could a weekend show, might have to do it cheap at first
It’s Rush and Levin for me on WBAP. Sean is ok depending on guests, news of the day, etc. but he can be repetitive. Local hosts....not so much.
That’s the way it starts.
I tell ya what, Those guys on Midnight Trucking/Redeye Radio are amazing.
They are working their asses off And staying fresh.
GREAT radio show
I love Mark but after a 12 hr day, I need to decompress.
Agree. Hannity is pathetic, and Sliwa is an idiot. Savage will rule 3pm in no time. I do agree Aaron Klein needs some work in the delivery department. You might be interested to know that Savage has taken him under his wing and is helping him with it. Klein is an amazing researcher and writer, and has a blockbuster book on the impeachment case against Obama that just came out.
I do grouse about him once in awhile, but only when he deserves it. He's had a few shows recently where he really just mailed it in... spent most of the show on the same topic, and appeared to do little, if any, show prep. Very disappointing.
His show today, however, was fantastic!
Overall, though, you're right... El Rushbo is the BEST. It's no wonder to me that he's still the #1 talk radio host in the world after 25 years. I've been a loyal Rush listener since I first heard him in March 1991.
We still have WTIC and WHYN
I think...
(One thing about WHYN out of Springfield, it is stronger than WTIC in the Norwich/Route 2 area - weird - and I can get WTIC in Putney VT and Albany NY - weird/weird ;)
Ferguson sucks.
I thought Marc Davis sucked, but Ferguson sucks.
It’s pretty darn difficult to keep everyone engaged for 3 hours a day for 25 years.
There are bound to be some moments of dead air.
Davis has the talent, but I hate his ego.
Hannity has no talent and has the same ego.
I knew about WTIC 1080 carrying north up to VT/NH and to Albany. WHYN 560 to Norwich, CT, though... wow! I didn't think it was that strong...
A few years ago, hubby and I were driving in Florida at night. Lo and behold - WABC out of NYC came in for awhile... couldn't believe it!
Cannot listen to Chris Krok, he’s on a David Dewhurst rant. Really miss Jeff Bolton.
Any chance Neal Boortz can be pulled out if retirement?
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