Sorry. It's all business. Savage is a hot potato, but he's no more controversial today than Rush was in 1990 when he began his shocking and unpredicted rise to the top of the industry.
This is not about content, it's about power plays. Rush is threaded to Laura because they both are in the Premiere Radio Networks stable. On smaller stations, Laura isn't going anywhere unless they want to risk losing Rush. Hannity is a home-grown ABC Radio host, and Hannity's show replaced Laura on ABC-owned stations like (correct me if I am wrong, Chi-town) WLS while hanging on to Rush.
When Talk Radio Network signed up Savage to Clear Channel-owned KNEW, which has switched just months ago from an all-techie talk format to standard talk radio, that was enough for ABC to yank the rug from under Savage in NYC.
Dr. Laura is #3, and her ratings are up from this time last year. Stern is fourth. Savage is fifth.
The Savage Nation is NOT the fastest-growing talk show. It was at one time, but no more. Facts are facts.