Watch Video(Image source: The Rush Limbaugh Show / Fox News)
*BY ELIZABETH HAGEDORN *
They’re easily the biggest names in conservative talk radio, and if the rumors are true, the airwaves could be hearing a lot less from Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh.
Citing an “industry source,” Politico is reporting Cumulus Media will not renew the contracts for the conservative commentators after negotiations broke down with Clear Channel distributor Premiere Networks.
While the Limbaugh and Hannity have the top and second-most listened to talk radio shows in the country, they’re not bringing in ad revenue like they used to. (Via The Rush Limbaugh Show)
Forty-eight of their top 50 advertisers reportedly excluded the two shows from their ad buys this year. (Via Fox News)
And in May, Cumulus’s CEO acknowledged Limbaugh’s infamous remarks about birth control advocate Sandra Fluke were to blame for millions of dollars in ad losses. (Via C-SPAN)
*“It makes her a slut, right?" *(Via C-SPAN)
Still, Erick Erickson, of conservative blog RedState, says all the speculation is overblown, instead: *“Cumulus made some business mistakes... Premiere charges a lot for Rush and Sean’s shows because they are the two most listened to shows on radio. Cumulus wants to pay less. So they are fighting.”*
Regardless of what’s the behind a move, The Week argues the talk show hosts themselves won’t really feel the shake up, writing: *“My guess is that Limbaugh and Hannity have the upper hand...if neither Clear Channel nor Cumulus are willing to pay up, Limbaugh has a large fan base that would follow him to satellite radio or the internet.”*
As for who could fill the vacancies, Politico’s Dylan Byers has suggested conservative voices Mike Huckabee, Michael Savage and Mark Levin are up for consideration. Reported by Newsy 3 days ago.