Could This Really Be True … Is Cumulus Media Planning on Dumping Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity? However, It May Not Be a Bad Thing

Could this really be good for business? A note to the LEFT, I wouldn’t get too giddy …

The Politico is reporting that Cumulus Media is planning on dropping both top conservative radio talk show hosts Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity from its stations. Yea that’s the ticket, lose your two biggest talents and think that you can go forward without a gaping hole in your earnings or listener-ship.  According to the reports, some industry sources said that Cumulus is also expected to move some of its existing talent,  which includes Mike Huckabee, Mark Levin, and Michael Savage into one of the slots. With all due respect to these folks, especially Mark Levin, they are not el Rushbo or Hannity, nor do they garner the audience that these two individuals have. Rush and Hannity are by far the two biggest radio draws, its not even close.

In a major shakeup for the radio industry, Cumulus Media, the second-biggest broadcaster in the country, is planning to drop both Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity from its stations at the end of the year, an industry source told POLITICO on Sunday.

Cumulus has decided that it will not renew its contracts with either host, the source said, a move that would remove the two most highly rated conservative talk personalities from more than 40 Cumulus channels in major markets.

The decision comes after negotiations between Cumulus and Premiere Networks, the division of Clear Channel that distributes Limbaugh and Hannity’s shows, broke down due to disagreements over the cost of the distribution rights, the source said. Cumulus is known to drive a hard bargain on costs, and Clear Channel is known to seek top dollar for big names.

Over at Twichy, they show that Media Matters, Eric Boehlert pretty excited about it. The comical and ironic aspect of his tweets is when he refers to Rush as “hate” programming. Really, Media Matters accusing others of “hate” marketing is like the Obamacare call centers put in place to answer questions and add people to Obamacare working part time and not able to be eligible for insurance.

The Top Talk Radio Audiences from Talkers.com

A note to the LEFT, don’t get too giddy and don’t ask for things they might just come true. Read the article at ‘The Week’ that makes the most sense regarding the potential parting of the ways of Rush and Hannity from Cumulus. The article asks, Who’s dumping Who? Here are the facts and if Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh both leave Cumulus, they will be replaced with more conservative talk radio host. This opens up a potential of more local talent or other B name hosts. It is not like Cumulus is going to replace the #1 and #2 radio audience talk show hosts with elevator music or NPR. Thus, it will add more conservative talent to the air waves. Then, it is not like Rush and Sean are not going to find new homes on the radio and their legions of fans are just going to change their preset radio button to a new station. Those that listen on line will just add a new app. So in the long run, the LEFT who think this is a bad thing, may rue the day that this shake up happens because it just will provide even more conservative talent on the air waves. Oh the horror.

That’s an important distinction, says Hinckley. And if Limbaugh goes to Clear Channel, it’s not like he’ll be off the airwaves. His legions of fans would just have to change the presets on their radios.

And Cumulus wouldn’t drop conservative talk radio altogether — it would just switch personalities, says Byers. In recent weeks, “Cumulus has been quietly reaching out to radio talent agents and political insiders about new local and regional station hosts to fill some of the airtime that will be left vacant by Limbaugh and Hannity,” he says. “Cumulus is also expected to move some of its existing talent — which includes Mike Huckabee, Mark Levin, and Michael Savage — into one of the slots.”

“Cumulus has already tried to position Huckabee as a ‘safe’ alternative to Limbaugh,” says Adam Martin at New York: “A conservative commentator who wouldn’t call people ‘sluts’ on air.” Huckabee doesn’t have a huge following, according to Talkers magazine’s most recent analysis, but Savage and Levin do.