Four of Buckley’s five Connecticut stations are dumping Premiere Radio Networks’ Glenn Beck’s radio program. This week, the group announced Beck would be pulled from WDRC-AM, WWCO-AM, WSNG-AM, and WMMW-AM.
The move comes after Buckley’s WOR-AM NY dropped Beck in early January. As it stands now, Buckley’s only talker to keep the show is KNZR-AM Bakersfield, CA, according to Media Matters.
“I am making the change in programming to address the Talk of Connecticut listener’s desire for more locally originated program that feature Connecticut issues,” Eric Fanhoe, VP/GM, Buckley Radio of Connecticut, reportedly wrote in an e-mail y.
Grahame Winters, the Connecticut division’s PD, concurred that the change is because listeners have expressed a desire for more locally originated programming featuring issues important to us here at home.
WOR PD Scott Lakefield told the Daily News the reason was his ratings weren’t up to par.
RBR-TVBR observation: Remember, he’s still almost 400 affiliates strong, but some question if his “gloom and doom” rhetoric could be causing a bit of fatigue and avoidance with his audience. Beck is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks and RBR-TVBR will watch closely to see if the move by Buckley Radio is a start of a trend.
RBR-TVBR recently ran an item that questioned whether Fox News would keep him on for another contract after the end of the year—is it ratings or more?
Also, if Buckley is so concerned about localism, it seems Beck was the only national talker to get the brunt of that decision-making, at least this time around.
