Rumor/Report: FOX News Channel Is Throwing Hannity Over the Side

[johnfunk]

Last edited Sat Aug 10, 2013, 11:11 AM - Edit history (1)

The Drudge Report (no, I don't link to it, ever) reported on wednesday that Megyn Kelly will replace Hannity in the 9pmEST time slot when she returns from maternity leave.

I am hearing from my own media sources that NewsCorp will not be renewing Hannity's contract upon its expiration -- though one says that Hannity and FOX could not agree on terms for renewal.

I'm not buying the rumors, though. I'm betting he moves to 7pm or 10pm.

This all happens amidst Hannity's full migration from Cumulus to Clear Channel, which will put his radio program on stations that have for the most part a stronger signal and larger reach than Cumulus outlets.

Here's an interesting bit of speculation: one new media player with whom I have worked suggests that Hannity's people may be talking to The Blaze. Hannity recognizes that his cable audience is literally dying, and he might find a new, loyal audience online, and Beck, at least when it comes to business, is no idiot and understands the value of pulling in a second high-profile name.

That would have to be in tandem with the Clear Channel deal -- if NewsCorp is willing to go along, and if the rumors are true... which I doubt.

[Pab Sungenis]

1. Hannity getting bumped by Cumulus will NOT put him on stronger stations.

In most cases, the stations that pick up Hannity are relative rimshots, or have weaker signals with less penetration like WOR in New York. He's also losing his Philadelphia affiliate with no one else interested in picking him up.

[johnfunk]

4. That may be true in East Coast metro areas, but in the midwest...

... Clear Channel has a leg up on Cumulus.

[Pab Sungenis]

6. But will CC blow up successful formats to pick him up?

CC owns six stations in Philly. None of them are expected to pick him up.

Advertisers do not want Rush and Hannity. CC will not give up profitable programming just to carry a show they can't sell.

[randr]

2. Are we watching the sludge settle to the bottom?

Let them all congregate on Clear Channel as the once media giant continues its own tail spin into oblivion.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. The Blaze of Gory.

If two identical entities come into contact, say, like two positive poles on magnets, one of two things can happen. One, the entities repel each other with great force. Two, spontaneous combustion (like forcing too much plutonium into the same space at high speed)

[johnfunk]

5. Or, as the scientists like to call it, "Teabagger Cold Anti-Fusion"

[Half-Century Man]

17. I prefer it old school

just call it slamming two dumbass heads together.

[Blue Owl]

7. Maybe Ham Rove can get Hannity his own little ham hate-radio show

n/t

[certainot]

8. in NM cumulus owns THE big station 770 KKOB (UNM LOBOS + limbaugh hannity) and there's nothing

that compares volume-wise so limbaugh and hannity are going to be 'lost' to many dittoheaded teabaggers.

i'm sure they'll replace them with some almost equally fascist loons but it's going to be a great victory for the stoprush boycott.

[90-percent]

9. I would think

I would think a Koch Bros. or Sheldon Adelson caliber plutocrat would pay these two forty million a year EACH, simply to catapult the propaganda. Even if their entire nationwide audience was 37 people.

No, that's wrong. I mean, even if they don't attract the majority of radio listeners and have driven off most deep pockets advertisers.

The propaganda they spew is worth BILLIONS to advance the fascist goals of our current plutocracy. I cannot see them going away. Hey, maybe one of the big radio conglomerates will install Dick Cheney as their new President and CEO?

There is also the possibility Americans are catching on to how much these guys have lied to them?

-90% Jimmy

[another_liberal]

12. You are correct.

They have sung the same songs for far too long. If we didn't have a Black President, even the racists would have tuned them out by now.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. Sean Hannity thinks FOX "News" can't survive without him....

Glenn Beck thought the same thing....

For that matter Keith Olbermann thought the same thing about MSNBC.

About the time you feel you are indispensable is when they dispense of you.

[another_liberal]

11. Will Fox get to retain custody of his fake hair?

After all, I'm sure the Network did pay have to for it.

[DeSwiss]

13. Ewwww.....

...you went to The Drudge Report!?!?! You know you can get cooties going over there.

- And a sudden desire to wear fedoras......

K&R

[center]
“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”[/center]

[Douglas Carpenter]

14. it is quite possible that a certain generation of right-wing hosts like Limbaugh and Hannity have

run their course as major players. That is not saying that they will completely disappear. But the style that flourished on right-wing broadcasting may simply not be a style that leads the pack anymore.

[maddiemom]

16. Let's hope. This style of broadcasters was extremely damaging to the culture.

[Jamaal510]

15. They need Hannity.

There's no way dude is getting fired. Maybe he gets moved to another time slot, but that's it. He has been saying all sorts of lies and offensive things for years, so for them to fire him now all of a sudden just sounds way farfetched.