No more Radio Factor?
The Radio Equalizer scoops that Bill O’Reilly will be giving up his radio show and concentrating on T.V. only…
Though not yet confirmed by the man himself, top- level industry sources tell the Radio Equalizer that Bill O’Reilly is giving up his nationally syndicated radio show. We’re hearing his last broadcast will occur sometime in December.
Update: DCRTV is hearing something similar…
Just as he gets added today on new Bonneville talker 3WT at noon, DCRTV hears that Bill O’Reilly (right) may give up his nationally syndicated midday radio talk show. The Westwood One program has not been a ratings winner in the dozens of markets it has aired in. Including DC.
Update 2: ICN has learned that there is currently a Radio Factor renewal deal is in the works which is expected to be signed soon.
Update 3: The Radio Equalizer posts an update that the renewal deal may be short term…
What we’ve heard this morning is that the show might get a temporary (as in brief) extension into 2008 and that it could occur partly as a result of this report and marketplace rumors.
Somehow KO will try to claim this as a victory even though the radio show he sometimes appeared on went off the air a while ago…but with he Presidential race heating up I can see O’Reilly wanting to spend more time on th TV show.
Plus maybe Tony Snow can return to radio and take over O’Reilly’s timeslots.
Comment by mlong — September 19, 2007 @ 10:38 pm
Of corse KO will consider this a success, I mean, that is one less medium Bill O’ will have to speak his opinions on. In all honesty, how did O’Reilly rate in the talk radio world, and who will take his place? If anything though, O’ needs to focus on his program and add a little more valid content and less filler garbage that’s been appearing more often.
Comment by Chris (clind) — September 19, 2007 @ 11:01 pm
Outside of maybe Ira, did anyone listen to BOR on the radio?
Comment by elmonica — September 19, 2007 @ 11:07 pm
Of the top 100 radio talkers, he ranks at #15. Sounds to me like people are listening.
tinyurl.com/lsd64
Comment by johnny dollar — September 19, 2007 @ 11:11 pm
elmonica: About 3,000,000.
Spud: And as elmonica knows, Radio Equalizer is about the last blog on the Internet to have any valid information.
Comment by Ira — September 19, 2007 @ 11:23 pm
Johnny: I have noticed that Clear Channel, the company that owns Premier Radio Networks which syndicates Rush Limbaugh, has done a number on The Radio Factor.
Rather than allow Bill to compete head-to-head with Rush (in LA their numbers are nearly identical) the Clear Channel stations have done a royal screw job. For example O’Reilly he was dropped by CC in San Francisco and Washington (although he begins tomorrow on a new DC station) and was moved to late night in Houston and Sacramento. There are probably a few more Clear Channel horror stories out there.
As I said above, Brian Maloney who runs the radio equalizer blog, is long on analysis, short on facts, and probably more significant, is an ex-talk show host who has trouble finding a gig.
A little jealousy maybe?
Comment by Ira — September 19, 2007 @ 11:37 pm
Congratulations Ira, you have just LIED!!!
http://www.910knew.com
FRONT PAGE!!!
Comment by Mike Malloy Fan — September 19, 2007 @ 11:45 pm
Well, Maloney went out of his way to shoot DOWN the story a couple days ago, when it was floated as a rumor on HuffPo. After having done that, I doubt he would come out with the piece that he did unless he had good solid sources. But we shall see.
Comment by johnny dollar — September 19, 2007 @ 11:56 pm
Considering he does the radio show, the tv show and he writes books, perhaps he is looking to lighten the load and spend more time with the family and such…I’m sure he is set with the income from the TV show and doesn’t need to do the “Radio Factor.”
I wouldn’t think it has to do with the upcoming election, as I would think if he has a lot to say about it he would want to maintain the additional venue.
Comment by FishOil — September 20, 2007 @ 1:20 am
What on earth will all BO’s radio llamas do without their fix?
Comment by Terance — September 20, 2007 @ 7:43 am
He couldn’t beat Rush Limbaugh or Ed Schultz at 12-3p.m. time slot. If he has moved down at the 3-6 timeslot he would lose to Sean Hannity or Randi Rhodes. If he has moved to the 9-12 timeslot, Glen Beck would have crushed him, so he will probably quit.
Comment by RJ — September 20, 2007 @ 8:29 am
He would lose to Randi Rhodes where??? O’Reilly hammers her nationally.
Comment by bigred — September 20, 2007 @ 8:53 am
He dare not go anywhere near 6-8 when the Great One is on air.
I recently cancelled my premium membership - the guy BOR was talking about the same topics cyclically, it was getting boring. Leftist this leftist that, thats all he knows.
Comment by Macjoubert — September 20, 2007 @ 9:09 am
Spud, Michelle Malkin update…. looks like she was on Fox & Friends this morning. The video is on hotair.com.
Comment by bigred — September 20, 2007 @ 9:16 am
I listen to O’Reilly on the radio too, elmonica. He’s a bit more entertaining and says more outrageous things…things that he can’t really say on the TV side in my opinion. He makes more self-aggrandizing comments and does the “people are picking on me” routine more than he does on TV. Sometimes he’s a real kick to listen to.
You may have a point there, RJ. O’Reilly is up against some tough competition. I guess my main beef with his radio show is that much of the time his radio show covers the same subjects that he covered the night before or will cover that night on the TV Factor. It’s a bit too repetitive considering there’s so many other things out there to talk about. Basically, I wish he’d expand his subject horizon more. I guess one upside for him covering some of the same things that he talks about on the TV side means he can use the same research information which probably makes things easier (than having to dig up information on new subject matter everyday).
Ira may be onto something with regards to Maloney. I’ve never been overly impressed with what he has to say. I think it would be funny if Steve Young turns out to be right on the matter. And while I’m on Young, it would be interesting to see Graham answer to Young’s points about the Scaife money and HuffPo giving space to conservative bloggers.
Comment by STP — September 20, 2007 @ 9:19 am
Bill off the radio? GOOD! He’s cut me off while on the air for the last time. I’d rather listen to Musak.
Comment by Roger C. — September 20, 2007 @ 11:06 am
I listen to Bill’s radio show daily and it’s excellent - he’s actually much funnier and warm on the radio than on tv. I know nobody wants to believe it but it’s fair and balanced!
Comment by Melanie — September 20, 2007 @ 11:17 am
I’m standing by the report. If real evidence emerges to the contrary, such as a signed, multi-year deal to continue the Radio Factor on Westwood One, I will retract it. A brief contract extension created primarily to refute these reports won’t fly.
Until then, a rumored “renewal deal in the works” isn’t going to cut it.
As for the personal attacks, funny how those of you taking shots haven’t bothered to ask whether I’m employed, instead asserting that I’m “having trouble finding a gig.” That’s a mere assumption.
Comment by Brian Maloney — September 20, 2007 @ 11:34 am
Brian - keep up the good work on the Howie Carr story. I’m still reeling from losing Imus in the Morning but now to lose BO at noon and Howie at 3 will really mess up my day! At least I can still watch BO at night but his radio show is great.
Comment by Melanie — September 20, 2007 @ 11:54 am
Malloy: Yeah I lied.
According to Talkers Magazine, O’Reilly’s audience is actually 3.25 million!
But thanks for the scoop about KNEW. O’Reilly had been off the station for about six months!
Brian: I noticed that neither Drudge, who is no fan of O’Reilly, or any of the reputable radio sites have linked to your “scoop.”
Comment by Ira — September 20, 2007 @ 12:02 pm
The link to the Talkers Magazine piece:
http://www.talkers.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=34″
Comment by Ira — September 20, 2007 @ 12:04 pm
If Bill O wants to renew, it will be renewed. You folks that question that have no clue about making money and ratings on talk radio. The show is a big money maker. As for DC, well DC is massively populated with ultra-left wingers, not exactly an OReilly crowd. His audience is over 3 MM and let me tell you, while it is not Rush, and nobody is Rush except Rush, that is big. The best left wing politco talk radio does less than 1.8MM. And frankly, I am not the biggest Bill O fan, but his show is a money maker and I know that from the inside.
Comment by Willie Ray Tubbs — September 20, 2007 @ 1:03 pm
Michael Savage at 8+ million!!!? Baahh. That cant be even close to true now.
Comment by Macjoubert — September 20, 2007 @ 1:49 pm
Bigred –Rhodes beats Hannity in some markets, in the markets she is beating Hannity, she would destroy O’Reilly in those markets. Plus if O’Reilly should have move to the 3-6 timeslot, he would lose some of Laura Schlessinger’s audiences which he follows in a lot of the markets at the 12-3 timeslot.
Macjoubert – Radio is all about markets. If you are in a lot of markets you will have a lot of audiences.
Comment by RJ — September 20, 2007 @ 2:27 pm
You finally got a job Maloney?. Congratulations.
Comment by elmonica — September 20, 2007 @ 2:46 pm
RJ, you made my point for me in the same post you were trying to refute me.
“Radio is all about markets. If you are in a lot of markets you will have a lot of audiences.”
Nationally, which is what really matters, O’Reilly hammers all your left wing heroes. So does Rush, Hannity, Savage, and several others.
Comment by bigred — September 20, 2007 @ 3:39 pm
BOR radio show is more popular than any left-wing radio show.
Also, in my hometown BOR used to be on at Noon, now he is on at 10 p.m. (Better for me)
Comment by jmkaib — September 20, 2007 @ 4:19 pm
dang…seems ICN has gotten the big head…just like tvn did. get the big head and people start hatin’ ya. icn gets perfect lessons by watching fnc..they’re slogan should be, we’re RIGHT, everyone else is WRONG.
Comment by Harry — September 20, 2007 @ 7:37 pm
Harry… what are you talking about? You’re not making any sense… which isn’t new, but it’s particularly hard to understand what you’re talking about tonight.
We can’t debate gibberish.
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 20, 2007 @ 8:05 pm
A few months ago when O’Reilly came back from vacation he said on air to Michelle (who had received great ratings that past week) “So maybe soon it will be the Malkin Factor”. —– I think O’Reilly has more money than he could ever spend and wants to retire soon and enjoy writing a book every now and then. Maybe he is just letting go of the power a little at a time.
Comment by Aunt Mary — September 20, 2007 @ 9:09 pm
Blue: Perhaps what Harry was trying to say before he made another tiresome foreign-induced anti-Fox comment, is that these gossiply rumors seem to bounce from blog to blog with nobody able to confirm anything. Today I saw also Maloney’s rumor on a DC and Cleveland media blog.
BTW, Denver is another large market where the Clear Channel affiliate has royally screwed The Radio Factor (6 to 8pm) .
Comment by Ira — September 20, 2007 @ 10:47 pm