Glenn Beck Re-Signs Radio Contract For $50 Mil

New York Times:

On his daily radio talk show, Glenn Beck portrays himself as an average guy, a recovering alcoholic and a comedian who regularly injects humor into his conservative politics.

This week he can add another description: very wealthy.

Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications, is expected to announce today that it is extending Mr. Beck's contract. Two sources with knowledge of the deal said it was valued at $50 million over five years, through a combination of salary and profit-sharing from syndication.

In signing the deal, Mr. Beck, 43, becomes the newest -- and youngest -- entrant into an exclusive club of highly compensated radio stars. The new contract would make Mr. Beck the third highest-paid talk radio host, surpassed only by Rush Limbaugh, the most popular terrestrial talker for two decades and whose show is also syndicated by Premiere, and Sean Hannity, whose Citadel Broadcasting show is routinely ranked second.

The salaries apparently mirror Arbitron's radio audience measurements, which show that Mr. Beck is the third most popular radio host in the advertiser-friendly 25- to 54-year-old demographic.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[SmellyOne]

I'm listening to Randi Rhodes right now.

She talks down to her audience, rants, and does a terrible GW impersonation.

I'll keep listening, maybe over time she'll grow on me.

[eastearll]

It's a revenue deal based on ratings! Instead of sucking the network dry like Franken and Rhandi(hic)Rhodes, Beck gets paid on actual number of listeners, which translates to advertising revenue. This is why Err America fails, you can't sell that crap to sponsors!

[JohnKemp]

Gotta love all of these lib comments "wanting their airwaves back."

You've got Mr. Excitement, Bill Moyers, on PBS & who knows the number of highly popular caller-magnets on Airless America.

I mean what's the problem?

[jdfast]

This man is the worst talkshow host I have ever heard. The wingnuts must really like it that he carries their water. Wonder how he got the contract. In the stall next to Larry Craig?

[tgood]

Huh? What ? Anybody want to share my earplugs? :>)

[MrBritesnide]

This jerk will have PLENTY of listeners.­..there's no shortage of conservative racists out there, ready to be dis-informed. After they're slaughtered in the general election they'll need sommebody to tell them it's alright. And who better than Limbaugh Lite?

[AntiFascistMajority]

What this tells us is that Glenn Beck, who threatens Muslims with "razor wire fence," has been deliberately chosen as a spokesman for the ruling class. Those of us who want democracy need to understand that democracy is not at all what the ruling class has on its agenda.
.

[pleeezzze]

OH GOD.... Please deliver us from this EVIL !!!!

[UltraClassic]

I can see the folks at Air America Radio turning green with envy.

Folks, this is what happens when you have radio via market forces. Quality is rewarded, lack of quality is cast aside unless they can find a girls camp fund to raid!

[godlessclif]

Glenn Beck's audience does not know how to tune
a radio. That is why they all have the Lemur interface where you thump it and pictures of conservative talk show hosts appear on a touch screen. Then they point at Glenn Beck's face and the computer does the rest.

I would be easier to train a monkey.

[DatelessNerd]

Once again, Clear Channel feeds its listeners endless amounts of neocon propaganda.

This is what happens when the public airwaves are turned over to monopolistic corporations run by neocons.

I want my airwaves back!

[fantagor]

Glenn Beck proves that the turd which floats to the top gets the most coverage.

Randy

[olephart]

Holy shit! Get me a lobotomy and a Clear Channel contract and I'll do the same job for 25 million.

[hmmmmmer]

This only goes to prove there is no higher power, no god.

[azhiker]

A fascist earns millions in America while our troops are slaughtered for oil in Iraq. Something is very wrong with this country and the fools that listen to him spraying poison.