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Drudge Cancelled
Radio
Equalizer
Wednesday September 5, 2007
***
Late Update Below ***
After a decade- long run, Matt
Drudge's syndicated radio talk show is about to end, according to an industry
trade report and a regional
media blogger based in Ohio. These sources have 30 September pegged
as his final program date.
Created at the peak of Drudge's
Monica Lewinsky- fuelled fame, the show was confined to Sunday evenings,
apparently at his insistence. At the time, the Internet star said he had
been offered a weekday show, but chose the weekend slot instead.
That proved a smart strategy: on Sundays, many of the nation's biggest
talk stations picked up the show, where it remained under the radar for
a number of years, with little competition. By contrast, the weekday airwaves
have long been crowded with far more syndicated shows than the market
can absorb.
Another benefit was the fact that Drudge was able to use his site to promote
the show, which proved especially effective.
What's causing Matt's radio exit is uncertain, but there have been rumors
that the Drudge Report kingpin
spends a lot of time travelling these days, often leaving site updates
to others. And so far at least, Drudge has made no public comment on these
reports.
Cincinnati- based host Bill Cunningham
is said to be taking over the program, but it's hard to say whether most
Premiere Radio affiliates will carry the new show or if the slot will
be absorbed by additional weekend re-runs and infomercials.
UPDATE: the
mainstream media now picks up the story, with the Cincinnati
Enquirer reporting
that Cunningham is indeed being given the show. According to the paper,
he will be "less political" on the air than Drudge, which frankly sounds
asinine as we head into one of the most exciting election cycles in decades.
In addition, the article only seems to add to the mystery of why exactly
Matt is leaving the show. So far, not a word about the situation at his
own site.
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