Politico reported over the weekend that Cumulus Media, a major radio station owner, is planning to drop Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity from its stations' lineups. The story indicates that the affiliate of Clear Channel that distributes the shows wanted too much money for renewal at the end of the year.
This could be good news for Mike Huckabee, whom you might remember once lived in Arkansas. (And still had a North Little Rock house for sale at last report.)
But in recent weeks, Cumulus has been quietly reaching out to radio talent agents and political insiders about new local and regional station hosts to fill some of the airtime that will be left vacant by Limbaugh and Hannity, industry sources said. Cumulus is also expected to move some of its existing talent — which includes Mike Huckabee, Mark Levin, and Michael Savage — into one of the slots.
Huckabee's breakout into Limbaugh slots might be coincidental with this news about his own show.
CUMULUS MEDIA NETWORKS has added a lineup of recurring guests to "THE MIKE HUCKABEE SHOW." Among the new regular contributors will be retired radio talker NEAL BOORTZ, SALEM Talk WNYM-A (AM 970 THE ANSWER)/NEW YORK afternoon co-host and former NEW YORK Governor DAVID PATERSON, syndicated talker LESLIE MARSHALL, former NEW MEXICO Governor GARY JOHNSON, FOX NEWS contributors JEHMU GREENE and DOUG SCHOEN, NEWSWEEK's DANIEL KLAIDMAN, pollster JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, former NEBRASKA Governor and Senator BEN NELSON, former NEW YORK Governor GEORGE PATAKI, Rep. MIKE ROGERS (R-MI), and others.