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Report: FOX News preparing to drop Glenn Beck?
Is the weight of carrying Glenn Beck becoming too much of a burden for FOX News?
According to a New York Times report, FOX News officials are saying on condition of anonymity that they are contemplating letting the conservative talk host go in December when his contract is up.
The main problem seems to be his diminishing ratings. While he's still pulling in a respectable amount of viewers for cable TV at about two million viewers an episode, he has lost a third of his viewership since last August -- more than any other hosts on the network. That trend isn't encouraging for the network, especially if it continues.
There are a couple other reasons they would consider letting go of their most popular television personality. There's the risk he poses to the network's journalistic integrity. Beck has made several controversial statements on-air including the recent comments comparing Reform Judaism to Islamic Extremism. And he's making it increasingly difficult for the network to defend its "fair and balanced" motto. Plus, his sensationalism has driven about 300 advertisers from the show.
Add to that Beck's already strained relationship with network executives dating back to his arrival at the network in 2009 and one can imagine that it doesn't take much more than diminishing ratings and embarrassing controversies for the network to decide to pull the plug on him.
It would seem to us like Beck may have gotten word of the shaky ground on which he's treading. On Wednesday's show, the host delivered his bosses some pretty glowing commendations.
"Two years ago, I was on a cable channel that no one was watching at the time," Beck says. "Doing a show that no one was watching, and I was about to leave television. And then I had the opportunity to come and work here. If you're going to do news or commentary, the only place, I think in the world, the only place that really makes an impact is FOX."
Too little, too late?
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This sentence is interesting:
"There's the risk he poses to the network's journalistic integrity."
I wasn't aware Fox had any integrity. Huh.
Letting Beck go would be a good thing, I believe. It may help to tone down the extreme rhetoric. This country needs less sensationalism and more honest reporting. You know, with facts and all that good stuff.
Good riddance. It doesn't say much for humanity when this varmint is one of the most admired men in the world. (Unfortunately I'm not joking. Gallup poll in USA today.)
First of all, who beLIEve's anything in the New York Times? Second, I was not aware that people still read the New York Times.
Glenn backs up everything with audio and video, he isn't going anywhere, give it up libs!!!
The New York Times is talking about straining credibility? Glenn Beck may not always be right, but he has 10x more integrity than the Times.
Someone should kill glenn beck,
he's nothing but a bottom feeding parisite like Rush drug addict limbaugh.
First - not a fan of Beck. Do not hate him just don't watch. But Mr Nededog - please work on your vocab. You write 'Beck has made several controversial guffaws on-air' - a 'guffaw' is a loud laugh. I think you mean 'gaffe' - a blunder. Not the first time this kind of basic error has popped up in your columns.
IF FOX DROPS GLENN BECK I AM DROPPING FOX NEWS! I HATE BILL OREILLY HE IS A BLATHERING IDIOT.
Just maybe I can start watching that channel if they get rid of him lol
The New York Times is considered the worst rag magazine out there. Even the Huffington Post which is a joke itself, can at least publish some truth once in a blue moon, where as the NY Times doesn't know what truth is. With AOL buying out Huffington, they soon will be non existant, and the NY Times can't even pay their bills because no buys their paper, except Liberals and they are a dying breed... thank God.