Glenn Beck’s number may finally be up, at Fox News that is. With his ratings down a third since last summer, and his lunacy getting well, more crazy if that’s possible, insiders at the network say they may not renew his contract.
His nightly numbers are still outshining his competitors, but even Fox thinks his message is just too depressing. Joel Cheatwood, the Senior Vice President of Development for Fox News downplays that viewers may be getting tired of his incessant rants and messages, but does admit that keeping the show upbeat is a concern and priority.
“We have talked about that, at his instigation,” Cheatwood said, “It is really important that no matter how dire he thinks things are or what horrible direction things may be going from his perspective that the show maintains a sense of hope.”
“What you see on television with Glenn is the real guy,” he added, “and that is a double-edged sword. If he is upset about something, you see it.”
“He used to be a lot funnier,” David Von Drehle, who wrote an article about Beck in Time magazine said. “He was the befuddled everyman and something entirely new, but the longer people have listened to his ranting and raving, the wearier they become. Now you are just getting down to diehards. I mean, how many people were in the Waco compound at the end? A couple of hundred?”
Funny how Mr. Von Drehle compared him to a cult leader, as this writer tends to agree. In my opinion, we are watching a man unfold on National Television, much in the same respects we see Charlie Sheen unfolding, sans the drugs. I have no problem with a different view politically, but to take this into outerspace with conspiracy theories is hurtful to this nation. How I really feel about him personally I will refrain.
Fox Execs even cringe at some of his outrageous behavior (like suggesting Barack Obama has a “deep seated hatred for white people” or suggesting that anyone who differs from him politically is a terrorist or the “antichrist”) Execs admit this challenges the credibility of the News Organization as a whole, and nearly 300 advertisers have pulled the plug on his show, leaving mostly Gold marketers with doomsday messages that support Beck’s message.
He still sells tons of books, has a “hit” radio show, owns “The Blaze” website, and sells out stage performances, so I am assuming he will be alright without Fox. It’s just too bad, in my opinion, that people still listen to him at all.
In fact, it wasn’t too long ago that Beck himself was criticizing Keith Olbermann’s “pain in the ass” behavior that resulted in Keith’s early departure from MSNBC. I guess it’s yet another pot calling the kettle?
What do you think? Do you watch Beck? Will you be sad to see him go? Let us know below!
