Talk-radio giant issues SOS

[Riddick]

In a dramatic statement warning industry colleagues they could face a similar predicament, conservative talk-radio syndicator Talk Radio Network announced today it is cutting back to “basic operating essentials” and suspending operations of its America’s Radio News Network because of alleged antitrust violations and other unfair practices by its distributor, Dial Global, now known as Westwood One.

Those practices, TRN said, coupled with Westwood One’s pending merger with radio broadcaster and syndicator Cumulus Media Inc., could lead to curbs in the diversity of viewpoints in the talk-radio world that would pose a “significant risk to free speech.”

Oregon-based TRN and its CEO, Mark Masters, claimed the conduct of Westwood One has forced TRN’s subsidiaries to “make wrenching internal decisions and to take painful internal actions.”

The highly influential talk-radio syndicator, known for propelling into national prominence radio stars such as Art Bell, Michael Savage and Laura Ingraham, filed an antitrust suit against Westwood One, then known as Dial Global, in August 2012. A second amended complaint in April alleged further antitrust violations, unfair competition and breach of contract.

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[cherry]

I read Laura Ingraham's book THE OBAMA DIARIES. It was quite entertaining and light hearted.

[fos]

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Up to this point, I had a favorable opinion of Westwood.

[Doka]

A second amended complaint in April alleged further antitrust violations, unfair competition and breach of contract.

This is very interesting. It seems to me, that it is very anti-NWO type of thinking, I wonder how it will fly. Please feel free to correct me, if you think my thinking is off. But, then it would be great way to clean out the biggest "talkers" in radio land, so it might find favor.