Dan Bongino gives ultimatum to Cumulus over vaccinate mandate

Dan Bongino gave Cumulus an ultimatum today over the company’s vaccine mandate, making clear he won’t stand for it.

Listen:

In a separate segment this morning, Bongino plainly told Cumulus that he’s not leaving any of the people fired over this behind, saying “you can have me or you can have the mandate. But you can’t have both…”

Bongino referenced an article from Inside Radio, which reports that some have been let go by Cumulus because they refused to get the vaccine:

Another Colorado Springs radio host who refused to abide by the Cumulus Media vaccine mandate has been terminated. Tron Simpson, a weekend host at “NewsRadio 740” KVOR, who also did weekends for co-owned classic rock KKFM (98.1), is no longer with the company.

Simpson claims he had doctor’s orders that prevented him from being vaccinated.

“As of this moment, I will no longer be hosting a talk show on KVOR; nor announcing on KKFM as I have been terminated due to my refusal because of doctor’s orders to receive the Chinese COVID-19 injections,” Tron Simpson said, according to the Colorado Times Recorder.

KVOR now has two weekend openings as Simpson follows Saturday morning host Jeff Crank, who quit instead of getting vaccinated. Crank says the mandate is “unethical and immoral.” “I’m going to make my medical decisions after consultation with my doctor – and it won’t be forced onto me by the CEO of a company that I’ve never met or knows nothing about me,” Crank told the Colorado Times Recorder.

The weekend hosts join a number of more high-profile personalities who have left or been let go by the radio group for not following the policy, which was issued in August. Cumulus Media was the first to make such a mandate, but they were soon followed by Beasley Media Group, Urban One and Univision, each of which have implemented similar policies.

Also exiting Cumulus Media in the past week were WDRQ Detroit morning co-host Roxanne Steele and Tim Hill, PD/morning show co-host at WNKT Columbia.

Last month, company insiders said that most requests for exemptions for the vaccine mandate were denied by Cumulus Media corporate, including those who applied based on religious beliefs and for medical conditions.

The mandate is also affecting employees who are not on air. A source within the company tells Inside Radio that several board-ops and street team members at various stations across the country are among staffers no longer with the company.

Bongino says he has 300 stations and that’s quite a bit of weight to throw around. Whether he wins this fight or not, he is standing on principle and I greatly admire him for it.


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