We knew it was just a matter of time before Huckabee’s radio show would come to an end. Heck, he was trying to compete against Rush Limbaugh of all people and his show was billed as one that would “focus on civil discourse” – as if to say Rush wasn’t civil enough or something. Rush is the most civil person on radio.
So it’s definitely no shock to us that Huckabee couldn’t sustain the ratings needed to compete with the greatest voice in radio of my lifetime. And make no mistake, this is about ratings.
POLITICO – Mike Huckabee’s radio show is done, the former Arkansas governor announced on Wednesday.
“The Mike Huckabee Show on radio, which was heard 3 hours a day on over 200 radio stations across the country since April of 2012 will conclude its run at the end of the final show on Thursday, December 12,” Huckabee wrote on Facebook.
“I have loved doing the Mike Huckabee Show, and it’s success of going from launch to over 200 stations in less than 2 years is significant, but the contract was at a decision point for both Cumulus Media and me, and we mutually agreed to conclude,” he added.
The show, nationally syndicated by Cumulus Media Networks, debuted in April 2012 and aired weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Huckabee, who is also a Fox News host, competed in the time slot against the No. 1 talker in the country, Rush Limbaugh.
“I have opportunities in some other areas that cannot be accomplished given the 8-9 hours a day I was devoting to the daily long form show,” Huckabee wrote. “In the original development of the show, I set out to develop a talk radio show that focused on civil discourse on complicated topics as well as human events and stories from the entertainment world, I feel we have done that and done it well.”
“As for the new endeavors, at this time, it would best for me to say, ‘Stay tuned!’” he added.
Later on Wednesday afternoon, Huckabee told listeners the news.
“We were at a point in the contract that I have with Cumulus where it was sort of a crossroads, and you know, mutual agreement, decided maybe it’s time to go separate ways,” Huckabee said on his radio show. “Not because I didn’t love doing the show — because I did — but you know, there were just some things going on in terms of unmet expectations that I feel like, given the time that I’ve got to devote, sometimes 8-9 hours a day, that is keeping me from doing some other projects and pursuing some endeavors that I am going to be pursuing in the future, that’s all I can say about that.”
The news comes just two days after Cumulus Media announced Geraldo Rivera’s radio show would lose national syndication in 2014 and would be retooled as a local New York City program.