Beck: "I Got Too Political"

Nationally syndicated Premiere host Glenn Beck is in town today...he'll make the final appearance in his "Christmas Tour" tonight at Akron's E.J. Thomas Hall.

While looking for information about this, we found this article by the Akron Beacon Journal's Dan Kadar, which appeared in Sunday's Beacon. And in talking about being cancelled from his midday perch on Clear Channel Cleveland talker WTAM/1100, Beck said something many radio observers have noted over the past few years...an opinion heard from This Space as well.

Beck told the Beacon Journal that he believed WTAM was looking to "put an entertaining show" on by replacing him with liberal host Jerry Springer. (OMW hasn't heard Springer lately, but that line brings us a chuckle, and we wonder if Beck was slightly misquoted.) The paper quotes him as saying that an entertaining show was what "WTAM thought they were buying from (him). " Beck adds: "After 9/11, I got all screwed up and the show became about politics and war.''

It's the first time we've seen the popular syndicated host address the issue we've brought up when talking about him in the past. Beck's right...after 9/11, he veered off into "Glenn Beck, Real American" territory, and almost became a parody of himself and other right-leaning talk show hosts. Of late, when we've listened, the show has returned closer to its more entertaining roots.

That's not to say that the audience for Beck's Akron affiliate, Clear Channel talker WHLO/640, and other stations, isn't looking for a solid conservative viewpoint. But until he tried to be Rush Limbaugh Jr., Beck was always a bit different...and he's obviously recognized that and returned to the formula which got him noticed in the first place.

The Beacon's Kadar says that Beck's arrival at WHLO has given the station "good ratings". We haven't seen any specific numbers yet, but we've noted here before that WHLO has even made two appearances in the Cleveland ratings book since Beck took over the midday slot at 640.