Michael Savage leaves radio show after legal win
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Savage's talk show left the airwaves Thursday after the conservative host won a legal battle with his longtime employer, although his attorney said discussions with new networks are already under way.
Savage posted a message on his website Thursday evening under the headline "Free at Last!" that said he was free to work with any station or network from now on. He said he "will not be heard on the radio for some time."
His attorney Daniel Horowitz said Savage left Talk Radio Network after obtaining a favorable ruling in arbitration Thursday afternoon.
More than 8 million people listen to Savage's show each week, placing him behind only Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity in ratings, according to the magazine Talkers. The immediate effect that his abrupt departure would have on companies that advertise on his show was unclear.
An email sent to Oregon-based Talk Radio Network was not immediately returned. Savage's bio and name already have been removed from the company's website.
Horowitz says Savage has been fighting the network for two years to get out a contract that was 10 years old and prevented the host from switching employers. Horowitz said the agreement lacked protections afforded to artists and entertainers under California law, and tied Savage to Talk Radio Network indefinitely.
Horowitz said Savage spent more than $900,000 fighting his case but was awarded more than $1 million in arbitration. The agreement also calls for Savage to be able to obtain all archived tapes of his show.
Savage, who broadcast from San Francisco, was heard on nearly 400 stations and has gained notoriety for offending immigrants and minorities, calling the Muslim holy book, the Quran, a "book of hate" and being banned in 2009 from traveling to England for allegedly fostering extremism or hatred. After that decision, the host appealed to one of the targets of his barbs, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for help.
Savage posted a message on his website Thursday evening under the headline "Free at Last!" that said he was free to work with any station or network from now on. He said he "will not be heard on the radio for some time."
His attorney Daniel Horowitz said Savage left Talk Radio Network after obtaining a favorable ruling in arbitration Thursday afternoon.
More than 8 million people listen to Savage's show each week, placing him behind only Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity in ratings, according to the magazine Talkers. The immediate effect that his abrupt departure would have on companies that advertise on his show was unclear.
An email sent to Oregon-based Talk Radio Network was not immediately returned. Savage's bio and name already have been removed from the company's website.
Horowitz says Savage has been fighting the network for two years to get out a contract that was 10 years old and prevented the host from switching employers. Horowitz said the agreement lacked protections afforded to artists and entertainers under California law, and tied Savage to Talk Radio Network indefinitely.
Horowitz said Savage spent more than $900,000 fighting his case but was awarded more than $1 million in arbitration. The agreement also calls for Savage to be able to obtain all archived tapes of his show.
Savage, who broadcast from San Francisco, was heard on nearly 400 stations and has gained notoriety for offending immigrants and minorities, calling the Muslim holy book, the Quran, a "book of hate" and being banned in 2009 from traveling to England for allegedly fostering extremism or hatred. After that decision, the host appealed to one of the targets of his barbs, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for help.
He's a wind bag. Limbaugh. Palin. Romney. Beck. Miller. Zzzzzzz. Coulter, the horse whisperer.
It'd be great if he just stayed off the air for the rest of his life. Not only is he a hateful, arrogant man, but he's also quite a bit of a wacko to boot and the crap he peddles for truth is remarkably idiotic.
If only he would take all of the other strident negative voices with him.
The guy is a fake. He is a greedy ex-hippie who cashed in on the talk radio scene. His real name is Michael Alan Weiner seems like an improbable candidate to be Americaâs angriest, most vicious conservative radio host. Born 60 years ago in the Bronx, Weiner has lived in Northern California for most of his adult life, making a living as an herbalist and nutritionist. He communed with Fijian traditional healers, got married in a rain forest and studied ethno-medicine at the University of California at Berkeley. He swam naked with Allen Ginsberg, dreamed of being the next Lenny Bruce and wrote a rambling novel about a half-mad alter ego. His sonâs middle name is Goldencloud. For years, he made a name cranking out a pile of books on alternative medicine, recommending bizarre remedies such as using vitamin C to stop AIDS and kicking cocaine with coffee enemas.
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Yeah he's a real American patriot. More like a real American fraud as many of the right wing talking heads are.
Look up the term chicken hawk there is a whole long list of those who served in our military and Mr Weiner is not one of them. most are democrats who didn't get deferrals for anal fissures such as Rush Limbaugh did. the list of chicken hawks is astounding.
Another brave right wing "patriot" who never served.
One of my comments is waiting on KOMO censorship.Â
If you don't like him, change the radio station.Thats right "Liberaism is a mental disorder."
Oh yes, Savage spent 900K but was awarded 1m$? Guess who got the 900K ;-)
I can't stand any of them, on either side. Medwed, I can tolerate, not because of where he stands but because of style. He seems the best educated, and is willing to poke fun at himself. Although that opinion is based on a very small sampling, I admit.
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 @Komo Dragon Personally, I just choose to not listen to political talk radio along with cable news and partisan websites. I'm much happier this way!
 @Hountoof You're probably better educated as well. People have a sad tendency to take what they hear on these radio shows as fact and that just isn't the case.
I can only hope that no new employer will be found.
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 @WhatRJDid Yes. The fewer voices and opinions the better.
 @Mumblix Grumph  @WhatRJDid That's their way.