Suspended Entercom/WRKO-AM host and Boston Herald columnist Howie Carr said that his weeklong, unpaid suspension (starting 4/19) from the station is nothing to get concerned about. “I’m off this week anyway, fleeing the Marathon, so it’s no big deal. I’ll be back soon, finishing my time, as always the happy warrior of AM radio,” Carr told the Herald in a statement.
Carr was suspended for taking swipes at the station while on-air. He hasn’t hidden his contempt for the WRKO since he unsuccessfully tried to jump ship to rival Greater Media/WTKK-FM three years ago. On Friday 4/16, WRKO management told him he was being suspended for a week without pay, the Herald confirmed.
Julie Kahn, VP/Market Manager for Entercom Boston, told the paper Carr’s behavior toward his employer has become increasingly caustic and intolerable: “His behavior and his anger at the company is unacceptable because he denigrates the company, the medium, the station, the signal, and he’s a highly, highly, highly paid employee.”
Most reports assume Carr is indeed ready to head to another station and WRKO is not happy about it. It could be to WXKS-AM, which recently pulled Rush Limbaugh from WRKO’s lineup. Carr was reportedly none too happy about that move, that WRKO is now much less of a station without Rush following his show.
RBR-TVBR observation: Indeed, Carr likely has an offer on the table. He should be careful how he plays his cards, however, as we all know there are clauses in contracts that can put talkers out of work with non-competes in-market. Perhaps there’s not much more time left on his contract and he’s just not worried. Nonetheless, step over the wrong line and legal action will kick in that may prevent him from moving on as easy as he may be anticipating.
