Cumulus taking Geraldo Rivera national

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CumulusBoth Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey and COO John Dickey have stated they will be looking to take talent at their radio stations national via Cumulus Media Networks. Mike Huckabee was the first and now we have Geraldo Rivera. Cumulus Media Networks, with more than 4,000 affiliates reaching 121 million listeners, will offer stations nationwide a live 9 am-noon radio show hosted by award-winning journalist and commentator Geraldo Rivera beginning 8/13.


Rivera began hosting live and local radio shows, “Geraldo” in NYC (WABC-AM) and LA (KABC-AM)  earlier this year. Now, Geraldo will become a single live national show launching in advance of this summer’s political conventions. The tagline of the show is, “Not Red. Not Blue. But Red, White & Blue.”

Says Geraldo: “Despite the nation’s partisan divide, the success of the show on WABC and KABC is a clear indication that there is room in radio for someone who is not associated with a particular ideology. I’m a patriot and a pragmatic idealist, who believes both the political left and the right have contributions to make. I’ve also developed a comfortable enough relationship with the audience over the last four plus decades in television news for listeners in a spirited way to tell me when they think I’m full of beans. Like I say, ‘I’m not always right.’ I’m grateful to Cumulus for giving me the shot at the national show, and look forward to broadcasting live from the presidential nominating conventions.”

“When Geraldo agreed to host shows for Cumulus stations in New York and L.A. we had a hunch there’d be national substantial listener interest in his incisive and insightful style, and now we’re thrilled that with Geraldo such a success in those two markets the show will now be available across the country,” said John Dickey.

Specifically, the show focuses on the day’s biggest and most talked-about topics — ranging from national politics to shocking crimes to social issues. His WABC/KABC shows led the coverage during the early stages of the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman murder case. And his comments of the role apparently played by the young victim’s clothing, his ‘hoodie’, became the basis for an international debate. He has broadcast live from Afghanistan during an enemy attack, and from Quantico, Virginia, “The Crossroads of the United States Marines.” Further his campaign to put a father’s name on every birth certificate is an example of how talk radio can lead a substantive conversation aimed at resolving a national problem. The show includes listener calls, with emphasis on the kind of intelligent, energetic and controversial talk that he is known for worldwide.

Rivera will continue hosting his Sunday prime time show on Fox News, where he is a frequent contributor to weekday programming throughout the day and during prime time.

2 COMMENTS

  1. “… the success of the show on WABC and KABC is a clear indication that there is room in radio for someone who is not associated with a particular ideology.”

    Do you guys ever question abjectly false claims such as this one? Or do you just publish anything anyone ever says without comment?

    Good. Because I want you to tell your readers about my 187 million listeners. Thanks.

  2. It is somewhat good that the radio host is not taking sides. However, what happens when there is a situation when a host has to have a side? Will he not offend the other side in voicing out an opposite reaction?

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