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Revision as of 01:49, 19 April 2007
Glenn Beck | |
|---|---|
| Occupation(s) | talk-radio and television host |
Glenn Beck (born February 10, 1964) is a conservative American talk-radio and television host. His radio show, The Glenn Beck Program, is syndicated by 230 radio stations and on XM Satellite Radio. The Glenn Beck Program is the 3rd highest-ranked national radio talk show among adults ages 25 to 54, according to Premiere Research/Arbitron.[1]
Beck also hosts an hour-long television show weeknights on CNN Headline News, which launched on May 8, 2006.
On January 9, 2007, Beck became a contributor to ABC's Good Morning America.[2].
Career
Beck started in radio when he was 13 years old in Seattle, Washington by winning a local radio contest to be a DJ for an hour, and was eventually granted a part-time job. He hosted Christian radio on Saturday, rock on Sunday and country on weeknights. According to Beck, he lost all of these jobs at the same time at the age of 14.
After graduating from high school, Beck pursued his career as a Top 40 DJ. By the time he was in his 20s, Beck was a DJ on WKCI-FM (KC101), a Top 40 radio station in Hamden, Connecticut, hosting the local morning show with Pat Gray. Originally the show was billed as the Glenn and Pat Show. When Gray left the show, Beck continued with co-host with Vinnie Penn.
Years later, he began to explore the world of talk radio with a one hour program on KC101's sister station, WELI. Beck then worked at Tampa, Florida's WFLA-AM and launched The Glenn Beck Program during the afternoon drive, filling the slot vacated by Bob Lassiter. Beck hosted the new radio show, combining politics and comedy. In the first year, The Glenn Beck Program moved from 18th place to the #1 position. Within 18 months, Premiere Radio Networks offered Beck the opportunity to go national. In January 2002, The Glenn Beck Program launched on 47 stations; by September 2006, it had reached 234 stations. With over three million listeners, it was ranked 8th in the nation[3] and 3rd among listeners age 25 - 54. Also in January 2006, CNN Headline News announced that Beck would host an hour long show during prime time; Glenn Beck on Headline News debuted in May 2006.
Personal life
Glenn Beck was raised a Roman Catholic in Mt. Vernon, Washington. Beck's father owned a bakery. His mother committed suicide when he was 13. One of his brothers also committed suicide, and another had a fatal heart attack. [4]
Beck is a self-described reformed alcoholic and drug addict. In the aftermath of those three family tragedies, Beck said he used "Dr. Jack Daniels" to cope. He and his first wife divorced amid his struggle with substance abuse. Beck cites the help of Alcoholics Anonymous in his sobriety, and he eventually converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Beck had two teenage daughters, Hannah and Mary, from his first marriage; Mary has cerebral palsy. He has two children, Raif (adopted in 2004) and Cheyenne (born 2006), with his second wife, Tania.
Political views
Beck often says "I am a conservative who doesn't happen to be a Republican". On his show, Beck addresses many current political, social, and economic issues.
Political correctness
Beck is a frequent critic of so-called "political correctness", especially that which concerns Christmas. For instance, during the Christmas season Beck plays a "politically correct" version of O Holy Night. The lyrics have been changed to remove all reference to religion and gender, and the song is re-titled, O Somewhat Important Night. Beck coined the term RamaHanuKwanzMas, a portmanteau of the religious holidays Ramadan, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Christmas, as the name of the ultimate politically-correct winter holiday.
Beck has said "political correctness is the classic Great Idea Gone Wrong. All it's done is shut us up. It hasn't changed anybody's mind. It hasn't changed our hearts. It's changed our faces. It's taken every opinion we have, it's taken every joke we have, and it's forced us to conceal it and hide it and bury it. It's made us superficial."[5]
George W. Bush
Beck generally agrees with the policies of George W. Bush. However, Beck sometimes questions the Bush administration on certain issues, including border security, government spending, some aspects of the Iraq War, and the nomination of Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court.
Global warming
Beck argues that global climate change is always occurring, but he is skeptical of the scientific opinion on climate change that global warming is largely attributable to human activity and that it may pose a threat to human civilization. Beck argues there is an under-reporting of scientific findings that do not support the theory of global warming.[6]
Other issues
Beck has often proclaimed himself pro-life, including being opposed to euthanasia and capital punishment. He approves of torture as a means of exploiting terrorist information in certain circumstances. He is critical of the entertainment industry, and is opposed to anti-smoking regulations. He describes himself as pro-business and against raising the minimum wage. Beck supports the 2nd Amendment, and is against new anti-gun legislation. During the summer of 2006, he began to repeatedly refer to the War on Terror as the Third World War.He is a fan of Edgar Allan Poe.
Glenn Beck Program
The Glenn Beck Program began in 2000 airing on WFLA (AM) in Tampa, Florida, and took the afternoon time slot from 18th place to #1 within a year.[7] In January 2002, syndicator Premiere Radio Networks launched the show nation wide on 47 stations. The show was then moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where it picked up new flagship station WPHT-AM. In the spring of 2006, Beck relocated his studios to Radio City Music Hall in New York City in preparation for his new TV show with CNN Headline News.
Beck's show is often compared to talk radio programs of hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michael Savage. Beck's show contains less discussion about politics, and more social commentary and humor. Beck frequently says that he hates politics, and claims that his show contains "half the politics and twice the comedy" and "is not about left and right, it's about right and wrong".
The program can be heard live on weekdays from 9:00am-12:00pm EST (with a "best of" weekend edition on some affiliates).
Glenn Beck on Headline News
Glenn Beck on Headline News airs nightly at 7:00 p.m., repeating at 9:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. (All times Eastern.)
His show is an hour-long show on CNN Headline News that premiered May 8, 2006. The network has described the show as "an unconventional look at the news of the day featuring his often amusing perspective on the top stories from world events and politics to pop culture and everyday hassles."[8] The program is not supposed to be a traditional news program, as Beck has said that he intends it to be a news talk show for people who can't take the news anymore.[9]
Beck's special on Islam entitled "Exposed: The Extremist Agenda" on November 15, 2006, was the #1 rated show on all cable news in the 25-54 demographic.[10]
Criticism
The media watchdog group FAIR criticized CNN president Ken Jautz's description of the newly hired Beck as "cordial" by pointing out statements he made against figures like Michael Berg, Michael Moore, Hurricane Katrina victims, and 9/11 victims. Some of his more controversial statements include speaking about the victims of hurricane Katrina and saying "I didn't think I could hate victims faster than the 9/11 victims".[11]Beck responded that this and other such comments were taken out of context. In another incident he said he was "surprised that former President Jimmy Carter did not attend Iran's December conference on Holocaust denial".
Ellison interview
In November 2006, Beck drew criticism on Keith Olbermann's Countdown for a part of his interview with then Congressman-Elect Keith Ellison of Minnesota, the first Muslim to be elected to the United States Congress in which he said "What I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies"[12] Olbermann named Beck the winner of the "Worst Person in the World" award for his comments,[13] while Ellison shrugged the incident off. "It's just shock TV... Some pundits think they have to ask the most outrageous questions."[14] On Jan. 9, 2007, at the Television Critics Association's semiannual press tour, Beck spoke with contrition about his comment to Ellison. Beck said it was "Quite possibly the poorest-worded question of all time. That might come from my lack of intelligence."[11]
Dina Sansing interview
Countdown with Keith Olbermann, Truthdig and Media Matters have each criticised Beck for making sexually suggestive comments to US Weekly's Dina Sansing on the February 28, 2007, broadcast of Headline News. During their discussion about controversial nude photos of an American Idol semifinalist, Beck said "Dina, I've got some time and a camera. Why don't you stop by? No? OK." A transcript is available from CNN and the clip can be viewed at YouTube.com.
Live events
In March 2003, Beck ran a series of rallies called Glenn Beck's Rally for America in support of troops deployed for the upcoming Iraq war. While generally attended by war supporters, Beck spoke of those who "disagreed with the war, but still supported the troops." He ran the final rally at Marshall University over the Memorial Day weekend. The event drew an estimated 25,000 people.
In subsequent years, Beck has toured American cities twice a year, presenting a one-man stage show. His stage productions are a mix of stand-up comedy and inspirational speaking.[15]
For his annual winter tour, Glenn Beck's Christmas Tour, Beck focuses on a Christmas theme.
In 2005, the summer show Glenn Beck on Ice focused on the need to diminish the role of politics in our lives. The 2006 summer show The Mid-Life Crisis Tour featured life's lessons from the perspective of a middle-aged man.
Each year in January, Beck and Steve Burguiere return to their original home station of 970 WFLA to provide commentary on the yearly Gasparilla Pirate Festival parade.
Book and magazine
Beck has authored The Real America: Messages from the Heart and Heartland (ISBN 0-7434-8633-1). Beck is the founder and editor of a comedy magazine called Fusion, which is a play on The Glenn Beck Program's motto, "The Fusion of Entertainment and Enlightenment."
References
- ^ "Anchors & Reporters, Glenn Beck". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003529849
- ^ "The Top Talk Radio Audiences". Talkers magazine. Retrieved 2006-08-07.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20061125/ai_n16876746
- ^ Glenn Beck. The Real America: Messages From the Heart and Heartland.
- ^ "The Real Story: Global Warming". GlennBeck.com. Retrieved 2006-11-17.
- ^ "About the Glenn Beck Program". www.glennbeck.com. Retrieved 2006-08-02.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "Glenn Beck". www.cnn.com. Retrieved 2006-07-30.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ Tom Dorsey (2006-07-20). "Beyond headlines". The Courier-Journal.
- ^ "Beck #1 In Demo On Cable News Wed". Media Bistro. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ a b David Kronke (01/09/2007). "King holds court at TV critics convention". Los Angeles Newspaper Group.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) Retrieved on January 9, 2007 - ^ "CNN's Beck to first-ever Muslim congressman: "What I feel like saying is, 'Sir, prove to me that you are not working with our enemies' "". mediamatters.org. Retrieved 2006-11-16.
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ "'Worst Person in the World': Glenn Beck". [1].
{{cite web}}: External link in|publisher= - ^ Averill, Brady (November 17, 2006). "For freshmen on Capitol Hill, it's the luck of the draw". Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune. Retrieved 2006-11-19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ Al Peterson (June 2005). "Not Just Another Conservative" (PDF). radioandrecords.com.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
External links
Official websites
- Glenn Beck - official website
- Glenn Beck - CNN
- Glennpedia.com - wiki website
- List of radio stations streaming Glenn Beck Radio Show