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Sean Hannity

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Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity at King of Prussia Mall (2004)
Born (1961-12-30) December 30, 1961 (age 62)
New York City, New York
OccupationTelevision personality/host Talk radio host & Author
SpouseJill Rhodes Hannity

Sean Patrick Hannity (born December 30, 1961, in New York City, New York) is an American conservative talk radio host, a co-host of Fox News Channel's program Hannity & Colmes, the host of the Fox News weekend program Hannity's America, and the author of two books. Hannity is of Irish descent, and a Roman Catholic.[1]

Early life

Hannity is the son of Hugh J. and Lillian F. Hannity , both children of Irish immigrants. His paternal grandparents immigrated from County Down and his maternal grandparents from County Cork. He has two sisters, Joanne S. Hannity and Therese Grisham (Hannity). He grew up in Franklin Square, New York. During the late 1980s, Hannity worked in construction in Santa Barbara, California, and also as a bartender.[2] He has lived in Roswell, Georgia; Athens, Alabama; Lloyd Harbor, New York; and Santa Barbara, California. He married Jill Rhodes, a columnist for The Huntsville Times, on January 9, 1993. They have two children, Patrick and Merri.

Education

Hannity attended St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary in Uniondale in Long Island, graduating in 1980 with a high school diploma. He dropped out of New York University and decided to pursue a radio career.[2] He has received an honorary doctorate from Liberty University in 2005.[3][4][5]

Current professional life

Sean Hannity is currently a nationally syndicated radio talk show host broadcasting from flagship station WABC (AM) in New York City, co-host of Hannity & Colmes, a Fox News political debate program, and host of Hannity's America, also on Fox News.

Radio

Further information: The Sean Hannity Show

Hannity hosted his first talk radio show in 1987 at KCSB-FM, the volunteer college station at UC Santa Barbara. After airing for 40 hours of air time,[6] Hannity's weekly show was cancelled in 1989, when KCSB management charged him with "discriminating against gays and lesbians" after two shows featuring the book The AIDS Coverup: The Real and Alarming Facts about AIDS by Gene Antonio. The station reversed its decision to dismiss Hannity due in part to a campaign conducted by the Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Hannity decided against returning to KCSB.[7]

In 1988, Hannity placed an ad in radio publications presenting himself as "the most talked about college radio host in America," and WVNN in Athens, Alabama (part of the Huntsville market) hired him to be the afternoon talk show host.[6] From Huntsville, he moved to WGST in Atlanta, filling the slot vacated by Neal Boortz, who had moved to competing station WSB. In September 1996 Roger Ailes, founder of the Fox News Channel, hired the then relatively unknown Hannity to co-host the television program Hannity & Colmes with Alan Colmes.

Hannity's radio program is a conservative political talk show focusing on current issues and politicians. The show is frequently critical of, and has drawn criticism from, the Democratic Party. David Wade, a John Kerry spokesman, said during the 2004 Presidential election regarding the term carpet bombing, "If the term hasn't found its way into print, its distortions certainly have. From Rush Limbaugh to Sean Hannity to Laura Ingraham to Saxby Chambliss to the R.N.C., you can't turn on a TV or pick up a radio without seeing a systematic and coordinated attack on John Kerry."[8] Hannity also draws praise from conservative politicians: "He has a great personality, and the tone counts for a lot," said Texas Sen. John Cornyn. "He's willing to ask questions and challenge the assumptions that many in the mainstream news media are not."[9]

The Sean Hannity Show began national syndication September 10, 2001 on over 500 stations nationwide. As of spring 2006, the program is heard by over 12.5 million listeners a week.[10] In 2004, Hannity signed a $25 million five-year contract extension with ABC Radio to continue the show through 2009.[11] The program was made available via Armed Forces Radio Network in 2006. In June 2007 ABC Radio and Radio Networks was sold to Citadel Communications.

Freedom Alliance

Hannity raises money for Freedom Alliance, a charity that supports military families who have lost a loved one in military action. He has sponsored several musical concerts over the years to raise the funding with the support of artists such as Martina McBride, Lee Greenwood, LeAnn Rimes, Montgomery Gentry, Darryl Worley, and Charlie Daniels. This year Hannity will sponsor a "Freedom Concert" on September 11, 2007, to also mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.[12]

Clear Channel

In January of 2007 Clear Channel Communications signed a groupwide 3 year extension with Sean Hannity on over 80 stations. The largest stations in the group deal included KTRH Houston, KFYI Phoenix, WPGB Pittsburgh, WKRC Cincinnati, WOOD-AM Grand Rapids, WFLA Tampa, WOAI San Antonio, WLAC Nashville, WREC Memphis and WTVN Columbus, OH.[13]

Hannity and Colmes

Hannity is a host of Hannity & Colmes, an American political debate television program on the Fox News Channel featuring Hannity and Alan Colmes as co-hosts. Hannity presents the conservative point of view with Colmes providing the liberal viewpoint. Hannity frequently engages in heated debates with guests of the opposing viewpoint.

Hannity's America

In January 2007, Hannity began a new Sunday night television show on Fox News Channel called Hannity's America. The show is on Sundays at 9:00pm (Eastern).

Film

In the 2005 documentary film This Divided State, Hannity is shown speaking to the students of Utah Valley State College and members of the surrounding community. Hannity also appeared as a newscaster in the 1998 thriller The Siege.

Fundraiser

On Aug. 9, 2007, in Cincinnati, Hannity hosted a $250.00 a head fundraiser for 2008 presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani[14]

Hannidate

Since 2005, Hannity has run a dating service on his website, called "Hannidate," matching conservative or Republican-leaning singles. The stated purpose of Hannidate is to create a "place where people of like conservative minds can come together to meet."[15][16]

Controversy and criticism

Wikiquote has quotations related to Sean Hannity.

Over the years, Hannity's political beliefs and activities have been criticized. Examples include:

  • The progressive media watchdog group Media Matters for America has been critical of allegedly incorrect remarks Hannity has made on his television and radio shows[17]
  • Frank Rich, an opinion columnist for the New York Times, criticized Hannity and Dick Morris for using the American flag on their book covers, saying they "use the Stars and Stripes as a merchandising tool for their own self-aggrandizingly patriotic screeds cashing in on their TV celebrity."[18]
  • Al Franken, former radio talk show host, author, actor, and current Democratic political candidate, devoted a chapter of his book Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them to his criticism of Hannity. Hannity pays for a billboard across the street from Franken's Minneapolis campaign headquarters.[19]
  • The progressive Center for American Progress has compiled on-air statements from Hannity which it alleges are false.[20]
  • Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting reported that in 1999, Hannity, on his radio show, defended NYPD officer Justin Volpe who was accused of sodomizing Abner Louima with a wooden rod, and referred to Louima as "Lying Louima". Volpe would later confess to this crime. [21]

Books Authored by Sean Hannity

  • Hannity, Sean (2004). Deliver Us From Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism, ReganBooks, ISBN 0-06-058251-0.
  • Hannity, Sean (2002). Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Liberty Against Liberalism, ReganBooks, ISBN 0-06-051455-8.

References

  1. ^ NNDB biography
  2. ^ a b Kurtz, Howard (January 14, 2002). "Radio's New Right-Fielder". Washington Post. Retrieved 2006-11-04.
  3. ^ Inspirational speeches given at 2 college graduations
  4. ^ Sean Hannity Biography
  5. ^ "Conservative voice box Hannity gets more talk time"
  6. ^ a b Sean Hannity's bio
  7. ^ http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1158
  8. ^ Kerry Speaks to New York, Talks Back to Washington.
  9. ^ HARD HITTER: Angry man Hannity a big draw at the Garden. Houston Chronicle. Sept. 2, 2004
  10. ^ TALKERS Magazine: The top talk radio audiences
  11. ^ "Sean Hannity Profile". WSGW 760. 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-18.
  12. ^ Cotter, Kelly-Jane. [September 11, 2001 attacks "LET FREEDOM SING"], Asbury Park Press, September 7, 2007.
  13. ^ Coyle, Sanda."Clear Channel Radio Renews Sean Hannity Through 2010", Clear Channel Radio, September 28, 2006.
  14. ^ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_report/2007/08/19/2007-08-19_giulianis_foxy_pal_cash_flap.html
  15. ^ Hannidate website
  16. ^ Concord Monitor, 12/4/06. "Hannity's other side comes out on web: Fox News host fosters gay male hookups"
  17. ^ Media Matters for America
  18. ^ Had Enough Of the Flag Yet?
  19. ^ Kronholz, June. "Heard the One About Al Franken, Senate Candidate?", Wall Street Journal, September 7, 2007.
  20. ^ The Document Sean Hannity Doesn't Want You To Read
  21. ^ http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1158
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