December 5, 2008
A LITTLE LESS O'REILLY.... Bill O'Reilly's baffling fans will, starting in a few months, just have to settle for his weekday television show, his books, and his weekly newspaper column. His radio show will be no more.
Bill O'Reilly has formally confirmed he's giving up one of the most successful syndicated radio shows in the country, saying he has just run out of hours in the week.
O'Reilly said the radio show, which he launched in May 2002, will end "in the first quarter of next year." Most of the time he saves, he said, will go into his top-rated Fox News Channel show.
"The media business is getting more and more intense," O'Reilly said Thursday. "We've got to keep the TV show at the level we have it now, and that means more and more time to keep it competitive and fresh."
Wait, does this mean Olbermann is actually making O'Reilly worried?
In either case, O'Reilly, reflecting on his radio career, believes he understands why he's been successful.
"I knew my show couldn't be ideological," he said. "Going up against [Rush] Limbaugh, that would be suicidal. Why would a listener who's already got Rush turn to someone else to hear the same things? So I was doing a show that was fact-based."
He apparently wasn't kidding.
—Steve Benen 1:50 PM
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A fact-based show? MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Good one, Bill.
Wait, you say he wasn't kidding??
Posted by: Curmudgeon on December 5, 2008 at 1:56 PM | PERMALINK
He's as delusional as his President.
Posted by: Geeez on December 5, 2008 at 1:57 PM | PERMALINK
I kind of like Bill O'Reilly. He's OK.
Posted by: Haik Bedrosian on December 5, 2008 at 1:58 PM | PERMALINK
Yes and Bill's radio network of choice, the Westwood One Radio Network, is veering toward bankruptcy.
They were recently delisted from the NYSE and now trade forlornly and without notice over on the, uh, "bulletin board."
Might have been a factor.
Posted by: Garuda on December 5, 2008 at 1:59 PM | PERMALINK
Billo the Clown neglected to mention that the facts he was referring to were ones he'd made up himself.
Posted by: CN on December 5, 2008 at 2:07 PM | PERMALINK
What's really scary isn't that this delusional, cowardly twerp continues his rants, but that he continues to be SO popular.
Posted by: -jlinge- on December 5, 2008 at 2:14 PM | PERMALINK
This is all because of those damn liberals and the Fairness Doctrine. Somehow.
Posted by: JRD on December 5, 2008 at 2:20 PM | PERMALINK
So, Captain Falafel is saying outright that Limbaugh's show isn't fact-based. This after Limbaugh called him "Ted Baxter".
This is exactly like the religious "debates" I used to hear on the radio, or like any old married couple fighting. Everything they say that's critical of the other guy is dead-on accurate, regardless of how 100% total bullshit are the things they say in defending themselves.
Posted by: DH Walker on December 5, 2008 at 2:20 PM | PERMALINK
Wait a sec, this:
"Why would a listener who's already got Rush turn to someone else to hear the same things? So I was doing a show that was fact-based."
sure sounds like Bill'O is dissing Limbaugh. If he chose to do a "fact-based" radio program, then Rush must be doing the opposite, i.e. a program filled with falsehoods. Hmm...
Posted by: Penon on December 5, 2008 at 2:23 PM | PERMALINK
We don't need no stinking fairness doctrine. The right wing media is just going to die on its own.
Posted by: Lance on December 5, 2008 at 2:23 PM | PERMALINK
Wow. I hope Rush didn't get pissed off at O'Lielly for saying his show is ideological instead of fact based. That's a low blow by Bill-O. Rush's feelings are probably really hurt by that.
Posted by: burro on December 5, 2008 at 2:59 PM | PERMALINK
O'Reilly may be getting a little payback for Limbaugh's sneer in the New York Times magazine from a few months ago ..
“Somebody’s got to say it,” he told me. “The man is Ted Baxter.”
Posted by: Miss Otis on December 5, 2008 at 3:14 PM | PERMALINK
I'm surprised that a known sex offender like O'Reilly can get regular work. I guess it's because he is a wealthy Republican. He should be wearing an ankle transmitter.
Posted by: Sam Simple on December 5, 2008 at 3:14 PM | PERMALINK
Fuck it, we'll do it live. We'll DO IT LIVE!
Posted by: Mr. Awful on December 5, 2008 at 3:23 PM | PERMALINK
so-o-o-o much bullshit. so few hours in the week to spread it.
Posted by: mellowjohn on December 5, 2008 at 3:31 PM | PERMALINK
For all his faults, Bill O'Reilly was relatively much better than the near utter tools like Rush and Hannity.
Posted by: Neil B on December 5, 2008 at 4:29 PM | PERMALINK
Awww....BillO retiring from his radio show?
I guess he wants to spend more time with his falafel.
Posted by: Snarki, child of Loki on December 5, 2008 at 4:51 PM | PERMALINK
Fuck it, we'll do it live. We'll DO IT LIVE!
Credit where due-- he did it live, and nailed it.
Posted by: steverino on December 5, 2008 at 5:17 PM | PERMALINK
Another great day for history.
I proudly display my bumber sticker "Annoy Bill O'Reilly watch Keith Olbermann.
I bought this bumpersticker from www.Cafepress.com
Politics and the U.S. will be better without Billo, Hannity, Limbaugh, the Buchanans (Bay & Pat), Coulture, Malkin.
Posted by: Annjell on December 5, 2008 at 7:19 PM | PERMALINK
His TV ratings are tanking...
Posted by: Glen on December 5, 2008 at 9:19 PM | PERMALINK
Neil B. is correct. O'Reilly is miles ahead of hacks like Limbaugh and Hannity.
Posted by: David Crisp on December 6, 2008 at 5:32 PM | PERMALINK