Buckley Radio Drops Beck From Four Connecticut Stations

Buckley Radio, a small national chain that aired Glenn Beck's program on six stations in three states at the beginning of 2011, will soon have him on only one.

Four of Buckley's five Connecticut stations are the latest to dump Beck's radio show. This week, the chain announced Beck would be removed from WDRC-AM, WWCO-AM, WSNG-AM, and WMMW-AM, which simulcast the same programs.

The fifth Connecticut station, WDRC-FM, plays classic rock music and did not air Beck's show.

“I am making the change in programming to address the Talk of Connecticut listener's desire for more locally originated program that feature Connecticut issues,” Eric Fanhoe, Vice President/General Manager, Buckley Radio of Connecticut, wrote in an e-mail Thursday.

Grahame Winters, the Connecticut division's program director, also confirmed the need for more local programming in an e-mail:

“Quite simply, we are making the change in our programming lineup because our TALK of Connecticut listeners have expressed a desire for more locally originated programming featuring issues important to us here at home. This change will more closely align us with that goal.”

The move comes nearly three months after WOR Radio, Buckley's flagship station in New York, dropped Beck in early January. At that time, WOR executives replaced Beck with a local veteran host.

WOR Program Director Scott Lakefield told the Daily News of New York at the time that, “The reason is ratings. Somewhat to our surprise, the show wasn't getting what we wanted.”

Buckley, which has 17 stations nationwide and 11 in California, will apparently continue to broadcast Beck only on its lone California talk station, KNZR-AM in Bakersfield.

Buckley corporate executives and KNZR officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Beck's future there.