US radio host Glenn Beck has signed a jaw-dropping $100 million deal with Premiere Networks Inc. to continue distributing his radio show for another five years, Reuters reports today (June 12, 2012). The agreement was announced by Beck & Premiere, a unit of Clear Channel Communications Inc.
Beck's radio show has retained a loyal fanbase of listeners, despite his TV show being dropped by the Fox network last April. Fox dropped the conservative pundit's show after ratings started to fall, whereas his radio station has experienced a growth rate of 50%, adding almost 200 stations over the last five years, according to Premiere Networks. Currently, his radio station airs on around 400 different stations and is the third most popular radio show in the States, with Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity beating him to the top of the charts. It is thought that Glenn's last five-year deal, signed in 2007 was for a sum of around $10 million per year, meaning that this new deal marks a significant improvement in his financial fortunes.
The relationship between Beck's company, Mercury Radio Arts and Premiere, has also been extended. This covers advertising and sponsorship for Glenn's online web properties, such as the streaming video network GBTV, the news and information site TheBlaze.com, the e-commerce marketplace Markdown.com and his own fan portal, GlennBeck.com.