In Transition: Highlights of Glenn Beck's Past Year

Glenn Beck's last Fox News Channel show will air this Thursday, June 30. 

Amazingly, it was less than a year ago when Beck held his "Restoring Honor Rally" in Washington, D.C. which attracted such a large crowd of people, any honest observer would have agreed there were no limits to Glenn Beck's audience magnetism. 

But, Beck's star did fall at Fox News. The ratings had softened over the past year, sponsors were leery of associating with the conservative firebrand, and worst of all: somewhere in the bowels of Fox News Channel, the initial comfort with Beck and the controversy he ignites had waned. 

It's not easy being outspoken or principled and Beck will tell you his principles and faith guide his decisions. Did Beck start to get too "preachy" and "evangelical" for the comfort of some? That's one criticism. But, the rise and fall of a media personality is not a static and linear event. 

When judging the success or failure of a radio or TV show, it has to be done against the backdrop of society which is constant, dynamic evolution. More importantly: does the media personality drive that evolution or does the evolution shape the media personality? It's a good topic for a college mass media class. 

What is clear is Glenn Beck will continue to be a player in political and cultural thought for some time to come. Here's a look at Beck's last year or so as covered at radio.about.com: 

A Recent Glenn Beck Timeline

 

4/08/10 - Glenn Beck, Inc. - Forbes.com reported Beck earns $32 million-a-year, has two bodyguards, and 34 staff members. 

5/14/10 - Glenn Beck Joins SIRIUS XM Radio’s “Patriot” Channel - Beck joined the lineup on the Patriot channel (SIRIUS channel 144/XM channel 166) and is heard daily from 9:00 a.m. until 12 noon ET 

5/17/10 - Glenn Beck Goldline Issue - Former U.S. Representative Anthony Weiner from New York issued an investigation of Goldline International. In the report Weiner said, "...spokespeople have happily agreed to promote Goldline by playing off the fear of inflation, to encourage people to purchase gold as an investment that will protect them from an out of control government." He especially targeted Glenn Beck as being guilty of this. 

8/30/10 - Restoring Honor Rally - The count turned into a war, of sorts. Detractors of Beck were trying to prove how few people attended, Beck was trying to prove how many attended, and the media as a whole was all over the road with estimates. 

10/15/10 - Glenn Beck Has Small Fiber Neuropathy - a medical condition called Small Fiber Neuropathy, which damages nerves near the skin and can result in occasional, but intense, flashes of pain. 

4/6/11 - Glenn Beck to End Fox News Show - Glenn Beck will end his late-afternoon talk show on Fox News Channel on June 30 

6/7/11 - Glenn Beck Creates GBTV - Beginning September 12, 2011 subscribers will be able to view a daily live stream of Beck's new, expanded show. 

Glenn Beck's official website is GlennBeck.com.


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