Originally published on November 30, 2007

Glenn Beck

Multimedia personality

Radio's golden era first inspired multimedia personality to 'entertain, excite imagination and connect'

Glenn Beck does it all. His syndicated radio talk show, heard daily on 267 stations and XM Satellite Radio, ranks third in the nation among persons 25-54. He hosts a daily TV show on CNN Headline News, publishes books and a magazine, tours and runs a successful Web site. Yet despite his multimedia penetration, he strongly believes radio is the most powerful.

Becoming interested in radio: I was 7 years old and my mother said, "Turn off the TV and go outside." I smart-mouthed back at her: "When you were a kid you watched TV." She said, "No, I didn't have a TV," and explained how grandpa had this radio they would listen to. On my 8th birthday she gave me a record set, "The Golden Years of Radio." I listened to Jack Benny, Bob Hope, Fibber McGee & Molly, "The Shadow" and Orson Welles and I knew radio [was] what I wanted to do.

First job: At 13 I was hired to do weekends and top-of-the-hour news updates at KPUY in Puwalla, Wash. I was a disc jockey, and I was horrendous. When I was 15, I was on the air at KUBE/Seattle. When I graduated from high school, First Media transferred me to K96/Salt Lake City [KAYK], where I did nights, and then to WPGC/Washington.

Becoming interested in talk: I lost interest in music. I was 30 and had become clean and sober. Nobody would work with me because I was a jerk. I was going to get out of radio, and then Phil Boyce called and asked me to fill in one night on WABC. I immediately knew I had been in the wrong format my whole life. I had several high-level executives tell me I would be horrible at talk, and [Clear Channel's] Gabe Hobbs thought the opposite. In 2000, I went down to WFLA/Tampa. I remember our first book—we rocketed from 18 to 21st, but by the end of the year I was No. 1.

Going national: I had been on the air for 18 months, and Premiere called and said they wanted to do a show. We were supposed to start in January 2002 and then Sept. 11 happened. [Clear Channel Radio CEO] Randy Michaels put me on the Friday after Sept. 11. It has been just incredible. I just celebrated my 30th year in broadcasting, and my company threw me a party at the Rainbow Room where Jack Benny and Bob Hope used to come after their radio broadcast. I'm keeping a journal every day. I am so blessed.

Describe your show: Everybody says in talk radio you have to be all about politics. My theory is people are not that one-dimensional. My show was designed after sitting down and watching my family at the Thanksgiving table—we were yelling at each other about politics, we were laughing, crying, telling stories. That's what I think talk radio needs to be. It needs to be a reflection of whatever is going on, and more importantly, be true to itself and true to the host.

TV vs. radio: TV is a kingmaker. It is nothing but image. Radio is the most powerful medium. It is the only one that can reach into the minds and hearts of people. I am so tired of being in an industry where we allow ourselves to be the ugly stepchild. Nobody got into the business to increase shareholder value. They got in to entertain, to excite imagination, to connect. And when you connect, you have tons of success—for you, the stations and the advertisers.

Describe a typical day: I usually leave my house at 6 a.m. and on the way in to the office I answer e-mail. At 7, I meet with my TV producers and writers, dictate the monologues and set the table for the TV show. At 8, I switch over to radio and work with my producers on what's coming up. We do the show from 9 to noon. At noon, I'll cut commercials or do client meetings. I walk to the Time Warner Center between 12:30 and 1 p.m., where I meet with my magazine people. Right now I'm focused on my stage shows and we're launching a new book. I work on those until about 1:30 and meet with my business partner on any other things. I go back into TV meetings by 2 and meet with my producers on the guests we have and the questions I want to ask them. I go down to the set around 3-3:30 and shoot the show and other things until about 5-5:30. Then I finish any other business I have. Most times it gets me out around 6 p.m.

Biggest challenge: To not lose sight of what's important. My children and my wife are not notes in a journal. When I'm home and on the weekends, I don't do business, answer e-mails or answer the phone.

State of radio: If I were on the side of the glass that was playing music, I'd be nervous. Since I'm on the side of the glass that's connecting with listeners and helping listeners connect with advertisers, I think the state of radio has never been stronger.

Most influential individual: Michael O'Shea, my GM at KUBE. The last thing he said to me when I was transferred was, "Nobody in this industry teaches because they're all so afraid of guarding their own place. If you ever get into a position to teach, pass this on as a favor to me," and I've tried to do that every step of the way.

Career highlight: In 2003 XM allowed me to re-create "The War of the Worlds." We did it exactly the way Orson Welles did in 1939 and did it all live. It gave me real perspective of the talent those pioneers must have had, and it was also a thank you to my mom for showing me the magic and the power of radio.

Advice for broadcasters: I don't have any. Just revel in the fact we don't have real jobs, and stop making it one.

Liner Notes
Profile: Glenn Beck
Title: Multimedia personality
Favorite radio format: Talk
Favorite TV show: "The Office"
Favorite song: "Anything by Michael Bublé."
Favorite book: "'An Inconvenient Book' [by Glenn Beck], available soon in bookstores everywhere."
Favorite movie: "My Favorite Year"
Favorite restaurant: "Louie's Lunch, the place that invented the hamburger in downtown New Haven, Conn."
Beverage of choice: "Used to be Jack and Coke, now it's Coke Zero."
Hobbies: "Playing with my kids."
E-mail address: glennbeck@glennbeck.com

'My show was designed after sitting down and watching my family at the Thanksgiving table—we were yelling at each other about politics, we were laughing, crying, telling stories.'—Glenn Beck