Dan Bongino has announced that his national radio show with Westwood One will end when his contract expires.
On Friday’s show, Bongino said Cumulus Media approached him after the death of Rush Limbaugh to fill the timeslot, which he originally declined. After reconsidering, he told listeners “‘You know what? I’ll take it, but for a limited amount of time’.”
He said the decision “really sucks because I spent a lot of time building this and I love it and it’s grown on me,” adding “the first few months were really tough” as he grew into the role.
“Live radio is different. It’ll always be my first love,” Bongino said. “I’ve been doing it for seven years…there’s a different energy to it (live radio). There’s breaking news and the ability to shift on the fly. I’m gonna miss it. A lot. I don’t know where or what will happen after, but if you think walking away from this — and this isn’t a money thing. It’s never a money thing if you’ve got a following. There’s always money to be found out there. It’s a grifter thing, to worry about the money first. But it’s you that makes the difference. And you matter to me.”
The former Secret Service and NYPD officer added he has a year and a half left on his contract, and he plans to enjoy and savor every minute of it.
Bongino’s relationship with Cumulus Media has been a contentious one, which boiled over into public with his strong disagreement with the company’s vaccine mandate. He briefly stepped aside from his hosting role to protest the policy. Bongino did mention that his podcast will continue, as will his involvement on television.
