Radio Hosts Warned They'll Be Fired Over Election-Fraud Talk

"We need to help induce national calm NOW." So read an internal memo reportedly sent Wednesday by a media-company executive in the wake of the violence at the Capitol. Except in this case, said media company was an unexpected one: talk-radio giant Cumulus Media, which has some of America's leading conservative talk-radio hosts in its fold. Per the email attributed to Executive Vice President of Content Brian Philips, the company informed its on-air talent that they will be terminated if they make "any suggestion that the election has not ended. The election has been resolved and there are no alternate acceptable 'paths.'" Phillips was unequivocal, reportedly writing: "If you transgress this policy, you can expect to separate from the company immediately."

The Washington Post calls it "a stunning corporate clampdown on the kind of provocative and even inflammatory talk that has long driven the business model for Cumulus and other talk show broadcasters." Among those driving the election-fraud narrative are Cumulus' Mark Levin and Dan Bongino, per the Post, which notes word of the internal memo was first reported by Inside Music Media. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that with its 416 stations, Cumulus is second only to iHeartMedia in its size. (More Cumulus Media Networks stories.)