Westwood One Taps Dan Bongino To Fill Rush Limbaugh's Radio Slot

Cumulus Media’s CMLS Westwood One subsidiary announced that conservative commentator Dan Bongino will take over the radio slot that was occupied for decades by the late Rush Limbaugh.

What Happened: Limbaugh passed away on Feb. 17 at the age of 70 from lung cancer. After his death, his widow Kathryn Limbaugh and a rotating series of guest hosts maintained the program, which was syndicated weekdays from 12:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. ET.

Bongino currently hosts a one-hour show for the Westwood One Podcast Network, and he will continue with that endeavor separate from his new radio show. Westwood One will premiere “The Dan Bongino Show” on May 24.

In a press statement, Bongino said he was “excited to embrace the immense power of radio to connect with my listeners live for three hours every day. This is an incredible privilege, and I pledge to honor the trailblazing work of those who came before me.”

Filling Limbaugh’s Shoes: Limbaugh caught the public attention's in 1988 as the host of his “Rush Limbaugh Show” on New York City’s WABC-AM. Over the decades he attracted a large audience of fans who enjoyed his bombastic advocacy of conservative politics and an equally large audience of detractors who considered his commentary offensive to many segments of the population.

Bongino’s initial career was in law enforcement, serving as an officer in the New York City Police Department officer from 1995 to 1999 and as a Secret Service agent from 2006 to 2011.

He made three attempts to gain election to Congress as a Republican – a 2012 Senate race and House of Representatives races in 2014 and 2016 – but found more success in right-wing media, both as a political commentator on News Corp’s NWSA Fox News, as the publisher of “The Bongino Report” website and part-owner of the Parler social media site. He also authored three best-selling politically-focused books.

"Dan is passionate and relatable, with a natural ability to connect with his audience," said Suzanne Grimes, president of Westwood One and executive vice president of corporate marketing for Cumulus Media.

Photo of Dan Bongino by Gage Skidmore / Flickr Creative Commons.