August 19, 2021
-National File
Cumulus Media has mandated the Coronavirus vaccine for all of its employees. Cumulus Media owns the Westwood One radio network, which syndicates radio shows hosted by neoconservative pundits Ben Shapiro and Dan Bongino, Daily Wire employee Michael Knowles, and conservative talk radio host Mark Levin. Meanwhile Fox News, another platform for neoconservative messaging, has required employees to report their own vaccination status to a corporate database.
“All employees, except for those few who are already designated permanent remote like our traffic organization, must be fully vaccinated by our grand reopening date” of October 11 stated Cumulus Media CEO and president Mary Berner in a companywide video address, which reportedly sparked a rumored rebellion among staff and speculations that Cumulus plans to downsize vaccine refusers. “There will be no exceptions unless it’s mandated by law. If you are someone who has not made that choice, it is for your own protection,” Berner stated. Cumulus had more than 4,000 employees and more than 3,000 full-time employees at the end of 2019. As NATIONAL FILE reported, Ben Shapiro made a case for mandatory vaccines on his show on March 18. Shapiro has promoted the Coronavirus vaccine to his followers and Shapiro has claimed that he got the vaccine along with his wife and parents.
Ben mandatory vaccinations Shapiro
— Luke Rudkowski (@Lukewearechange) March 18, 2021
An article on Radio and Television Business Report states: “Could that have changed on Wednesday, with a potential rebellion in at least one market possible from the mandate from the corporate office? There’s also chatter that the vaccination mandate is also a way for Cumulus to further trim its employee roster as it continues to seek ways to deleverage.”
Notably, there is no vaccine mandate at this time from iHeartMedia, Cumulus’ competitor, which hosts insurgent America First broadcaster Stew Peters’ show.
