O’Reilly to Be a Factor at KABC
Fox News personality Bill O’Reilly is taking his controversial act to syndicated radio and will duke it out for Southland listeners with top-rated Rush Limbaugh.
O’Reilly, who currently hosts “The O’Reilly Factor” on the Fox cable channel, will be the host of “The Radio Factor With Bill O’Reilly,” a two-hour program that will premiere May 8 on KABC-AM (790) and run Monday through Friday at 9 a.m. The show will originate from New York and is being syndicated by Westwood One.
“This show will be a natural extension of ‘The O’Reilly Factor,”’ O’Reilly said Wednesday during a conference call with reporters. “We will take the hottest topic from the previous night’s ‘Factor,’ and listeners will be able to call in and weigh in on whatever it is.”
The confrontational O’Reilly, who has clashed with a variety of politicians and celebrities, including George Clooney, said his radio show “will give me a chance to cause more trouble. George Clooney has already taken out all the radio outlets in his house.”
At KABC, O’Reilly will precede his Fox News Channel colleague Sean Hannity, whose syndicated show airs weekdays at noon. KABC executives said they are in discussions with Gloria Allred and Mark Taylor, who currently occupy the station’s 9 a.m.-noon slot, to determine their future role at the station.
KABC is pitting “The Radio Factor” against the first two hours of Limbaugh’s three-hour program on KFI-AM (640). KABC once dominated that morning block with talk-show host Michael Jackson but has trailed Limbaugh for years.
O’Reilly said he spoke with associates of the veteran Limbaugh and told them, “‘If Rush has any problems with this, let us know, because we respect him.’ We were told he likes the competition. He feels it’s good for everyone. And if we’re half as successful as he is, we will be very pleased.”
In addition to taking viewer calls, O’Reilly said he wants to bring a feminine point of view to the show and is looking “to bring in some bright women to be my foil. It’s very important to have women on the show. My first invitation has been to [New York Sen. and former First Lady] Hillary Clinton.”
