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Blaze Media

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Blaze Media
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaUnited States
HeadquartersIrving, Texas
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format1080iHDTV
(downscaled toletterboxed480ifor theSDTVfeed)
Ownership
OwnerBlaze Media LLC
History
LaunchedDecember 3, 2018;5 years ago(2018-12-03)
Links
Webcastblazetv
Websitetheblaze
Blaze Live
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaUnited States
HeadquartersIrving, Texas
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format1080p
Ownership
OwnerBlaze Media
History
LaunchedJuly 8, 2020;4 years ago(2020-07-08)
Links
Webcasteu-landing.corp.pluto.tv

Blaze Mediais anAmerican conservative[1][2]media company. It was founded in 2018 as a result of a merger betweenTheBlazeand CRTV LLC. The company's leadership consists ofCEOTyler Cardon and president Gaston Mooney.[1]It is based inIrving, Texas,where it has studios and offices, as well as in Washington, D.C.

TheBlaze was apay televisionnetwork founded byGlenn Beck.Originally, it was called Glenn Beck TV, created after Beck's departure from Fox in 2011. In 2012, the network took the name of Beck's popular website, TheBlaze. From 2014 to 2017, the company had four different CEOs, followed by Beck himself. Months after Beck took the position, the company laid off over a fourth of its staff. CRTV LLC, which operated theConservative Reviewand CRTV (Conservative Review Television), was an online subscription network.

History

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On August 31, 2010, three days after hisRestoring Honor rallyat theLincoln MemorialinWashington, D.C.,conservative political commentatorGlenn Becklaunched theTheBlazewebsite, describing it as analternativeto "mainstream media outlets".[3]TheBlaze headquarters are located inIrving, Texas,at the Mercury Studios (formerly the Studios at Las Colinas).[4][5]

Beck announced the creation of an online-only network replacing Insider Extreme as a result of hisFox Newsdeparture on June 7, 2011. On September 12, 2011, Beck launched GBTV (Glenn Beck TV) as an exclusiveinternet streamingnetwork, produced and operated by Mercury Radio Arts. GBTV would air a television adaptation of hisradio show,histelevision show,and other original programming, includingReal News from TheBlaze,a nightly news program hosted by formerCNNpersonalityAmy Holmes.[6]On June 18, 2012, Mercury Radio Arts announced the consolidation of all of its outlets under the "TheBlaze" brand, thus renaming the internet television station from GBTV to TheBlaze.[7]

In 2012,Dish Networkplaced TheBlaze on its channel lineup. As a result of the "Get TheBlaze" campaign (a movement led by supporters to have other supporters call their cable or satellite television provider and ask them to carry the channel), several smaller, regional cable operators also have recently picked up TheBlaze—includingCablevision(also known as Optimum TV – Channel 828), a major cable provider in theNew York metropolitan area.[8][9]

Betsy Morgan was named CEO ofTheBlazeon December 9, 2014, replacing Chris Balfe, who had been CEO since the beginning. Morgan left the company in June 2015.[10]Chief Revenue Officer Kraig Kitchin replaced Morgan until he resigned in January 2016, taking the position of Interim Head of Sales and being replaced by Stewart Padveen, a digital startup entrepreneur, who resigned in February 2017. Beck took over as CEO of the company in May 2017.[11]

In November 2015, Beck sent an open letter to theRepublican National Committee,requesting permission for TheBlaze to host a Republican presidential debate; this offer was not accepted.[12][13]

TheBlaze was dropped by Cablevision on August 31, 2016.[14]A year later, on August 31, 2017, TheBlaze laid off nearly 60 employees, which cut its personnel by almost 30%.[15]

On December 28, 2018,Verizon Fiosremoved TheBlaze from its lineup.[16]TheBlaze is available as Blaze Live on ad-supported streaming servicePluto TVwith 24 hours a day programming.

Merger with CRTV

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On December 3, 2018, TheBlaze Inc. television arm merged with CRTV LLC, combining resources, personalities, personnel, subscribers, and programming. The merged entity, named Blaze Media, retained TheBlaze's channel slot and incorporated two of CRTV's programs into the channel's schedule (Steve Deace ShowandWilkow!).[17][18]

Gavin McInnes,the co-founder ofVice MediaandVicemagazine,[19][20]founder of theProud Boys,[21]was expected to host his programsGet Off My LawnandCRTV Tonightfor the new company, whose co-president, Gaston Mooney, called McInnes "a comedian and provocateur, one of the many varied voices and viewpoints on Blaze Media platforms." Less than a week after the merger, however, it was announced that McInnes was no longer associated with Blaze Media, with no details given as to why.[22][23]Former contributorMichelle Malkinlikewise followed McInnes out the door afterCRTV'smerger withTheBlazein December 2018.[24]

TheBlaze Dallas studios at the Studios atLas Colinaslooking into the television control room

Notable program hosts for television, and radio and podcasts

[edit]
TheBlaze Radio Network
Broadcast areaWorldwide viaInternet streamingandsmartphoneapps
FrequencyInternet (iHeartRadio,TheBlaze apps, web)
Programming
FormatConservative libertariantalk radio
Ownership
OwnerBlaze Media LLC
History
First air date
September 5, 2012
Technical information
ClassInternet radio station
Links
Websitewww.theblaze/st/Radio

Frequent guests

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Former hosts and contributors

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Additional outlets

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Radio

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TheBlaze Radio Network was launched on September 5, 2012, and is available for free online via the company's website,iOSandAndroidapps, and theiHeartRadioapp. TheBlaze Radio Network is the only host airing conservative talk-show host Pat Gray.

Website

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TheBlaze
show screenshot
Homepage screenshot on May 14, 2016
Type of site
Online newspaper
Available inEnglish
OwnerBlaze Media LLC
EditorLeon Wolf
URLtheblaze
CommercialYes
LaunchedAugust 26, 2010;13 years ago(2010-08-26)
Current statusActive

TheBlaze website launched on August 26, 2010. According to Beck, the site took two months to design.[3]At launch, the site's chief editor wasScott Baker,with its associate editor-video producer Pam Key and with Jon Seidl and Meredith Jessup as reporters. Key is known for her blog,Naked Emperor News: Smoking Gun Video and Images.Baker is a formerPittsburgh,Pennsylvania,broadcast journalist who previously worked atThe Huffington PostandBreitbart TV.Seidl, of theManhattan Institute,previously worked atThe American Spectator.Jessup previously worked atTownhall.Journalists joiningTheBlazelater includedS. E. CuppandDavid Harsanyi.

In January 2011, Betsy Morgan became president and Kraig Kitchin director of sales. Morgan had helmedThe Huffington Postuntil 2009. Kitchin had formerly been the president ofPremier Radio.[31]

In March 2011, the site was noted for its critique ofJames O'Keefe's NPR sting video.[32]

Magazine

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TheBlaze(entitledFusionprior to September 2012) was a monthly news magazine published by Mercury Radio Arts and TheBlaze inNew York Cityand circulated throughout the United States. Its former title,Fusion,was taken from Beck's talk radio program's slogan, "The Fusion of Entertainment and Enlightenment." The editor-in-chief wasScott Baker.[33]The magazine was sixteen pages and was published monthly except for February and August. It was available digitally and in print.[34]The last edition ofTheBlazemagazine was published in April 2015.

References

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  1. ^abHayes, Dade (December 3, 2018)."TheBlaze And CRTV Merge To Create Blaze Media, Uniting Glenn Beck With Fox News Host Mark Levin".Deadline Hollywood.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  2. ^Fields, Michelle (October 5, 2016)."Conservative News Darling Is Falling Apart, Staff Says".HuffPost.RetrievedNovember 30,2020.
  3. ^abBarr, Andy (August 31, 2010)."Beck launches news site".Politico.RetrievedAugust 31,2010.
  4. ^DeLong, Matt (August 31, 2010)."Glenn Beck launches conservative news site The Blaze".The Washington Post.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  5. ^Ember, Sydney (August 8, 2017)."Sinclair Deal Draws Unlikely Opponent: Conservative News Media".The New York Times.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  6. ^"Amy Holmes Joins Glenn Beck's GBTV Network As Anchor".The Huffington Post.August 9, 2011.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  7. ^Krakauer, Steve (June 18, 2012)."Glenn Beck drops his name from Web network, promises media 'revolution'".CNN.RetrievedSeptember 1,2013.
  8. ^Morgenstern, Madeleine (March 28, 2013)."TheBlaze TV Launching on 4 More Cable Operators".TheBlaze.Archived fromthe originalon March 28, 2013.RetrievedMarch 28,2013.
  9. ^Adams, Becket (May 1, 2013)."TheBlaze Extends Its Reach, Announces TV Deal With Tri-State (NY, NJ, CT) Cable Provider".TheBlaze.Archived fromthe originalon May 3, 2013.RetrievedMay 1,2013.
  10. ^Joyella, Mark (June 18, 2015)."Betsy Morgan, CEO of Glenn Beck's The Blaze, Steps Down".Adweek.RetrievedMay 30,2016.
  11. ^Beck, Glenn(July 12, 2017)."Another really long day. Got in around six..."RetrievedOctober 28,2020– viaFacebook.I took over as the CEO of my entire company (all divisions) about 8 weeks ago because I wanted to change direction.
  12. ^Haraldsson, Hrafnkell (November 3, 2015)."Glenn Beck Wants to Host a GOP Debate and Bill O'Reilly Hopes They Let Him".PoliticusUSA.RetrievedJanuary 30,2018.
  13. ^"Republican Debate Schedule (2016 Primary Debates)".Central Election.October 14, 2014.RetrievedJune 20,2018.
  14. ^"The world isn't ending".TheBlaze. August 16, 2016.
  15. ^Grove, Lloyd(September 1, 2017)."After Mass Layoffs, Can Glenn Beck Still Save 'The Blaze'?".The Daily Beast.RetrievedSeptember 7,2017.
  16. ^Concha, Joe (December 28, 2018)."BlazeTV dropped from Verizon Fios".The Hill.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  17. ^Darcy, Oliver (December 3, 2018)."Glenn Beck's TheBlaze and CRTV merge to create conservative media compa".CNN.RetrievedSeptember 17,2021.
  18. ^Breuninger, Kevin (December 3, 2018)."Glenn Beck's The Blaze and Mark Levin's CRTV merge to form right-wing outlet Blaze Media, which could rival the new Fox News streaming service".CNBC.RetrievedSeptember 17,2021.
  19. ^Pareene, Alex(January 23, 2008)."Co-Founder Gavin McInnes Finally Leaves 'Vice'".Gawker.Archived fromthe originalon October 10, 2016.RetrievedJuly 23,2019.
  20. ^Pareene, Alex (November 19, 2007)."The 'Vice' Boys Are All Grown Up And Working For Viacom".Gawker.Archived fromthe originalon April 7, 2012.RetrievedJuly 23,2019.
  21. ^Sommer, Will (June 18, 2019)."Police Stop Far-Right Proud Boys From Reaching Anti-Trump Protest in Orlando".The Daily Beast.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  22. ^Bowden, John (December 8, 2018)."BlazeTV breaks off relationship with founder of the Proud Boys".The Hill.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  23. ^Stelloh, Tim (December 10, 2018)."'Proud Boys' founder Gavin McInnes out at Blaze Media ".NBC News.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  24. ^Levine, Jon (December 10, 2018)."Blaze TV Hosts Michelle Malkin, Gavin McInnes Out After CRTV Merger".TheWrap.RetrievedApril 22,2019.
  25. ^m.youtube /@SaraGonzalesUnfiltered
  26. ^https://m.youtube /@BlazeNewsTonight
  27. ^https://m.youtube /@lizwheeler
  28. ^"Kibbe on Liberty".BlazeTV.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  29. ^"In the Woods with Phil".BlazeTV.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  30. ^"Something's Off with Andrew Heaton".Archived fromthe originalon May 3, 2019.
  31. ^Lang, Brent (January 5, 2011)."Glenn Beck Hires HuffPo's Morgan for His Fledgling Website".TheWrap.Archived fromthe originalon January 8, 2011.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  32. ^"Analysts, NPR: Video edit of executive misleading".East Bay Times.Associated Press.March 14, 2011.RetrievedOctober 28,2020.
  33. ^"Scott Baker".TheBlaze.Archived fromthe originalon June 8, 2013.RetrievedFebruary 27,2016.
  34. ^"FAQ".TheBlaze.Archived fromthe originalon November 14, 2014.RetrievedDecember 3,2014.
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