Mark Steyn: Mark Levin's CRTV left Steyn holding the bag...
You can't keep those Steyn Boys down...
Ok, maybe I am being a wee bit over the top with the Mr. Potter reference. I do not want to be too harsh on Mark Levin (or Cary Katz) at this point since I do not know at all what happened to prompt CRTV to fire Mark Steyn. I understand that things happen in television and entertainment, but I am very concerned why this would happen in this manner to a guy like Mark Steyn:
When CRTV fired me, they also left me holding the bag - for February's payroll and production costs. If you saw The Mark Steyn Show during its brief run, you'll know it was not a cheap show to do - a large multi-camera set with a sophisticated lighting rig, special guests flown in from New York and Los Angeles to a very remote location, a house band... And in what were (unknown to me) the final weeks of the show I also did special episodes filmed live in Phoenix and Ottawa. Under our contract, CRTV were supposed to pay for all the production expenses.
Instead, after breaking the contract and firing me without honoring its terms, they flat-out refused to pay. I didn't feel the cameramen and production assistants and musicians and audio engineers should have to suffer because I was stupid enough to get into bed with CRTV. So I absorbed the huge six-figure cost, of everything from the makeup lady in Phoenix to the grand piano rental in Ottawa, and even the cleaning ladies and other maintenance costs of the studio that CRTV wound up locking me out of. Because there's no reason why the cleaning ladies should get screwed over by CRTV.
It makes no sense since it was so early in the process and especially since what I saw of Mark Steyn's show was very good. To leave Mark Steyn high and dry with a staff and operating costs to cover on his own is very troubling. This is a bizarre story.
In full disclosure: I am a big Mark Steyn fan (and I did participate with Mark Steyn, Bob Belvedere and Pundette in celebrating Sinatra's 100th Birthday). I occasionally listen to Mark Levin's radio show and I like his books. I really respect Michelle Malkin (who is currently also with CRTV) and I like everything she has been involved with over the years from her own blog, Hot Air, and Twitchy. I also think Steven Crowder is very funny and talented.
Salon is reporting this (although this partially makes no sense because Steyn and Malkin are popular with many grass root Republicans):
The erosion of Conservative Review’s brand among grassroots Republicans may be why Steyn was shown the door. According to a source, the site had failed to attract the expected number of subscribers since it launched CRTV in October. The fact that no new Malkin videos have been released since December may be another indicator that viewership has failed to materialize and that Katz and other investors may be trying to reduce financial losses.
All I know is Mark Steyn is a very important and great voice in the conservative pundit-sphere and on free speech issues. If you can, please help him.
This Mark Steyn sacking story needs a happy ending...
EBL: When you challenge a religion, you get to meet the inquisition...
Mark Steyn: Something is rotten in the State of Sweden
TOM: In the paraphrased words of Joe Strummer: "Phony Murray-Mania Has Bitten The Dust"
TOM: In the paraphrased words of Joe Strummer: "Phony Murray-Mania Has Bitten The Dust"
Mark Steyn: Fun for Young and Old: Identity Politics!
Mark Steyn: Steyn Live: Where We're Headed and Feline Rushy
Rush Limbaugh: Mark Steyn fills in for Rush Limbaugh
Useful Republicans: Who gets top billing at CRTV?
Update:
Daily Beast: Inside the Collapse of the Steyn Show I find this hard to believe, but here's the Daily Beast take on what allegedly went on.
EBL: So what really happened to the Mark Steyn Show?
The Last Refuge: Financial incentives, Obamacare repeal, and CRTV (read the whole thing)
Mark Steyn: Steyn Live: Where We're Headed and Feline Rushy
Rush Limbaugh: Mark Steyn fills in for Rush Limbaugh
Useful Republicans: Who gets top billing at CRTV?
Update:
Daily Beast: Inside the Collapse of the Steyn Show I find this hard to believe, but here's the Daily Beast take on what allegedly went on.
EBL: So what really happened to the Mark Steyn Show?
The Last Refuge: Financial incentives, Obamacare repeal, and CRTV (read the whole thing)
I have no idea what's going on, and I probably won't want to know. However, I'll say this very simply; I was considering a subscription, and the #1 reason was Mark Steyn. With him gone, the other options just aren't enough, even to get behind conservative media.
ReplyDeleteI concur.
DeleteMuch of Conservatism, Inc. seems to be run by the lame and circling the toilet bowl. National Review unloads Steyn (but retains their managing editor Steorts, whose works are despised for good reason by their most attentive readers) and now Mark Levin has unloaded him. Steyn is quite simply the most capable opinion journalist of his cohort, full stop.
ReplyDeleteSteorts is the reason I haven't donated a cent to NR in some time.
DeleteWhen they get rid of him I'll consider it but until then I'll just stick with my subscription.
Mark Steyn has, over the last 10 years, been more consistently right in his predictions and comments about the state of western civilization than any of the familiar talking heads and opinion sellers. The fact that he lays bare his profound appreciation and respect for western..(and American)..values, as inherited from generations past, makes him an outlier in this era of unquestioning fealty to "diversity" and "multiculturalism". I also cancelled my subscription to CRTV immediately upon learning of his sacking. There is something rotten there if a man of Steyn's ability can be treated this way.
ReplyDeleteMark Steyn is the best thing to come out of Canada since Canadian Bacon.
DeleteI would say Steyn makes up for Canada foisting Canadian Bacon onto the rest of the world.
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ReplyDeleteMark Steyn is a classy guy....he looked after the folks that CRTV screwed when they sacked him and refused to cover the costs to that point...from this Katz guy this was a real sleazy move, that frankly surprised me....this Katz guy has more then enough dough to pay and conclude this arrangement in a more professional manner but i guess he wants to spend his money in court....I cancelled my contract with CRTV the second time i emailed to inquire as to where the hell were Mark's shows and told there was 'technical' difficulties...momma didnt raise no fool....I received an immediate refund and have since chosen to spend that money on a personally autographed Mark Steyn 'left holding the bag' bag....I shall treasure it always....but still very sad at the loss of this brilliant program...that Katz guy must be beyond stupid....
ReplyDeleteI do not understand how this went down. I concur with your sentiments.
DeleteWas looking forward to the Mark Steyn Show before it started airing. Tuned in to often disappointedly find no new show on many days. Was surprised later on to view his newer "soft variety" type show format when was looking forward to his sharp political repartee. It appears with his later format he was figuratively giving the finger to CRTV after reading about the contractual obligation he was not meeting. As he said he was free to do whatever format he wished with the show, the problem he seemed to have was that he still did not do enough shows to meet his obligation. Sad to read reports he apparently is using the Hilary election loss defense by saying it is the fault of everyone else but him.
ReplyDeleteWhy do I think you are sent here to comment from CRTV?
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