Owner orders WLS-AM (890), other stations to stop alleging ‘stolen election’

NEW YORK — The owner of Chicago’s WLS-AM (890) and syndicator of talk radio hosts across the country, including outspoken Donald Trump supporters Mark Levin and Ben Shapiro, says its personalities need to tone things down or face firing.

Cumulus Media content chief Brian Philips sent an email to managers Wednesday, the day of the U.S. Capitol riot, saying the company had to help induce calm.

“There will be no dog whistles about ‘stolen elections,’ ‘civil wars’ or any other language that infers violent public disobedience is warranted, ever,” said the memo, first reported by Inside Music Media.

The memo said Cumulus would not tolerate any suggestion by its on-air personalities that the presidential election is not over.

“Please inform your staffs that we have ZERO TOLERANCE for any suggestion otherwise,” Philips said in the memo.

The company did not immediately respond to an AP request for comment Monday.

Cumulus owns 416 radio stations in 86 markets across the country, along with the syndication arm Westwood One, which distributes Levin and Shapiro’s shows. WLS midday star Rush Limbaugh is allied with a different syndication company, Premiere Networks.