Media Career
As a young man, Reagan raced boats and later also sold them at a Sea Ray boat dealership in Van Nuys, California. He set world records in power boat racing, and raised more than $1.5 million for charities like the United States Olympic Team, Cystic Fibrosis and Juvenile Diabetes Foundations and the Statue of Liberty Restoration Fund through his race team. His efforts were recognized when he became a recipient of the Victor Award for outstanding sports and humanitarian achievement.
His first entertainment broadcast job was as a game show host in charge of the original syndicated version of Lingo, which was taped in Canada but broadcast in the United States. The show lasted only for the 1987–1988 season, and Michael left the show before its demise in the wake of financial problems with the show's producers.
In the mid-1970s Reagan began his radio career with "On Energy". His big break in talk radio started in the Southern California local market as a guest host for Michael Jackson's talk radio show slot on KABC in Los Angeles. After this beginning, he landed a talk show spot on KSDO radio in San Diego, California. Reagan's rating success in the San Diego market gave him the opportunity to take his talk show nationwide in 1992 with the Premiere Radio Networks, later being dropped from the network. Reagan also does public speaking to groups. He also delivers conservative commentary from time to time on cable television news programs such as the Fox News Channel as well as on the Internet for websites such as NewsMax.
In 1988, he authored with Joe Hyams an autobiographical book Michael Reagan: On The Outside Looking In. In 2005 he wrote "Twice Adopted" about his feelings of rejection being adopted, parents divorcing and becoming a Christian.
After his show was dropped from the Premiere Radio Networks, it was picked up by the Radio America Network. In January 2009, Reagan's show was removed from the Radio America lineup and replaced by Roger Hedgecock. Reagan said that he wished Hedgecock well and that he will continue syndication through American Family Radio. As of May 2010, AFR has dropped Reagan's show, and his site no longer makes any mention of a radio show. The Michael Reagan Talk Show has not been picked up by any other network at this time.
Reagan had interjected his broadcasts with provocative and, at times, controversial statements. Reacting to the Mark Foley scandal in 2006, Reagan said, "Any member of Congress who was aware of the sexual emails and protected the congressman should also resign effective immediately."
In June 2008, Christian conservative activist Mark Dice launched a campaign urging people to send letters and DVDs to troops stationed in Iraq which support the theory that the 9/11 attacks were an "inside job". "Operation Inform the Soldiers", as Dice has called it, prompted Reagan to comment that Dice should be killed for treason. Reagan said on June 10, 2008: "How about you take Mark Dice out and put him in the middle of a firing range. Tie him to a post, don't blindfold him, let it rip and have some fun with Mark Dice." Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, a liberal/progressive media criticism organization, asked Radio America at the time to explain whether it permits "its hosts to call for murder on the air".
Read more about this topic: Michael Reagan
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