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Glenn Beck built his growing media company, Mercury Radio Arts, from scratch. A former Top 40 DJ, he transitioned to talk radio in 2001, and his show now airs on nearly 200 stations nationwide. Millions tune in to hear this modern storyteller, known for his sharp wit, well-informed opinions, and unique talent for inspiring others to realize their full potential with an open heart. His on-air style is both commanding and welcoming—a skill he has honed over 27 years.
Glenn Lee Beck was born in Everett, Washington, to Mary Clara (Janssen) and William A. Beck. His father had German and English roots, while his mother was of German descent. He began in radio at age thirteen after winning a local contest to DJ for an hour. Soon after, Glenn juggled three jobs simultaneously—at a Christian station, a rock station, and a country station—all in Washington state, with his parents driving him to each. However, at 14, he was fired from all three on the same day.
After graduating high school, Glenn pursued a career as a Top 40 DJ across the country. At 18, he became the youngest morning host in the U.S. in Corpus Christi, Texas. His success continued with Top 40 morning shows in Baltimore, Houston, Phoenix, Washington, and New Haven, Connecticut. But as the 1990s progressed, his life changed. Glenn later reflected, "When you have that kind of success that early in life, it's easy for you to turn into a monster. And I did! I was not a good guy."
By age 30, Glenn lost his passion for radio and much more, as alcoholism and drug addiction took hold. He faced a divorce, separation from his two daughters—one of whom has Cerebral Palsy—and financial and emotional ruin, finally landing in one of the smallest radio markets. The once-rising star had fallen.
Eventually, he embraced a recovery program.
Coming to terms with his past and maintaining sobriety shifted his life’s path. He found new love with his second wife, Tania, renewed faith in Jesus (having been baptized Mormon in 2000), and a fresh career vision: to pursue talk radio.
Shortly after his baptism, an agent contacted him with interest in representation. Days later, he received an offer to host a talk radio show on WFLA-AM in Tampa, Florida—requiring him to move away from his daughters in New Haven. He and Tania decided to live in Tampa for two years, after which, regardless of success or failure, they would move closer to his children.
Starting at 18th place in the station’s ratings, Glenn propelled WFLA-AM to #1 within his first year, achieving the station’s highest ratings ever. Within 18 months, Premiere Radio Networks, the nation’s leading radio syndicator, invited Glenn to go national. In January 2002, The Glenn Beck Program launched on 47 stations.
True to his promise, he later moved the national show to Philadelphia to be nearer his daughters.
From 2006 to 2008, Beck hosted The Glenn Beck Program, a one-hour television show on CNN’s Headline News. Between 2009 and 2011, it aired on Fox News Channel. After shifting his approach and seeking a new media role, Beck left Fox and launched TheBlaze, an independent network. Available on Dish Network and over 90 other providers nationwide—including eleven in the national top 25—TheBlaze is a news and entertainment platform airing Beck’s radio and TV programs alongside 16 original shows. TheBlaze also operates a radio network featuring 15 programs.
In November 2014, Glenn disclosed on his program that he had experienced a turning point in life. For five years, he had suffered from an illness that could have caused his body to shut down within 5 to 10 years. After testing for traumatic brain injury, doctors in New York found he was functioning in the bottom tenth percentile. Unable to receive a definitive diagnosis, Glenn sought treatment at the Carrick Brain Centers in Texas.
