Editing Mutual Broadcasting System (section)

===1980s–1990s: The end of Mutual===

==== Acquisition by Westwood One ====
[[File:DickCarkAd.gif|thumb|325px|alt=Advertisement including an illustration of headphones, a headshot of a smiling man, illustrations of nine other people, the slogan "The sound of success. Sounding even better", and additional copy.|Ad for ''[[Dick Clark]]'s National Music Survey'', among the last entertainment shows to originate on Mutual]]
With their purchase of WCFL still pending, Amway acquired a second station for Mutual with New York City's [[WEPN (AM)#WHN|WHN]] from [[Storer Communications|Storer Broadcasting]] on February 26, 1979, for $14&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|14000000|1979}}|}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}), at the time the second-highest purchase price for a radio station.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=William H. |date=February 27, 1979 |title=Mutual Agrees To Buy N.Y. Radio Station |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1979/02/27/mutual-agrees-to-buy-ny-radio-station/6210bb55-e8fd-40f5-a6cd-4bc04710678a/ |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-date=August 18, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818105843/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1979/02/27/mutual-agrees-to-buy-ny-radio-station/6210bb55-e8fd-40f5-a6cd-4bc04710678a/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Supplanting WMCA as Mutual's New York outlet, the deal closed on March 3, 1980.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 3, 1980 |title=WHN Radio Is Acquired By the Mutual System |page=19-Section S |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/03/03/archives/whn-radio-is-acquired-by-the-mutual-system.html |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-date=December 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220081837/https://www.nytimes.com/1980/03/03/archives/whn-radio-is-acquired-by-the-mutual-system.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Re-branded "Mutual/CFL", WCFL was relaunched in August 1979 as the flagship for [[Mutual Lifestyle Radio]], a form of talk radio oriented towards light conversation.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=September 3, 1979 |title=Mutual makes its move in Chicago |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1979/BC-1979-09-03.pdf |magazine=Broadcasting |volume=97 |issue=10 |pages=55–56 |access-date=February 15, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308043910/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1979/BC-1979-09-03.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> ''On a Country Road'', a [[country music]] show hosted by WHN's Lee Arnold, was given national distribution.<ref name="MRTS-Clark">{{Cite web |last=Morgan |first=Glenn |date=2009 |title=Glenn Morgan and the story of... The Dick Clark National Music Survey |url=http://www.mutualradiotributesite.org/mrts_stories_dcnms.html |access-date=February 16, 2023 |website=Mutual Radio Tribute Site |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212212133/http://www.mutualradiotributesite.org/mrts_stories_dcnms.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Also in March 1980, Mutual picked up the ''[[Sears Radio Theater]]'' after CBS Radio dropped it, renaming it ''Mutual Radio Theater''. While a number of well-regarded episodes were produced, the series ended on December 19, 1980,<ref>{{harvp|Dunning|1998|p=603}}.</ref><ref name="Billbo19801213p23" /> and was Mutual's final radio drama.<ref>{{cite web|author=Judge, Dick|url=http://www.old-time.com/otrlogs2/mutualrt_dj.log.txt|title=Mutual Radio Theater|date=December 3, 2005|access-date=March 1, 2010|publisher=Original Old-Time Radio (OTR) WWW Pages|archive-date=April 11, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411081222/http://www.old-time.com/otrlogs2/mutualrt_dj.log.txt|url-status=live}}</ref> The Mutual Southwest Network also closed at the end of 1980; in both cases, ''Mutual Radio Theater'' and Mutual Southwest suffered from a lack of advertising support.<ref name="Billbo19801213p23">{{Cite magazine |date=December 13, 1980 |title=Country Show Will Play Most Top Markets |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-12-13.pdf |magazine=Billboard |volume=92 |issue=50 |page=23 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131084928/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1980/BB-1980-12-13.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1981, Mutual launched ''[[Dick Clark]]'s National Music Survey'', a three-hour-long weekly program combining music and interviews, a show Clark continued to host even after co-founding a competing syndicator, [[United Stations Radio Networks]], earlier in the year.<ref name="MRTS-Clark" /><ref name="RR 1994-02-18">{{cite magazine |date=February 18, 1994 |title=Clark, Verbitsky Revive United Stations Networks |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-02-18.pdf |magazine=Radio & Records |issue=1031 |pages=1, 25 |access-date=April 12, 2020 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=February 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230216054155/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-02-18.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Sports commentaries were added, featuring the likes of [[Tommy Lasorda]] and [[Pat Summerall]], along with hourly "Wide Weekend of Sports" sportscasts throughout the weekend; the network also held play-by-play rights to Notre Dame college football, the [[PGA Tour]], the [[LPGA]], the [[United States Tennis Association]] and regional rights for four NFL teams.<ref name="Broad19840910p58" />

{{Quote box
| quote = When I entered this business, everybody I'd meet wanted to talk to me about [[owned-and-operated stations|O&O]]'s and I remember the first staff meeting I ever had at Mutual after we bought it, and I went in and I met everybody, and they said, "What about O&O's?" And I remember my answer was, "What's an O&O?" Well they all kind of laughed. Then they all told me that that was the way to go. We had to own a bunch of radio stations. Well, I didn't buy a network to think I had to buy a bunch of radio stations—I thought I'd already bought something.
| author = [[Richard DeVos]]{{r|Broad19840910p66}}
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| width = 325px
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Mutual's satellite network was fully online by 1982, but the new technology allowed for additional networks to emerge, some—including efforts from NBC, ABC, CBS, [[RKO Radio Network|RKO]], [[Satellite Music Network]] and [[Transtar Radio Networks|Transtar]]—providing continuous programming to radio stations on a "turnkey" basis.<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{Cite news |last=Berger |first=Myron |date=August 2, 1981 |title=Network Radio Is Tuning into Satellites |page=23-Section 2 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/02/arts/network-radio-is-tuning-into-satellites.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212012619/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/02/arts/network-radio-is-tuning-into-satellites.html |url-status=live }}|{{Cite news |last=Pace |first=Eric |date=May 1, 1982 |title=Radio Networks: New 'Golden Age' |page=33-Section 2 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/01/business/radio-networks-new-golden-age.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212012619/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/05/01/business/radio-networks-new-golden-age.html |url-status=live }}|{{Cite news |last=Shenon |first=Philip |date=June 13, 1982 |title=Bringing 'Turnkey' Radio into Everybody's Backyard |page=8-Section 3 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/13/business/bringing-turnkey-radio-into-everybody-s-backyard.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-date=May 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150524105534/http://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/13/business/bringing-turnkey-radio-into-everybody-s-backyard.html |url-status=live }}}}</ref> WCFL also failed to meet the network's expectations. [[Chuck Swirsky]], hired as an evening sports talk host, later called WCFL "...&nbsp;the lowest rated 50-thousand watts station in American broadcast history. We had blank pages for logs. Zero commercial inventory. Any PSA content our traffic department received, we immediately played on the air that night."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Masur |first=Andy |date=February 12, 2021 |title=Positivity, Preparation and Perseverance Are Essential For Chuck Swirsky |url=https://barrettsportsmedia.com/2021/02/12/positivity-preparation-and-perseverance-are-essential-for-chuck-swirsky/ |access-date=February 16, 2023 |website=Barrett Media |language=en-US |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703024549/https://www.barrettsportsmedia.com/2021/02/12/positivity-preparation-and-perseverance-are-essential-for-chuck-swirsky/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As Mutual celebrated its 50th anniversary, Amway denied rumors of a possible sale,<ref name="Broad19840910p58" /> but executive [[Richard DeVos]] admitted the company was disappointed with their venture into broadcasting, calling Mutual "a learning experience" and their stewardship of WCFL "not a very good one&nbsp;... I began to question whether our people really knew how to run a radio station".<ref name="Broad19840910p66">{{Cite magazine |date=September 10, 1984 |title=The word from Ada to Arlington: "Accentuate the positive on Mutual" |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1984/BC-1984-09-10.pdf |magazine=Broadcasting |volume=107 |issue=11 |pages=66, 70, 74, 76 |access-date=February 15, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131024228/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1984/BC-1984-09-10.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> Network president John Brian Clements asserted "this network is not for sale",<ref name="Broad19840507p51">{{Cite magazine |date=May 7, 1984 |title=Riding Gain: Into the breech for Mutual |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1984/BC-1984-05-07.pdf |magazine=Broadcasting |volume=106 |issue=19 |page=51 |access-date=February 15, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131032028/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1984/BC-1984-05-07.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> but the radio stations were: WCFL was sold to Statewide Broadcasting in November 1983 at a $4&nbsp;million loss<ref>"Radio Station WCFL Sold to Religious Group," ''Chicago Tribune'', November 4, 1983.</ref> and WHN was sold to [[Doubleday (publisher)|Doubleday Broadcasting]] in October 1984 at a $1&nbsp;million loss.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 2, 1984 |title=Doubleday to Buy Mutual's WHN |page=D5 |work=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/02/business/doubleday-to-buy-mutual-s-whn.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212012605/https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/02/business/doubleday-to-buy-mutual-s-whn.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Clements took over as president when Amway's board called for the resignation of several executives and followed downsizing due to "softening sales".<ref name="Broad19840507p51" /><ref name="Broad19840910p43" />

In 1985, [[Westwood One (1976–2011)|Westwood One]], a radio production company and syndicator based in [[Culver City, California]], sought to expand its operations. Westwood and Mutual were a good match: the demographics of Mutual affiliates tended to be adult, while most of the stations that bought Westwood's music-oriented programming had substantially younger audiences.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Gilpin |first1=Kenneth N. |last2=Purdum |first2=Todd S. |date=September 18, 1984 |title=Business People; Head of Westwood One Elated by Mutual Deal |page=D2 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/18/business/business-people-head-of-westwood-one-elated-by-mutual-deal.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212012606/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/18/business/business-people-head-of-westwood-one-elated-by-mutual-deal.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Mutual had news operations Westwood lacked, and although down from its peak, still commanded 860 affiliates and generated $25&nbsp;million in revenue, a strong second among the Big Four.<ref name="NYT19850917pD4">{{Cite news |date=September 17, 1985 |title=Westwood to Buy Mutual Network |page=D4 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/17/business/westwood-to-buy-mutual-network.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-date=November 25, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125174816/http://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/17/business/westwood-to-buy-mutual-network.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Westwood-One-Inc-Company-History.html|title=Westwood One, Inc.—Company History|year=1998|access-date=March 1, 2010|work=International Directory of Company Histories|publisher=Funding Universe|archive-date=October 22, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022205112/http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Westwood-One-Inc-Company-History.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 1985, Amway sold the network to Westwood One for $39&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|39000000|1985}}}} in {{Inflation/year|US}})<ref>{{harvp|Cox|2015|p=178}}.</ref> outside of the satellite services division and uplink facility, which Amway retained.{{r|NYT19850917pD4}}<ref name="JohannessenWW1">{{Cite web |last=Johannessen |first=Kenneth I. |date=2009 |title=The Westwood One Years – 1985 to the End: Setting Sun Under Westwood One |url=http://www.mutualradiotributesite.org/mrts_history12_ww1.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714102243/http://misterk60.com/WW1.html |archive-date=July 14, 2011 |access-date=February 11, 2023 |website=Mutual Radio Tribute Site}}</ref> "It's a perfect fit," declared Westwood head [[Norm Pattiz|Norman J. Pattiz]]. Referring to the united company's ability to give advertisers access to a broad demographic sweep, he called it "a classic case of two plus two equaling five."<ref>Quoted in {{cite web|url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Westwood-One-Inc-Company-History.html|title=Westwood One, Inc.—Company History|year=1998|access-date=March 1, 2010|work=International Directory of Company Histories|publisher=Funding Universe|archive-date=October 22, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081022205112/http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Westwood-One-Inc-Company-History.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 20, 1987, the number got even bigger: Westwood One snapped up the NBC Radio Network for $50&nbsp;million (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|50000000|1987}}|}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}),<ref name="R&R19990409p3">{{Cite magazine |last=Shweder |first=Jeremy |date=April 9, 1999 |title=WW1 Signals Mutual's Demise: NBC News feeds also trimmed in consolidation |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1999/RR-1999-04-09.pdf |magazine=Radio & Records |issue=1294 |pages=3, 23 |access-date=February 11, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131021155/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1999/RR-1999-04-09.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> pursuing Mutual's long-time competitor since a planned sale of the network and NBC's radio stations to [[Westinghouse Broadcasting]] fell through.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=July 27, 1987 |title=Westwood One acquires NBC Radio for $50 million |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1987/BC-1987-07-27.pdf |magazine=Broadcasting |volume=113 |issue=4 |pages=35–36 |access-date=February 11, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131024552/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1987/BC-1987-07-27.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Mutual was now part of a much larger programming service, and its identity was being gradually phased out. In 1987, Mutual's longform fare, including Larry King and [[Toni Grant]], were placed in a new service called "Mutual P.M.", which Westwood One touted as "clon(ing) a new network from the existing network" in hopes of attracting new advertisers.<ref name="Broad19870323p130">{{Cite magazine |date=March 23, 1987 |title=Riding Gain: ABC continues RADAR dominance |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1987/BC-1987-03-23.pdf |magazine=Broadcasting |volume=112 |issue=12 |page=130 |access-date=February 14, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131031257/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1987/BC-1987-03-23.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> NBC Radio's news and engineering staff was combined with Mutual personnel at the Arlington facility in 1989, and by 1992, programming between the two networks began to undergo consolidation, particularly in overnights and weekends.{{r|JohannessenWW1}}{{r|R&R19990409p3}} King switched his all-night radio show to a shorter daytime version on February 1, 1993, with the late-night slot going to Jim Bohannon;<ref name="Broad19921207p40">{{Cite magazine |last=Viles |first=Peter |date=December 7, 1992 |title='Larry King' moving to days in February |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1992/BC-1992-12-07.pdf |magazine=Broadcasting |volume=122 |issue=50 |page=40 |access-date=February 14, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131030741/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1992/BC-1992-12-07.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> in addition to hosting ''America in The Morning'', Bohannon had been King's fill-in host since 1981 and later hosted his own weekend call-in program on Mutual with the same format as King's.<ref name="Lucier-1998">{{Harvp|Lucier|1998}}.</ref> King's daytime show ended in June 1994{{r|LAT19940624}}<ref name="WAKR 1994 Return">{{Cite news |last=Love |first=Steve |date=February 26, 1994 |title=Fans to get back their old WAKR: New owner will revive format that many listeners have missed, including five hours of Bob Friend |pages=C1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43946593/wakr/ C6] |newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal |location=Akron, Ohio |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43945233/fans_to_get_back_their_old_wakr/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 8, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120233532/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43945233/fans-to-get-back-their-old-wakr/ |archive-date=January 20, 2022 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> and was replaced with a talk show hosted by comedian [[David Brenner]], which lasted for two years.<ref>{{cite web |date=March 17, 2014 |title=David Brenner Dies; Top Comedian Hosted Radio Show In '90s |url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/127831/david-brenner-dies-top-comedian-hosted-radio-show- |access-date=February 11, 2023 |work=All Access |archive-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211171134/https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/127831/david-brenner-dies-top-comedian-hosted-radio-show- |url-status=live }}</ref> Westwood One began simulcasting the television audio of King's nightly CNN talk show, ''Larry King Live'',{{r|JohannessenWW1}} which continued through the end of 2009.<ref>{{cite web |date=December 7, 2009 |title=Westwood One Ends Larry King Show Simulcast |url=http://radiosyndicationtalk.com/2009/12/07/westwood-one-ends-larry-king-show-simulcast/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091219022812/http://radiosyndicationtalk.com/2009/12/07/westwood-one-ends-larry-king-show-simulcast/ |archive-date=December 19, 2009 |access-date=November 2, 2015 |work=Radio Syndication Talk}}</ref> Outside of Bohannon's show, most Mutual programming was now being heard on smaller market stations, with many affiliates using it as a "backup" to a different primary affiliation; by 1999, Mutual News was down to approximately 300 affiliates.{{r|R&R19990409p3}}

==== Consolidation, streamlining and dissolution ====
Meanwhile, Westwood One began to be subject to larger [[mergers and acquisitions]]. Westwood One purchased competing syndicator [[Transtar Radio Networks|Unistar Radio Networks]] from [[CBS Radio|Infinity Broadcasting]] in 1994; as part of the deal, Infinity purchased 25&nbsp;percent of Westwood One, becoming its largest shareholder and effectively taking it over.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 5, 1994 |title=Company News; Westwood One Completes Purchase of Unistar Radio |page=39-Section 1 |work=The New York Times |agency=Bloomberg News |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/05/business/company-news-westwood-one-completes-purchase-of-unistar-radio.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210033719/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/05/business/company-news-westwood-one-completes-purchase-of-unistar-radio.html |archive-date=February 10, 2023}}</ref> Westinghouse, which recently bought out CBS and was renamed [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation|CBS Corporation]] shortly thereafter, then acquired Infinity in June 1996 for just shy of $5&nbsp;billion (equivalent to ${{Format price|{{Inflation|US|5000000000|1996}}|}} in {{Inflation/year|US}}).<ref>{{Unbulleted list citebundle|{{Cite news |date=June 21, 1996 |title=To Infinity and Beyond: Is a Radio Deal Too Big?; Westinghouse Would Own 32% of Top Markets |page=D1 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/21/business/infinity-beyond-radio-deal-too-big-westinghouse-would-own-32-top-markets.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-date=December 6, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221206055446/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/21/business/infinity-beyond-radio-deal-too-big-westinghouse-would-own-32-top-markets.html |url-status=live }}|{{Cite news |last=Fabrikant |first=Geraldine |date=June 21, 1996 |title=Two Radio Giants to Merge, Forming Biggest Network |page=A1 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/21/business/two-radio-giants-to-merge-forming-biggest-network.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212012607/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/21/business/two-radio-giants-to-merge-forming-biggest-network.html |url-status=live }}|{{Cite news |date=December 27, 1996 |title=F.C.C. Approves Merger of Westinghouse and Infinity |page=D3 |work=The New York Times |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/27/business/fcc-approves-merger-of-westinghouse-and-infinity.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210033727/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/27/business/fcc-approves-merger-of-westinghouse-and-infinity.html |archive-date=February 10, 2023 }}|{{Cite news |date=January 1, 1997 |title=Company Briefs |page=63-Section 1 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/01/business/company-briefs-987913.html |access-date=February 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230210033719/https://www.nytimes.com/1997/01/01/business/company-briefs-987913.html |archive-date=February 10, 2023 }}}}</ref> The direct descendants of the three original U.S. radio network companies had merged,{{r|Lucier-1998}} with Mutual little more than one of several brand names for programming under the aegis of Westwood One, itself under the control of a major conglomerate.{{r|R&R19990409p3}} Mutual and NBC Radio newscasters sat back to back in the Westwood One studio, the former main Mutual facility in [[Crystal City, Virginia]], which now also fed [[CBS News Radio|CBS Radio News]] from New York City and [[CNN Radio]] feeds—which Westwood One also distributed{{r|DailyN19990407p69}}—from Atlanta; despite newsroom signage still reading "Mutual Broadcasting System" as late as 1998, it was referred to internally as "the Westwood One newsroom".{{r|Lucier-1998}} The newsroom itself closed on August 31, 1998, with Mutual and NBC newscasts originating from the CBS Radio News facilities.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Spangler |first=Matt |date=August 7, 1998 |title=WW1 Consolidates NBC/Mutual News |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1998/RR-1998-08-07.pdf |magazine=Radio & Records |issue=1260 |pages=3, 12 |access-date=February 13, 2023 |via=World Radio History |archive-date=January 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131021341/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1998/RR-1998-08-07.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>{{r|JohannessenWW1}}

{{Quote box
| quote = "In this world of media brand names, there's so much synergy that's involved, and
Mutual had to hang out there by itself. It was very hard to support it."
| author = Nick Kiernan
| source = Westwood One vice president of affiliate relations, on the 1999 retirement of the "Mutual News" name{{r|R&R19990409p3}}
| width = 275px
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In early 1999, Westwood One announced that it would retire the Mutual name and end newscast production, with CNN Radio, CBS or [[Fox News Radio]]{{r|R&R19990409p3}} offered as replacements to affiliates. The majority of NBC Radio's remaining services would also cease outside of [[morning drive]] hours.{{r|DailyN19990407p69}} In addition to producing NBC, CBS and Mutual newscasts and distributing CNN content, Westwood One also began distributing Fox News; as a result, the company was marketing five different newscast brands in what one company representative called "wasteful".{{r|R&R19990409p3}}  A former staffer for Mutual's news service described the end of the network: "Official time of Mutual Radio's death was Midnight 4/17/99. No tribute, no mention it was the last newscast&nbsp;... it just died."<ref name="Cox2015p178-179">{{harvp|Cox|2015|pp=178–179}}.</ref><ref name="DailyN19990407p69">{{Cite news |last=Hinckley |first=David |date=April 7, 1999 |title=Mutual's riding off into radio sunset |page=69 |work=New York Daily News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118758711/mutuals-riding-off-into-radio-sunset/ |access-date=February 16, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=February 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230217031224/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/118758711/mutuals-riding-off-into-radio-sunset/ |url-status=live }}<!-- While this article is useful for its 1999 reports and quotes, it is filled with errors about Mutual's history.--></ref><!-- The final on-air mention occurred that evening when Jim Bohannon signed off his show with "This is the Mutual Broadcasting System" for the last time. --> The closure of Mutual News resulted in 12 staffers being dismissed from CBS Radio News, which itself underwent a recent series of cutbacks involving on-air talent.{{r|R&R19990409p3}}

While the dropping of the Mutual name was attributed to [[Concentration of media ownership|mass consolidation]], in particular following passage of the [[Telecommunications Act of 1996|1996 Telecommunications Act]],{{r|DailyN19990407p69}} Dick Rosse, a Mutual Broadcasting System correspondent for 36 years until his retirement in 1998, wrote the following for an op-ed in ''[[Broadcasting & Cable]]'':{{r|RosseMBS}}{{Blockquote|text=The Mutual Broadcasting System died (this week) and, aside from the folks who worked there, you'd have to go a long way to find anyone who was saddened, or even cared. Certainly, word of Mutual's demise was not a subject of discussion among the suits over lunch at "[[21 Club|21]]" or [[Four Seasons Restaurant|the Four Seasons]]. Maybe out there, in the boonies (Mutual's natural habitat) some listener might sense that something had vanished from his radio universe. Old age killed Mutual. That, and increasing irrelevance in a world that associates "radio" with [[Rush Limbaugh|Rush]], [[Howard Stern|Howard]] and [[Laura Schlessinger|Doctor Laura]]. So when [[Jack Kevorkian]] (in the guise of CBS head [[Mel Karmazin]]) paid his call, Mutual didn't need much of a push.}}

The Crystal City facility was closed in March 2001, with Westwood One's primary operations transferred to the [[CBS Broadcast Center]] in New York City.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lee|first=Fee|url=http://www.frankmurphy.com/WAVA.html|title=WAVA 10 Year 'Death Anniversary' e-Reunion|year=2002|access-date=March 1, 2010|publisher=FrankMurphy.com|archive-date=August 1, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100801042016/http://www.frankmurphy.com/WAVA.html|url-status=live}} Personal testimonial of Westwood One employee.</ref>