The Price of Palin: $15 per Word Spoken During FOX Contract

Smart Politics ^ | January 28, 2013 | Eric Ostermeier

[2ndDivisionVet]

Sarah Palin uttered more than 189,000 words over 150 appearances on various FOX broadcasts during her three years as an analyst at the network, or $15.85 per word

With the three-year contract now expired between FOX News and Sarah Palin, there is a wealth of commentary made by the former Alaska Governor and GOP Vice-Presidential nominee to dissect.

Palin, who was paid a reported $1 million per year as a contributor to FOX since mid-January 2010 when FOX announced her signing, may not have made quite the splash her employers had hoped during this three-year period, and would, on occasion go weeks between appearances.

So, did the network get their money's worth?

A Smart Politics review of the more than 150 FOX broadcasts in which Sarah Palin appeared as a paid commentator from 2010 through 2012 finds that she spoke 189,221 words on air during this span, for an average pay rate of $15.85 per word.

Palin appeared on the network in studio, by satellite, by telephone, or in a pre-taped interview an average of once every 7.2 days during this three-year period, with the vast majority of those coming on two particular programs.

Sean Hannity and Greta Van Susteren both interviewed Palin 55 times, combining for nearly three-quarters of her appearances on the network over the last 36 months. (Note: the latter total includes interviews by Griff Jenkins and guest host Martha McCallum on Van Susteren's On the Record program).

Though the number of appearances were equal, Palin spent a bit more time in the 9 pm EST slot, delivering 72,986 words on Hannity compared to 67,987 words while on On The Record with Van Susteren.

Overall, 74.4 percent of the words Palin delivered during her political analysis occurred on these two programs...

[2ndDivisionVet]

This is from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, so your tax dollars funded this important study. Think about that when you "enjoy" your store-brand macaroni and cheese and dollar hot dogs.

[woweeitsme]

I pray that you are kidding. Yet another useless endeavor by public education.

[marron]

The only time I tune in, since Beck left, is to listen to Palin from time to time.

[Obadiah]

I sure hope the people at “Smart” Politics aren't paid by the number of brain cells they possess.

[rockinqsranch]

Did the network get its monies worth they ask, but then they prove to us only how trivial they can be counting the number of times she said “you betcha”, “heck”, “darn”, and the likes, and tallying up how much each word cost Fox.

After reading this article I wonder if Fox did get what they paid for. I’d say having her on board even a handful of times more than paid for her contract in viewer attendance they wouldn’t have had otherwise.

[meadsjn]

The commie Dems and commie RINOs would have paid Billions to keep Palin from running for President, or even fully stepping in to directly support or oppose some other candidates.

They got their money's worth.

[GraceG]

What Palin made on fox is chicken feed compared to what the average dim senator/rep makes in political graft.

At least Palin’s contract was made between her and a private entity.

We have no choice in making Feinstein, Reid and Bohner rich.

[Da Bilge Troll]

LOL! Every time I think I couldn’t admire Sarah Palin more... ;)

[KC_Lion]

So Now we are tallying up Sarah's Words Ping!?

I thought she was flameing out?

Oh Well its ONLY Tax Payers money, who cares about those Fools?

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE!?!?

[KC_Lion]

So Now we are tallying up Sarah's Words Ping!?

I thought she was flameing out?

Oh Well its ONLY Tax Payers money, who cares about those Fools?

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE!?!?

[9YearLurker]

I can’t imagine anyone getting 67,000 words in on Hannity—give the woman aperformance bonus!

[miserare]

Wish I could get a gig like that with FOX.

[Sarah Barracuda]

Is this where our tax dollars are going to..did they seriously count every single word coming out of her mouth to see how much she gets paid her word..just when you think leftists have sunk to the lowest they always find a way to surprise me.

[Resolute Conservative]

You mean other than the RINO hacks and libs he introduces as his “good friends”.

[Buckeye McFrog]

I’m sure those grad students who had to wade thru all of that tape and count up the words have since gotten their diplomas and moved to Washington, DC, where they will soon have cushy, plumb jobs telling you and me how to run our lives.

[The Cajun]

Libs and nut jobs are getting a little antsy about Sarah again, love the smell of fear on them.

[MestaMachine]

[dragnet2]

Sarah Palin uttered more than 189,000 words over 150 appearances on various FOX broadcasts during her three years as an analyst at the network, or $15.85 per word

Her contracts were renegotiated and amended in early 2012, when her agents negotiated an extra $2. per word if she wore low cut tops or short skirts during on-air or prerecorded interviews.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Run for statewide office, win, govern effectively, get picked as the VP nominee and you just might.

[BuckeyeTexan]

You gotta be effing kidding me. How many times did she smile? Blink? Laugh? Wear red, blue, green, purple? Hair up or down?

Talk about living under a microscope ... she deserves every damn penny she makes.