You think
MANAGEMENT at WABC want to pay Ant well enough that they can just break even? Seems to me that probably is not a radio business best practice.*
The only thing that makes sense is what the Opester said, actually--they're trying to keep him and plan to do more with him in the future. Another benefit to paying him a decent salary is management has now been able to bring Anthony
completely to heel. He is a good little boy on the air, Missy's Twitter ode to the Nazi party is now deleted and we can be assured he doesn't have next year's "American Renaissance" conference on his calendar.
All while being part of a network with Gavin that is literally about being free of corporate bosses and censorship.
*I know I didn't work for the Opie and Anthony show when I was in my 20s, so I don't deserve to have an opinion, but just throwing it out there respectfully