> If he didn't go willingly they wouldn't have mentioned him
> pursuing his faith, etc
Not necessarily.
Word is that since his last contract was signed a few years back, at considerably more money that the company wanted to pay....they had decided that he had gotten too expensive, and they wouldn't be ready to renew his next deal at the current levels.
The company signed the last contract because they were caught without contingency plans on how to deal with losing him.
However, now they had a few years to plan about how to replace their most expensive talent...without losing audience equity (they would allow him to leave on his own, with his own story), and without impacting their spot sales (they let him work right thru the fall book where most of the advertsing is already bought.)
My guess is that they very nicely approached him and offerred him a new contract....but due to business circumstances, etc....he would have to take a pay cut. And THIS time they were ready to deal with the consequences (with Jones), if he declined the offer.
They probably "made nice" with him....with severance, his story for leaving, letting him do a goodbye show, etc....in order not to have a PR nightmare.
Once someone starts making over 100k in Providence....it's too much money for the market. (At least thats what the management honcho's think.)