Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Limbaugh's Audience Size? It's Largely Up in the Air (when every other attack fails..)
WaPo ^ | Mar 07, 2009 | Paul Farhi

Posted on 03/07/2009 2:35:05 PM PST by libh8er

How many people actually listen to Rush Limbaugh, the radio talk titan White House officials have spent the past week characterizing as "the head of the Republican Party"?

According to what Limbaugh delights in calling "the drive-by media," the number varies wildly. Is it 30 million (Pat Buchanan on MSNBC), 20 million (Time magazine, ABC News), 19 million (Fox News), 14 million (CNN), or "14.2 million to about 25 million" (The Washington Post)?

Answer: Maybe.

Limbaugh is widely acknowledged to be the most popular talk-radio host, as evidenced by the record $400 million, eight-year contract he signed with his syndicator last July. But estimates of Limbaugh's nationwide (and overseas) audience are exercises in guesswork, slippery methodology and suspect data. Limbaugh himself has muddied the water with the claim that he reaches 20 million people a week, although there's no independent support for that figure.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Politics
KEYWORDS: limabugh; wapo
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last
To: libh8er

In all the f*’d up coverage of Rush, they never ever ever ever ever ever ever ONCE address a SINGLE POINT that he has made... and he makes about 50 of them a day.

These f*ers in the “media” ignore all the CONTENT and go after what? Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. They cover nothing. They report nothing. They call names and add NOTHING of substance to the debate.

They AVOID the debate. Completely and totally.

I hate them with every ounce of my being.


41 posted on 03/07/2009 3:03:30 PM PST by samtheman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: samtheman
"I hate them with every ounce of my being."

Me Too! ! !
I mean DITTOS

42 posted on 03/07/2009 3:07:38 PM PST by DeaconRed (B.O. Stinks: Don't Blame Me--------I Voted for the Wrinkly Old White RINO- FUBO)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: stylin19a
"They have no idea about the size of Rush’s audience, but they know exactly the number illegals (12 million - hasn't changed in 8 years) and the exact number of uninsured (48 million except 6 months ago, dingy harry proclaimed 50 million)"

Great point!

43 posted on 03/07/2009 3:09:00 PM PST by StormEye
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: libh8er

I don’t know. They seem to trust that American Idol scores over 20 million viewers a week without debating the system that arrives at thse figures, but they have an issue with arbitron? LOL

Let’s simplify WAPO. More people listen to him then read your paper. More people listen to him then watch the nightly newscast. And if you ever stopped sniping about how he’s obviously more important and relevant than you, maybe you’d stop and listen to the show to find out why.


44 posted on 03/07/2009 3:09:24 PM PST by Soul Seeker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libh8er

Before I found Rush’s voice in ‘92 I thought I would go crazy listening to the same lib crap on every news channel..He speaks for me and I admire his candor (and yes, I am a woman)...take that Janeane Garafolo and the rest of you bak biters on PMSNBC.


45 posted on 03/07/2009 3:10:22 PM PST by noobamamama ((We need Blago to start singing...he knows where the bodies are buried))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: stylin19a

Don’t forget the Breck Girl’s 36 million children (or was it Americans) who go to bed hungry every night..


46 posted on 03/07/2009 3:11:43 PM PST by libh8er
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: LucyJo

You said — “One good thing about radio is that it gives you the freedom to do other things as you listen.”

Yeah, I know that’s what a lot of people do, but — from my own experience — one of two things suffer. Either the work you’re doing suffers (if it’s “thinking work”) or you’re simply not able to pay attention to the program and you miss this part and that part — and then... “what’s the use of listening in the first place”....

At least, that’s what I’ve found from my own experience. It just doesn’t work for anything on the radio that I have to “pay attention to” (i.e., for “information” that needs to be heard and understand, or “logic followed”)

It never has worked for me. I don’t even like having the radio on when I’m driving, as it even takes away from my attention on driving. I don’t like using the phone when driving, because that also takes away one’s attention from the task at hand. I’ve seen my attention waver in those situations and I realized that it would be an accident waiting to happen. I like to drive in a silent car... and pay attention to where I’m going and who is going to run into me.

Anyway, two things at once means that one thing is not being paid attention to...


47 posted on 03/07/2009 3:12:01 PM PST by Star Traveler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Star Traveler
If he's only charging $50 it went down.

I'm quite sure I paid $60 for one year, before. That's why I now do the $100 for two years deal.

I think you have to be a member to get the podcasts but I'm not %100 sure.

48 posted on 03/07/2009 3:19:03 PM PST by synbad600
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: libh8er
The fact is, his audience size is sufficient to get the liberals upset, indicating that it is sizable. He is a strong force in the CONSERVATIVE movement.
49 posted on 03/07/2009 3:25:11 PM PST by meyer (Obama is to the USA as Mugabe is to Zimbabwe.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: EyeGuy

Exactly. Radio ad rates are based on arbitron ratings. They do surveys of radio listenens just as the Nielsen ratings measure TV ratings. If they didn’t have this evidence of audience size his stations wouldn’t get the ad revenues they get when his show is on.

And he himself wouldn’t have a multi million dollar contract to do his show.

Why are the liberals even bringing up differing estimates of his audience size? Even the lowest estimated number is geometrically larger than the audiences for Air America before they went under. What is their point?


50 posted on 03/07/2009 3:33:19 PM PST by Dilbert San Diego
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Billthedrill

I was thinking that we ought to scream about this. Who knows what the true number is? We need an investigation and massive coverage from the media about Rush’s claims and whether they are supported. If we can get the media to do this we can put an end to the boasts of how many people listen to him. (On the other hand, if the claims are true, the media will have given him publicity you can’t pay for!) Would the media fall for a ploy this transparent? Why not? They aren’t particularly bright.


51 posted on 03/07/2009 3:33:34 PM PST by 17th Miss Regt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: RetiredArmy
And MSNBC reaches 237 per night. Rush beats them without getting out of bed.

You've heard of the "DittoCam" where you can pay to watch Rush in his studio. How about the "SnoozerMike" where you can pay to listen to Rush snore and occasionally mumble in his sleep. At about 6:00 there's a special cat update as Rush gets clawed and nipped at to get the Friskies. That would have more listeners than MSNBC has viewers.

52 posted on 03/07/2009 3:36:56 PM PST by KarlInOhio (Obama: removing the speed limit on the Road to Serfdom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: libh8er
According to what Limbaugh delights in calling "the drive-by media," the number varies wildly. Is it 30 million (Pat Buchanan on MSNBC), 20 million (Time magazine, ABC News), 19 million (Fox News), 14 million (CNN), or "14.2 million to about 25 million" (The Washington Post)?

Brought to you by the same press that insists that the Census should use statistical sampling rather than actual enumeration.

53 posted on 03/07/2009 3:38:25 PM PST by KarlInOhio (Obama: removing the speed limit on the Road to Serfdom)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libh8er

lol. The advertisers know the size of Rush’s radio audience: BIG and getting BIGGER! Thanks Obama!


54 posted on 03/07/2009 3:41:14 PM PST by CodeToad (Liberalism is Communism, and both are a mental disorder. Grow up.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libh8er

The Obama Regime needs to know how many Rush listeners there are so they know how many re-education camps to build...


55 posted on 03/07/2009 3:44:01 PM PST by kik5150
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libh8er

My Babydoll bought me a subscription to the Limbaugh Letter for my birthday!!! Something I have wanted since I was like...15!


56 posted on 03/07/2009 4:00:59 PM PST by dware (3 prohibited topics in mixed company: politics, religion and operating systems...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libh8er
According to what Limbaugh delights in calling "the drive-by media," the number varies wildly.

Just as the number of viewers for the slime-time news and readership of the ink-stained bumwads "varies wildly."

57 posted on 03/07/2009 4:05:16 PM PST by IronJack (=)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Star Traveler

The only time I listen to radio is in the car, when I’ve got nothing better to do anyway.


58 posted on 03/07/2009 4:18:50 PM PST by Huck ("He that lives on hope will die fasting"- Ben Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanac)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: synbad600

You said — “I think you have to be a member to get the podcasts but I’m not %100 sure.”

I think so...

And..., I did a bit of searching and found the Rush Limbaugh podcasts on BitTorrent, through The Pirate Bay, from some user. He may have been recording it live or maybe getting the podcasts. I could set up a live recording and automate it through my computer, but I don’t want to bother with it.

I’ll try the BitTorrent download and see how it goes...

The Pirate Bay is a Swedish website and tracker for torrent files. They’re undergoing some kind of trial now (some other entities want to put them out business, but they say they’ll stay around with alternate plans they have, if they lose, but they don’t think they’ll lose...). Anyway, for now I can find it there on The Pirate Bay.

http://thepiratebay.org/

Also, for more information...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pirate_Bay


59 posted on 03/07/2009 4:21:58 PM PST by Star Traveler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: libh8er
rushboard
60 posted on 03/07/2009 4:32:23 PM PST by Nateman (It's Pres_ent Obama until we see some id!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson