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Is Rush Limbaugh in Trouble?
Politico Magazine ^ | May 24, 2016 | Ethan Epstein

Posted on 05/30/2016 12:46:50 PM PDT by EveningStar

Earlier this year, as that unmistakable bass line of the Pretenders’ My City Was Gone faded into the background, Rush Limbaugh opened his daily three-hour broadcast with characteristic bombast. “[According to the] latest research data,” he intoned, “the audience is expanding at near geometric proportions, as people seek guidance, answers, explanations, information, and an answer to the basic question, ‘What the hell is happening out there?’" ...

And yet, there are signs that all is not well in the Limbaugh radio empire. Because even as his influence is sky high and his dominance at the top of talk radio remains unchallenged, as a business proposition, Limbaugh’s show is on shaky ground. In recent years, Limbaugh has been dropped by several of his long-time affiliates, including some very powerful ones: He’s gone from WABC in New York, WRKO in Boston and KFI in Los Angeles, for example, and has in many cases been moved onto smaller stations with much weaker signals that cover smaller areas.

Why? Because four years after Limbaugh called Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a “slut” on air, spurring a major boycott movement, reams of advertisers still won’t touch him. He suffers from what talk radio consultant Holland Cooke calls a “scarlet letter among national brand advertisers.” And for someone who has said that “confiscatory ad rates” are a key pillar of his business, that spells trouble. (Limbaugh ignored multiple interview requests.)

Limbaugh’s extremely lucrative eight-year contract—estimated to be worth roughly $38 million a year—is up this summer ...

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections; US: New York
KEYWORDS: 2016election; articleonrush; concerntroll; demagogicparty; election2016; ethanepstein; limbaugh; memebuilding; newyork; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; politico; rush; rusharticle; rushlimbaugh; sandrafluke; sluts; slutshaming; talkradio; trump
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To: ExNewsExSpook
The older I get, the more profound and multifaceted do I find Ronaldus Magnus' proverb:
It's not that they're ignorant; it's that they know so much that isn't so....

101 posted on 05/30/2016 2:11:36 PM PDT by papertyger (-/\/\/\-)
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To: alicewonders

same here. Long time loyal listener, defeded him many times, now he is gonzo and havent listened in weeks.


102 posted on 05/30/2016 2:11:45 PM PDT by biggredd1
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To: EveningStar

Covetous Politico dreams of an audience the size of Rush’s


103 posted on 05/30/2016 2:13:33 PM PDT by Thibodeaux (leading from behind is following)
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To: EveningStar

I will always love Rushbo!


104 posted on 05/30/2016 2:13:49 PM PDT by FES0844
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To: anoldafvet
Maybe he is losing listeners because for the last three months he has been pimping Marco Rubio

Rubio dropped out two months ago..........LOL!

Maybe he isn't REALLY losing listeners and just maybe this LIBTARD writer wants to get some reads so he prints a totally bogus article that's going to boost his cred amongst his equally LIBTARD readership??

Sounds to me like you're in his audience......SHEESH!

105 posted on 05/30/2016 2:14:26 PM PDT by Hot Tabasco (#HillaryForPrison-2016)
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To: EveningStar

Talkradio in general is having a difficult time.

I listen to 3 or 4 different stations via internet streams. They have more PSAs and Ad Council advertising than product advertising.

While those kinds of ads do help pay the bills, they also are part of the cause of listener loss. Many times, during the same break the same PSA/AC ad is repeated. Then played again at the next break.


106 posted on 05/30/2016 2:17:05 PM PDT by TomGuy
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To: biggredd1

you have no proof at all of that malicious allegation


107 posted on 05/30/2016 2:18:15 PM PDT by Thibodeaux (leading from behind is following)
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To: Moonman62

>> outside the studio he is a CINO <<

Yep, as witnessed by his hiring Sir Elton to perform at his fourth wedding.


108 posted on 05/30/2016 2:18:46 PM PDT by Hawthorn
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To: Busko
Why is there no report on the leftist media falling apart?

Because Air America died years ago, after being on just a couple of years. Few leftist-media talkshows survive very long.
109 posted on 05/30/2016 2:19:34 PM PDT by TomGuy
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To: EveningStar

Wikipedia is a credible, unbiased, totally informed with no political influence by the “citizen” editors website. . .


110 posted on 05/30/2016 2:21:02 PM PDT by Hulka
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To: EveningStar
Let's also recognize the political cycles that ran through Rush Limbaugh's career.

Limbaugh began during the presidency of George H. W. Bush, and quickly ascended during the Bill Clinton presidency. He was a "controlling rod" during the George W. Bush presidency, and a voice of opposition, when Congress wouldn't be, during the Barack Obama presidency.

I believe that there are forces that would like to see Limbaugh retire before a Trump presidency begins, so as to not cement into the American psyche the change that Trump would bring. There are forces that would rather have Limbaugh be the first symptom of a disarray that a Trump presidency would represent, if they could control the narrative.

That's why it is important for Limbaugh to stop vacillating and get clearly behind Trump, so that he can be the controlling rod again that translates the "Trump Doctrine" (that the MSM will eventually label it) into a conservative message that counters the liberal indoctrination.

-PJ

111 posted on 05/30/2016 2:22:10 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)
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To: newfreep

I was given a new job from my current employer that includes lots of driving. I now get to listen to rush often. Still my favorite. However, whenever possible I like the local afternoon and morning hosts.


112 posted on 05/30/2016 2:23:54 PM PDT by cyclotic (Guns don't kill people. Abortion clinics kill people)
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To: al baby

Producer: Quittin time! Quittin time!
Big Rush - Radio Windbag: Who says its quittin time?
Producer: I says its quittin time!
Big Rush - Radio Windbag: I’s the Windbag. I’s the one who says when its quittin time. Quittin time!


113 posted on 05/30/2016 2:25:00 PM PDT by tumblindice (America's founding fathers: all armed conservatives.)
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To: Dilbert San Diego

“Free Republic than spent listening to talk radio.”

I do both


114 posted on 05/30/2016 2:31:50 PM PDT by al baby (Hi Mom yes I know)
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To: anoldafvet

“”Incidentally, calling Sandra Fluke a slut is being kind to her.””

Nearly as bad as Trump calling Rosie O a pig.


115 posted on 05/30/2016 2:33:09 PM PDT by CMailBag
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To: papertyger

I was thinking of books by Russell Kirk, Robert Nisbet, ME Bradford, Warren Brookes, James Burnham, Forrest McDonald, Bernard Bailyn and so forth. If you read serious books or authors you tend to mention them because they are on your mind.

Rush doesn’t, because his reading is the sort of current events material that you have mentioned. That makes him an observer and commentator. Which is fine, but my point is that he’s not some sort of serious thinker.

When he mentions books and authors it’s detective novels or conservative fiction, because that’s what he likes to read. I find him entertaining since I’m a political junkie. I’ll miss him if and when he quits, but he’s not exactly a professor of political philosophy. But then that’s not what I expect out of him.


116 posted on 05/30/2016 2:35:00 PM PDT by Pelham (Barack Obama. When being bad is not enough and only evil will do)
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To: 353FMG

I have been enjoying listening now that Rush is embracing Trump and the media’s hand wringing.

I think Rush and Trump are a lot alike.

Trump says stuff Rush would say so it’s a little like having Rush running.


117 posted on 05/30/2016 2:38:32 PM PDT by Jvette
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To: Pelham

>> I think his biggest problem is that he’s not as entertaining as he once was. Fewer humorous elements in his show and that was once a good part of the success of his show. <<

Couldn’t agree more.

And for me, moreover, Rush gradually became more and more boring after Obama was elected.

I wonder if he wanted to downplay the humor after he saw how his Operation Chaos sorta backfired?

Or maybe Kathryn has been a bad influence?

Or could it be that the creative juices just don’t flow so well for a 66-year-old humorist?

Or all of the above, plus then some?


118 posted on 05/30/2016 2:38:38 PM PDT by Hawthorn
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To: catnipman
About the only lib I enjoy watching on FNC is Kirsten Powers.

'Course, I do it with the volume turned down...

119 posted on 05/30/2016 2:44:03 PM PDT by daler
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To: Cinnamontea

Yes indeed.


120 posted on 05/30/2016 2:45:59 PM PDT by Republican Wildcat
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