Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Why Rush Limbaugh's Radio Network May Want Him Off The Air
Business Insider ^ | 05/09/2013 | Jim Edwards

Posted on 05/09/2013 9:12:12 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Rush Limbaugh is engaged in a very public war with Cumulus Media, the radio network that runs his show on 40 stations, including WABC in New York.

Limbaugh and Cumulus must renegotiate their contract terms by the end of the year, so it's not surprising that they're jockeying for leverage.

But a source tells us that Cumulus has less to lose in this battle than most people think, and may even gain financially from Limbaugh's departure.

First, the back story: Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey recently told investors that the ad boycott of Limbaugh's show — after Rush called a Georgetown college student a "slut" on air because she favored contraception coverage in healthcare — may have cost him up to $5.5 million in sales.

Another source in Cumulus just leaked to Radio Ink that 48 out of 50 of its advertisers had "no Rush" instructions on their media placements.

Limbaugh fired back, saying that Dickey is blaming him for his own sales failings. He's threatened to pull his show from Cumulus, which has a reported 15 million-person audience and $363 million in ad sales running on it.

Why would Dickey risk all that cash? Why not just re-sign Limbaugh and keep the business?

Our source says that if Limbaugh left, Cumulus would regain control of a huge chunk of its on-air ad inventory, time that currently belongs to Limbaugh. In that scenario, Cumulus' total sales dollars would actually go up as long as the replacement show — Mike Huckabee — held at least 50% of Rush's audience. Our source says:

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


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cumulus; radio; rush; rushlimbaugh; talkradio; wabc
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-100 next last
To: SeekAndFind

Jim Edwards

21 posted on 05/09/2013 9:32:44 AM PDT by kcvl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Cumulus’ total sales dollars would actually go up as long as the replacement show — Mike Huckabee — held at least 50% of Rush’s audience.

Shear right!!!

And monkey’s will start flying out of his azz ...

LOL

Huck sucks ...


22 posted on 05/09/2013 9:33:50 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

What about WOR AM? Been hearing that Rush will end up most likely there.


23 posted on 05/09/2013 9:34:35 AM PDT by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: buckalfa

I want Rush to stay on the air if for no other reason than he drives left-wingers nuts simply by being successful.


24 posted on 05/09/2013 9:35:28 AM PDT by kevkrom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: buckalfa

You forget that Rush is the “gold standard” that made the other conservative talkradio show hosts, local and national possible.


25 posted on 05/09/2013 9:36:43 AM PDT by Biggirl ("Jesus talked to us as individuals"-Jim Vicevich/Thanks JimV!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
The left has been marginally successful in their attack on Rush. The Sodomites got him with Florida orange juice. He is on various large advertisers not to use lists. He will probably survive by simply fading away and eventually retiring to a life of ease and pleasure.

Conservatives must accept that based upon inept conservative handling of the Leftist attack the left will ultimately become totally victorious. It is increasingly apparent that the conservative side of our society does not have the organization, intelligence, creativity and will required to prevail.

26 posted on 05/09/2013 9:37:27 AM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Mike Huckabee is the elevator music of talk radio. Mike Huckabee should only be on the radio at bedtime. Then he could provide a useful function, though the makers of sleeping pills might object.


27 posted on 05/09/2013 9:38:10 AM PDT by rgboomers (This space purposely left blank)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

That’s just an idiotic pipe dream.

When Rush left KSFO, in the 9am slot, all I did was change channels to KKSF. Which enabled me to find Tom Sullivan, as Hannity’s alternative.

Rush is a very sticky product and his listeners will follow no matter where he goes.


28 posted on 05/09/2013 9:38:24 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Good luck with that...

List of most-listened-to radio programs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_most-listened-to_radio_programs

#1 The Rush Limbaugh Show Conservative talk Midday 14+ Million


29 posted on 05/09/2013 9:39:05 AM PDT by TSgt (More Scott Roeders and fewer Tillers and Gosnells)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TSgt

Huckabee isn’t even on the list... so, what’s this business of saying he has 50% of Rush Limbaugh’s audience?


30 posted on 05/09/2013 9:40:58 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Mike Huckabee

ROFLOL!!!!!!!!!

31 posted on 05/09/2013 9:41:28 AM PDT by Osage Orange (Life is a bitch. If it was easy, we would call it a slut)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

a listener size of at least 10 MILLION !!

lol.. his wife doesn’t even listen to him, I bet.


32 posted on 05/09/2013 9:41:52 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Let's see now...Rush or Huckabee,Rush or Huchabee?

Thinking....thinking....

33 posted on 05/09/2013 9:41:56 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Leno Was Right,They *Are* Undocumented Democrats!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: kevkrom
"he drives left-wingers nuts--"

That in it self is worth while. As to media outlet contracts, Limbaugh is as shrewd as they come and he has no worries about his continued access to the airwaves. Yet in listening to Rush since the 2012 election, I get the impression he is burned out and has no heart left in spreading the conservative message. One does reach a certain age where money is no longer the primary factor in continuing to live.

34 posted on 05/09/2013 9:42:13 AM PDT by buckalfa (Tilting at Windmills)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

“as long as the replacement show — Mike Huckabee — held at least 50% of Rush’s audience.”

Yeah, and if JugEars becomes a capitalist I’ll win a million bucks.


35 posted on 05/09/2013 9:42:16 AM PDT by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Exactly!

Huck wouldn’t keep 20% of Rush’s audience.


36 posted on 05/09/2013 9:42:21 AM PDT by TSgt (More Scott Roeders and fewer Tillers and Gosnells)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: TSgt

Popular radio shows in the United States

Talkers Magazine compiles Arbitron's data, along with other sources, to estimate the minimum weekly audiences of various commercial long-form talk radio shows.[8] NPR and APM compile Arbitron's data for its public radio shows and releases analysis through press releases.[7][9][10][11][12]

Program Format Daypart Weekly Listeners
in Millions
The Rush Limbaugh Show Conservative talk Midday 14+
The Sean Hannity Show Conservative talk East Coast PM Drive 13.25+
Morning Edition Public news AM Drive 12.3[13]
All Things Considered Public news/talk PM Drive 11.8[13]
Marketplace Public news PM Drive 9+
Delilah Adult contemporary Evenings 8+
The Dave Ramsey Show Financial talk Midday 7.75+
Glenn Beck Program Conservative talk West Coast AM Drive 7.5+
The Mark Levin Show Conservative talk West Coast PM Drive 7.5+
Fresh Air Public news/talk Midday 4.5[14]
A Prairie Home Companion Public old-time radio Weekends 4+
Coast to Coast AM Paranormal talk Overnights 3.5+
Talk of the Nation Public talk Midday 3.2[14]
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Public panel game show Weekends 3.2[15]
After MidNite with Blair Garner Country music Overnights 2.7
The Lia Show Country music Evenings 2+[16]

Note on dayparts: because of the effects of time on North American broadcasting, nationally syndicated shows that air live will end up on different dayparts in different time zones. The above list makes note of this. Note that although shows such as Beck's and Levin's are listed under "West Coast" drive times, that their shows are based on the East Coast (and thus air in early midday and early evening time slots there). Their dayparts are indicated as such for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

The list is heavily skewed toward conservative talk radio and public radio due to the greater availability of data for those formats; other formats, particularly those for music, are not measured in as much detail, in part due to irregularities in scheduling.

37 posted on 05/09/2013 9:43:12 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: buckalfa
Rush is not a great intellect but boy has he provided a big "pulpit" for conservative views. His performance has been invaluable. He has, at least, driven the left mad with impotent rage.

His only fault has been down playing his comedic attacks on various left wing shibboleths; i.e. feminism, environmentalist whacko's etc. etc. It appears sometimes that he is taking himself too seriously as a "pundit."

38 posted on 05/09/2013 9:44:28 AM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

Cannot STAND Huckebee. If Rush goes, I go.


39 posted on 05/09/2013 9:44:45 AM PDT by madison10
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
Cumulus' total sales dollars would actually go up as long as the replacement show — Mike Huckabee — held at least 50% of Rush's audience.

That sounds like a pretty risky assumption. From what I have read Mark Levin gets around 50% of Limbaugh's audience, as does Glenn Beck. Assuming Huckabee would do as well when he is likely to be up against Limbaugh in the same time slot seems wildly optimistic thinking to me.

Put another way, what percentage of Limbaugh's listeners are likely to switch to Huckabee's show. At best they'll jump back and forth between them.

40 posted on 05/09/2013 9:45:07 AM PDT by freeandfreezing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-100 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
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

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