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Ads Rushing Out Of Limbaugh Show?
CBS MarketWatch.com ^ | 01/29/2003 | William Spain

Posted on 01/29/2003 9:40:55 PM PST by SierraWasp

Ads rushing out of Limbaugh show? Progressives take aim at radio program's sponsors

By William Spain, CBS.MarketWatch.com Last Update: 12:04 AM ET Jan. 30, 2003

CHICAGO (CBS.MW) - A Rush to the exits?

Though still in its infancy, a letter-writing campaign aimed at advertisers on "The Rush Limbaugh Show," has already claimed a few choice scalps -- and hopes to soon have other marketers saying "ditto."

Kicked off last week on the website of a group called Take Back The Media, the effort is generating a growing buzz among online progressives (or, if you prefer, "liberals") -- along with hundreds of angry e-mails to companies that sponsor what it calls Limbaugh's "hateful chortling and guffawing."

Micheal Stinson, a Vietnam-era veteran, is co-founder of Take Back The Media. Obviously never a Rush fan, Stinson and his cohorts were content to largely ignore the king of reactionary talk radio -- until he weighed in on the recent anti-war protests, calling participants "anti-American," "anti-capitalist" and "communists," among other terms.

"He just went too far," said Stinson. "Don't call me anti-American. I served this country."

When he decided to go after Limbaugh, Stinson said "we were told we would have to nip at his heels, to start by contacting local advertisers." He ignored that advice, however, and posted a list, complete with contact information, of top sponsors.

"Within 18 hours, RadioShack (RSH: news, chart, profile) had folded. Within 36 hours, Amtrak was gone and Bose told us they were no longer advertising on the show," Stinson said.

Oddly, Stinson's group is not only telling the rest of the world which companies advertise on Limbaugh's show but, apparently, even the companies themselves.

In RadioShack's case, the company maintains that it does not buy ads on Limbaugh's show and any that did air were "the result of an "error made by the radio network or local affiliate."

RadioShack, the company continued, "strictly adheres to a policy of not intentionally buying advertising space on programs that might be political or socially controversial or that promote any one individual's agenda or point of view."

Amtrak says the ads aired as part of a complicated barter deal involving, strange but true, the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau. It does not sponsor political shows and "'in the future...will communicate [that] practice to" other partners.

Although Stinson said he has reports of its ads appearing during the show, a spokeswoman for Bose told CBS.MarketWatch that its does not advertise on the program, "and has no intentions of doing so."

Other advertisers targeted by Take Back the Media include Darden Restaurants (DRI: news, chart, profile) Red Lobster chain, Pfizer (PFE: news, chart, profile) AutoZone (AZO: news, chart, profile) and online retailer Overstock.com (OSTK: news, chart, profile) -- none of which would comment.

Limbaugh is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of radio behemoth Clear Channel Communications (CCU: news, chart, profile). While not addressing whether the show had lost any advertisers as a result of the boycott, Premiere issued the following written statement:

"There have been many times in the 15 year history of 'The Rush Limbaugh Program' when national and world events have generated increased listening as well as increased communication with individuals who have opposing points of view," said company president Kraig Kitchin. "The kind of compelling radio that generates opposition also causes Rush Limbaugh's weekly 20 million listeners to tune in that much more and listen longer."

That audience number is likely exaggerated (other estimates put it closer to 15 million) but there is no question that Limbaugh is big, big, big and one of medium's biggest single stars.

So, can a few scrappy liberals really hurt him?

Depends. A lot of radio time is bought pretty much on a commodity basis, with advertisers looking for dayparts and regions rather than specific programming. Many may not even know where their ads appeared until after the fact. And, unless they have given their buyers up-front marching orders to avoid him (already not uncommon), Limbaugh's powerful ratings guarantee a piece of that action. Of course, there are plenty of other options that can deliver similar numbers.

Whether or not the boycott works to any meaningful degree is going to depend on how many more advertisers decide it is easier to switch than fight. According to radio buyers, some companies cave almost instantly in the face of even a little negative feedback while others need to experience a truly sustained and widespread level of complaints before they listen.

Still, they don't have to get them all to make a difference: If enough advertisers put out the word that the show is a forbidden zone -- and they are not rapidly replaced -- the program will lose much of its economic value to local stations and station groups regardless of how well its audience numbers are doing. Of course, the already-loaded Limbaugh is never going to have trouble putting food on the table, but he and his fans could end up in less desirable timeslots or on fewer outlets.

Historically, the boycott approach has a mixed record. One of the most effective boycotts of recent times was against Viacom (VIA: news, chart, profile) unit VH-1's "Music Behind Bars," a program that showcased the jailhouse jams of murderers, rapists and assorted other scum. An outcry from victim's rights groups, law enforcement officials and politicians had advertisers staying away in droves and the cable network quickly pulled the plug on the series. (Viacom is a significant shareholder in MarketWatch.com, the publisher of this report.)

The "Christian" right's attack on "NYPD Blue" in the early 1990s, on the other hand, was a complete failure. It initially scared off some marketers but the program's ratings and demographics were so good that it attracted business from sectors that don't sell to religious nuts anyway -- including movies, beer, cosmetics, designer clothing, etc. And the effort completely fell apart when the first big package-goods company (Unilever (UN: news, chart, profile), if memory serves) jumped in. "Blue" eventually went to become one of the most enduring and profitable shows in Disney (DIS: news, chart, profile) unit ABC's prime-time line-up.

What makes this attempt particularly interesting is that progressives typically eschew ad boycotts both for free speech reasons and because it is a favorite technique of their ideological opponents.

Stinson, however, is unapologetic about tearing a page out of the other team's playbook: "We are going to employ the tactics of those people -- and it's already working. We are hitting some nerves."

William Spain is a reporter for CBS.MarketWatch.com in Chicago.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ccrm; medianews
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To: SierraWasp
he and his fans could end up in less desirable timeslots or on fewer outlets

Yeah right. The vast number of radio stations have Rush as their main commodity. If Rush did experience a downturn all he'd have to do would be to take on a few unknowns like he did in the beginning. They'd become rich and Rush would have new sponsors.

281 posted on 02/02/2003 3:22:49 PM PST by Slyfox
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To: SierraWasp
(Stinson -- word up -- herbal viagra ads. )
282 posted on 02/02/2003 3:24:54 PM PST by Slyfox
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To: SierraWasp
Religious nuts huh? That is so offensive it is beyond words!
Radio Shack will not care, but I will never do business there again if this is true. I am sure they don't mind sponsoring shows that show one sided agendas when it is the leftists! In fact, I know they don't!
283 posted on 02/02/2003 3:32:12 PM PST by ladyinred
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To: SierraWasp
BTW: Take back the media, you are anti American!
284 posted on 02/02/2003 3:33:02 PM PST by ladyinred
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To: ladyinred; Grampa Dave; snopercod; Dog Gone
"Take back the media, you are anti American!"

Ya know when I posted this the other day, I found it stuck way down in a little window called "headlines" of CBS.MarketWatch.com and it really ticked me off!!!

They're doing the same thing all over... stealthfully inserting their propoganda into the realm of the business world, trying desperately to plant their infection of doubt and fear in an effort to destroy America. It's hidious and insidious!!!

Now I've learned that the manufacturing process for the hard foam insulation on the Space Shuttle's huge main tank has been changed to eliminate the use of FREON!

The leftist EnvironMentalists may very well have doomed this flight and I sure hope Rush picks up on it. Roger Hedgecock sure let the Sierra Flub have it the other day!!!

I have nothing but abject contempt for these anti-American traditional culture members of GANG-GREEN!!!

285 posted on 02/02/2003 7:10:20 PM PST by SierraWasp (Like, hey man, SHIFT_HAPPENS!!!)
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To: SierraWasp
Amen.
286 posted on 02/02/2003 7:13:03 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: Dog Gone
Now that's what I call a "thread benediction!"
287 posted on 02/02/2003 7:24:04 PM PST by SierraWasp (Like, hey man, SHIFT_HAPPENS!!!)
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To: SierraWasp
Kicked off last week on the website of a group called Take Back The Media, the effort is generating a growing buzz among online progressives (or, if you prefer, "liberals") -- along with hundreds of angry e-mails to companies that sponsor what it calls Limbaugh's "hateful chortling and guffawing."

Hundreds? Hundreds?? You gotta be kidding me! Rush Averages 10,000+ Emails on an average day from listeners, 20 Million listeners in a week. How much you want to bet that most of these 20 million folks make more than these "hundreds" of dimwits put together. Anyone who would throw away customers like that do not deserve to be in business anyway
288 posted on 02/02/2003 7:39:48 PM PST by McCloud-Strife
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To: McCloud-Strife
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the fact that when the lefties tried to boycott Orange juice because of the Rush connection, you literally couldn't buy the stuff because Rush fans were sweeping it off the shelves in record numbers.

The same thing happened with a restaurant in Santa Barbara, CA that was advertising on the Rush show in the local market. You couldn't get into the place, it was so busy with Rush fans. :-)
289 posted on 02/02/2003 7:51:46 PM PST by Aunt Polgara
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To: finnman69
This is the lw "progressive" spearheading the harassment or Rush's advertisers, the pic speaks for itself.

I hope those cartoons aren't what is supporting him (re: #248). If so, those people in SanFran are in need of a serious humor transplant.

290 posted on 02/02/2003 8:07:13 PM PST by VeniVidiVici
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To: E.G.C.
"CHRISTTIANS"

Hay! Yew are as shoddy a spellar as I are! Only I spell 'em Cristshuns!!! (grin)

At leest I gots an excuse... I ain't had no learnin, nohow!!! You an me... E.G.C.!!!

291 posted on 02/02/2003 9:19:40 PM PST by SierraWasp (Like, hey man, SHIFT_HAPPENS!!!)
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To: SierraWasp
>>>William Spain is a reporter for CBS.MarketWatch.com in Chicago. <<<

Look at the by-line on this story - is it possible that CBS is interested in sowing disinformation? They do with everything else political - so why not this?

292 posted on 02/02/2003 9:40:05 PM PST by HardStarboard
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To: ppaul
>>>Hopefully, "Spatula City" will not be intimidated into cancelling their ads. <<<

Probably not, but they may be forced into cutting back on the incredible variety of spatulas they carry. That might hurt business.

293 posted on 02/02/2003 9:47:04 PM PST by HardStarboard
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To: SierraWasp
(LOL):oD
294 posted on 02/03/2003 3:08:13 AM PST by E.G.C.
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To: Indy Pendance; SierraWasp
Actally, the "Viet Nam-era vet" guy is a shill for the Limbaugh PR machine, which created the "Take Back the Media" website and phony organization to provide an ongoing antagonist for dialectic balance - in the hopes of increasing listenership and ad sales. It seems to be working well.

295 posted on 02/03/2003 8:04:44 AM PST by ppaul
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To: Xenalyte
This is one made-up, well-dressed religious nut who consumes more than her fair share of Honey Brown.

"Religious nut"?

296 posted on 02/03/2003 8:06:23 AM PST by ppaul
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To: ppaul
"Religious nut"?

Maybe "religious nut" is a bit strong to describe me, but I was answering rhetoric with rhetoric.

I'm pro-life for religious (and compassionate) reasons. I hold several other views as a result of my Episcopalian upbringing, but I don't feel like getting flamed or insulting anyone inadvertently.

Insulting people on purpose, however, is something I consider my specialty. :)
297 posted on 02/03/2003 8:15:33 AM PST by Xenalyte
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To: Xenalyte
I ran a search of our threads - didn't see a notice, but when Ichecked Rush's website just now, it announces that he will be back on the air TODAY!! Listen up you all.
298 posted on 02/03/2003 8:18:27 AM PST by Elkiejg
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To: Elkiejg
I did and he won't be back tomorrow. He just couldn't stay away today... to much going on in the whirled!!!
299 posted on 02/03/2003 5:36:20 PM PST by SierraWasp (Like, hey man, SHIFT_HAPPENS!!!)
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To: SierraWasp
The "Christian" right's attack on "NYPD Blue" in the early 1990s, on the other hand, was a complete failure. It initially scared off some marketers but the program's ratings and demographics were so good that it attracted business from sectors that don't sell to religious nuts anyway


====> this "journalist" calls us religious nuts? hoe unbiased...
300 posted on 02/03/2003 7:33:01 PM PST by Notwithstanding
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