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

CBS Market Watch ^

[SirFishalot]

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.

[CyberAnt]

Thanks much for the info!!

[Mudboy Slim]

How many of these companies have pulled out so far?! I've heard RadioShack, BOSE, and one other.

FReegards...MUD

[Mudboy Slim]

I checked out that TBTM website...what trash!! I'll betcha this MORON who develpoed this horse manure voted for Clinton twice, and thinks Clinton's TREASON is A-OK!!

LOL, the Lion's Share of the Mental Midgets who remain in the ever-shrinking DemonRAT Party are probably beyond help...MUD

[Sally II]

I think Tom Sullivan was just talking about the dominance of Conservative politics on the radio just a week ago or so. The Left seems to dominate TV and films. But he says there have been a few attempts at putting liberal talk show hosts on the radio, but most of them have failed. Radio just isn't their market. Of course the Libs own all the public/college radio. But that's just how it is. Seems like all the really Left leaning radio stations are government and donor supported, because they just don't get enough listeners to be self-sufficient.

And by the way, they are all anti-American Commies! I came across these people just days after 9-11. Even before we knew for sure who attacked us, they were spreading around their Zmag.org talking points, which all boiled down to: "We know we were attacked because of America's evil "foreign polices" (ie. we support Israel's right to live) and because our attackers hate Capitalism." Note: at that point we had not even verified that Bin Laden was responsible at this point. It doesn't make any sense that these people get all up in arms when you call them anti-Ameircan. Our freedoms are very much a part of our Capitalist system. If you don't like Capitalism, and if you sympathize with Muslim complaints (and ignore their quest of Religious world domination), then you ARE anti-American.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Haven't seen any updates, Mud. Will ping you with news.

The whiners on the left have been at this for years and the corporations have caved and caved. Just look at what the envirals have poor Long John Silvers doing. (^;

[Mudboy Slim]

"BWAHAHAHAHA!!!"

LJS's food sucks anyway, but I'd boycott them fer being Corporate Pansies if I ever ate there...LOL!! I'd like to find out who these Lefties are going after and support them until they caved to the Enviro-Fascists, then begin boycotting them fer their spinelessness!!

FReegards...MUD

[Mudboy Slim]

"Radio just isn't their market."

Talk Radio certainly doesn't work fer the Left 'cuz folks who can think will listen to their Leftist NONSENSE and call to make a fool of the host, which ain't hard to do to anyone who supports an ever-expanding Federal Leviathan!! It's hard enuff to suffer through a DOLT like Alan Colmes irrational Barbra Streisand, and that shows tolerable simply becuz Hannity continually whups Colmes' butt on EVERYTHING!!

FReegards...MUD

[Timesink]

People may wish to go here, and then post responses to said post here. It's pretty amusing, full of the usual ultra-left claptrap: Rush's show is dying and has been for years, Radio Shack actually cancelled even though they never advertised in the first place, etc etc.

These people are simply not an obstacle to us. They sit and stew in their own smugness, while we roll right over them.

[Republican Wildcat]

Losing 20 million customers is not great for business.

[Republican Wildcat]

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

You are anti-American. Otherwise you'd be critical of Iraq's actions that are what have caused us to be on the brink of war. Instead you attack the country and our president.

[glock rocks]

thanks for the heads-up RC.

liberals, communists, marxists, parasites, whatever.

radio shack is an interesting case... they (being tandy leather) were firebombed by alfholes all across the nation... can't find a local tandy leather shop round here nomore. hmmm. reckon they're gunshy bout raising much attention anymore. may have been just bidness... or maybe, like blockbuster video, they just need a good, ole fashoned financial smack upside the head. dunno. don't care - won't miss em.

blockbuster put up "no guns" signs here in utah. we organized a drive to chop up yer card and mail it to miami... whoa doggies, and about face. the signs disappeared in no time. (hey, is it okay to bring my gun in here now ?!!)

now... how many folk of our political ilk have the tech bent that rat shack markets to? i'd venture by internet useage and such, they've shot themselves in the butt by doing this, just in the respect they won't reach the moderate to right side of the world that listens to Rush, has cash money, and buys expensive toys. otoh, i wouldn't give a rat's shack if they vanished, and i'm an in the wool geek at heart.

[Mustang]

Mega Bravo Zulu Ditto's to you, bb69!

This dude Stinson and his ilk enjoy the cover of being a vet. IMHO, showing up is one thing, staying around is another.

Sort'a rings to what a much smarter man than I said:

"...If you don't stand for something..you'll fall for anything..."

Mustang sends w/Best FReegards.

[Vinnie]

I recall Rush saying, several yrs. ago, that if he was pushed off the air, he would go offshore and start a 'pirate' station.

[Pete-R-Bilt]

i'm an in the wool geek at heart.

yae buddy!

[FBD]

bttt

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

blockbuster put up "no guns" signs here in utah. we organized a drive to chop up yer card and mail it to miami... whoa doggies, and about face. the signs disappeared in no time. (hey, is it okay to bring my gun in here now ?!!)

Good job!

Dear corporate sponsors, Rush is right.

---

The Anti-Warriors, Dan Flynn's article - Rush read today.
Questioning the Integrity of the Anti-War Group.
289 Million Americans Avoid Peace Rallies, parody (and truth (^:)
CHEW ON THIS, Christopher Hitchens (send to your "peacenik" friends!).
Not in Our Name -- Not in Your Life, Frontpagemag. The groups behind the "peaceniks."
Marching with Stalinists, Michael Kelly on today's left, ANSWER.
Dear American soldier , Michelle Malkin's excellent thank you letter to our troops.

[Republic of Texas]

Here's Mine:

Thanks for dropping your advertising from the Rush Limbaugh Show. You have ensured that I, a 41 year old Realtor in the height of my earning years, will NEVER BUY ANOTHER Radio Shack product again. Good Luck with socialism, by the way, SOCIALISM ALWAYS FAILS.