Limbaugh

[wadio]

There's a big, long thread over at "the other" board about Rush Limbaugh. The OP cites an article about Rush's "ratings debacle," then goes on to defend Limbaugh saying that other factors are at play.

The thread is an interesting read with some excellent points being made about why the show isn't what it used to be. But NOBODY mentioned the one thing I believe is a major reason why Rush is such a tough listen these days: HIS VOICE IS SHOT!

This is RADIO, folks. Radio is a direct link from the host's voice to the listeners' ears. There are no other distractions.

When Rush began his talk career he had a resonant "broadcast quality" voice that he used with great effect to parody the "golden throated" news pontificators of the day. It was funny stuff. Today Rush's voice is brittle and strident. Perhaps it's due to his hearing loss, maybe from shouting at the top of his lungs all these years or maybe just the natural process of aging. In any case, to be blunt, he sounds awful. If he tried to back off the volume even a little I think his voice would just crack and crumble.

"Strident" is a word used over and over to describe today's Rush in that thread. I'd submit it's not only his words that are strident. His voice is shallow and strident ... and in radio that matters.

 

[deepstblu]

When Rush began his talk career he had a resonant "broadcast quality" voice that he used with great effect to parody the "golden throated" news pontificators of the day. It was funny stuff. Today Rush's voice is brittle and strident. Perhaps it's due to his hearing loss, maybe from shouting at the top of his lungs all these years or maybe just the natural process of aging.

I thought he sounded like he was having vocal problems shortly before the hearing loss became public knowledge. Perhaps he changed his delivery in some way (maybe even unconsciously) so he could hear himself better. In any event, he does not sound like he once did, probably from a combination of the factors mentioned.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

With a little effort I think we could name a number of broadcasters who do not have 'golden voices' (even to begin with) but are able to have successful careers. Back in what was called The Golden Era of Radio there was this industry mentality that the golden voice was essential, but even then there were people who build careers using a voice that could not win a beauty contest.

If some listeners find Rush's current voice to be a distraction, an irritant, that is probably a minor loss in the big picture.

My point is: there are probably other issues that may or may not take some of the excitement away that has in the past made Rush a very strong force. What are some of those other issues?

Our has has been through (or is still going through) a Golden Era for conservative thinking. Thus radio gets to go along for the ride. Or as it can also be said: Thus radio gets to be the vehicle for an exciting ride.

I had an encounter two years ago with a young man campaigning for office for the first time. We had a discussion back then and I was impressed with his ability to understand there are competing legitimate ideologies. Last week I received a campaign mailer from him that I thought was over the top in partisanship. I wrote him and reminded him of our conversation two years ago. Yesterday, he called, and we spent two hours on the phone. He is running the kind of campaign you have to run today to make sure some radical, some rascal does not scoot past you over on the shoulder of the road.

He shared with me war stories about the bills in the recent legislative session that he authored and/or championed. He shared with me war stories about who sat at the desk next to him and how these two people with opposite political views have bonded this year.

Voice problems or not, hearing problems or not, is it possible that there is a mild ground-swell going on where people (radio listeners) are saying: I'm not switching sides, I'm not changing my basic views, but this 'conservatism on JATO rockets and unbridled energy" isn't taking us where we want to go. Maybe I need to switch stations for a while and quit frying my brain on the same political chatter day after day after day.

It matters not whether you overdose on radio talkers of the Right during the day, or TV talkers of the left at night on MSNBC... eventually your brain gets lumpy from the intensity.

If my view has any traction.... what does radio management do going forward? Some kind of 'talk lite'... some kind of filler between talk shows.... find a new crowd of talker who don't drink race-track Nitro fuel for breakfast?

 

[mikerock]

I got a kick out people over there saying the Sandra Fluke incident played a role. I seriously doubt the average Rush listener had any problem with that manufactured debacle. Any outrage was from those that did not listen to the show and those using it as a tool in a attempt to take him down. People that were already not being counted as listeners in the ratings.

I think the real issue they all miss on that board is that people associate Rush as part of the dying Republican establishment which is currently very unpopular with moderates and Conservative listeners. Neo-Conservativism is out and Conservative and Libertarian leaning values are in. Rush may sound more Conservative now but people do not easily forget his positions during the Bush years.

 

[TTalkradio1]

I don't agree that his voice is shot. It's pretty similar to how it used to sound. The problem with the other board is the moderator lets liberals state their positions, but he deletes posts made by conservatives

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

I think the real issue they all miss on that board is that people associate Rush as part of the dying Republican establishment which is currently very unpopular with moderates and Conservative listeners. Neo-Conservativism is out and Conservative and Libertarian leaning values are in. Rush may sound more Conservative now but people do not easily forget his positions during the Bush years.

I'm experiencing verbal-gastric-distress trying to decide if I agree with you or disagree with you. We need to have a task-force update our lexicon of trerminology.

I obviously define 'Republican establishment', moderates (of the Republican gender), conservatives, neo-conservatives and libertarian differently than you do. I read the quote-back paragraph and all I can think of is the old vaudeville routine about "Who's on First?"

Parse your words a bit.

 

[mikerock]

I'm experiencing verbal-gastric-distress trying to decide if I agree with you or disagree with you. We need to have a task-force update our lexicon of trerminology.

I obviously define 'Republican establishment', moderates (of the Republican gender), conservatives, neo-conservatives and libertarian differently than you do. I read the quote-back paragraph and all I can think of is the old vaudeville routine about "Who's on First?"

Parse your words a bit.

No, I do not consider the Republican establishment ideologically Conservative since they are not. I really do not know anyone other than the media that spins it that way. The Republican establishment actually cringes at the thought of Tea Party and Conservative candidates gaining power since they favor big government Neocon candidates. The establishment is made up of RINO's which are mix of Progressives and Neo-Conservatives (big government domestic policy, militarism, foreign intervention, nation building, anti-individual liberty, authoritarian).

Where as limited government Conservatives, Tea Party and Libertarian leaning Republicans are in the minority in the Republican party but are growing in numbers. This is where the support is from the average Republican voter.

Put another way, Rush may have lost listeners that associate him with the the big government policies of Republicans and foreign intervention during the Bush years.

 

[TheBigA]

Regardless of the reason, the fact is that he is not the ratings powerhouse he once was.

No question that the Cumulus move to drop him from their talk stations, including WABC, has hurt. The advertising ban has hurt. The lack of anything new to talk about has hurt. But worst of all, he has ceased to be as entertaining as he once was. Of all the problems, that's the one that HE can control.

 

[wadio]

I don't agree that his voice is shot. It's pretty similar to how it used to sound. The problem with the other board is the moderator lets liberals state their positions, but he deletes posts made by conservatives

The evidence is on YouTube.

I'm not saying his voice is the only problem with the show ... his dogmatic, inflexible rabid adherence to his "us vs. them" paradigm is not what built his audience in the first place. Rush used to discuss ideology ... not just throw barbs at the opposition. It was fun ... even mind-stretching. Now it's just a shout-fest.

But getting back to his voice, Rush used to speak more softly and in a lower register. That gave him the headroom to ramp it up when he wanted to. Now it's pretty much a monotone.

Monotone delivery and monotonous content. That's not what the show used to be.

 

[rjt45]

No fun...he has yielded to the folks who complain if he talks about the NFL, Apple products, and any of the other non political topics. Also,always thought the show was better when it was actually done from WABC and he wasn't surrounded just by folks who work for him!

 

[mikerock]

I have tuned in for awhile since he has been on WOR but I noticed the audio lower frequencies were higher on WABC which made his voice sound deeper and stronger. With WOR the audio range is more flat making his voice sound weaker than on WABC.

 

[gr8oldies]

Rush was just outfitted with a cochlear implant for his right ear (he was outfitted for his left ear 14 years or so ago). This may help, or it may not. He does have a court stenographer transcribing calls in real time. I can't see how that wouldn't make a difference...including how Rush hears his own voice. No matter how Rush may hear with the implants, it certainly is nothing like natural hearing.

 

[rjt45]

I date the change of his show to the night he spent in the Lincoln bed room during George H Bush's term in the White House. When you spend a night at the White House you change from a guy doing a radio show to entertain people.

 

[Small Market Guy]

His voice hasn't been the same since he first went deaf years ago. But then again he's a DEAF GUY DOING RADIO. That's quite an accomplishment in itself.

 

[TTalkradio1]

The evidence is on YouTube.

I'm not saying his voice is the only problem with the show ... his dogmatic, inflexible rabid adherence to his "us vs. them" paradigm is not what built his audience in the first place. Rush used to discuss ideology ... not just throw barbs at the opposition. It was fun ... even mind-stretching. Now it's just a shout-fest.

But getting back to his voice, Rush used to speak more softly and in a lower register. That gave him the headroom to ramp it up when he wanted to. Now it's pretty much a monotone.

Monotone delivery and monotonous content. That's not what the show used to be.

Monotone delivery is different than his voice being shot. I'm 29, and I didn't hear him when he broke through. So, his voice doesn't sound shot to me.

 

[Unregistered]

I don't agree that his voice is shot. It's pretty similar to how it used to sound. The problem with the other board is the moderator lets liberals state their positions, but he deletes posts made by conservatives

Absolutely laughable assertion. It's a right-wing lovefest on that board. The "liberals" are few and far between, on the other hand.