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How soon before Hannity overtakes Limbaugh?

P

Pratte4Life

Just reading some of the Talkers numbers- Limbaugh reportedly has 13.5 million weekly listeners and Hannity has 12.5 mil.

Now, I'm a conservative and a Limbaugh fan. I'm also a Hannity fan- though- and see him picking up more affiliates and having a more high energy show.

It's not a knock against Limbaugh- but he's been on top for nearly 20 years. But eventually the frisky young colt is going to overtake you.

Limbaugh does his show by being Limbaugh. Hannity, meanwhile, seems to take on guests from all ends of the political spectrum.

"Marty" may have nothing to say, but his daily call leads to an element of familiarity. It makes Hannity's national show have an element of locality.

And Hannity has the cross promotion of being on TV every day, something Rush does not.

How soon before it happens? And if and when it does- what effect will a fallen icon have on the industry and the nation's politics (if any?).
 
First, they're not in the same time slot and they're on most of the same stations, so both help the other's numbers. Second, if Hannity gets 13.6 million listeners that doesn't make Rush a "fallen icon".
 
Hannity will beat Rush about the same time the New York Yankees beat the New York Jets.
 
Radio_Realist said:
Hannity will beat Rush about the same time the New York Yankees beat the New York Jets.
Click to expand...
well, the sad part of your humorous analogy is that the NY Yankees COULD beat the NY Jets ;)
 
A Hannity problem that will keep him behind--he's on in drive time, which is a great place for stations to run a high local spot load, much higher than they could get with a national show. Limbaugh is on at a time with more stable--not fluid, commuting, listeners.

Second, even if those stations with local PMD did pick up Hannity and delayed him...that gives him the same number as Limbaugh.

What station is seriously going to compete in a market by taking the lesser O'Reilly, e.g., and betting the farm on Hannity?

You're more likely (perhaps, always likely?) to see Limbaugh and Hannity together, which means the math will be, at most, equal station carriage.
 
"Hannity, meanwhile, seems to take on guests from all ends of the political spectrum. " You're kidding right? Hannity tosses softballs at conservatives and never gives anyone else a chance to get a word in edgewise. Mostly that means conservative republicans. The only thing I haven't figured out is HOW the republican party pays him.
 
sdkalb said:
"Hannity, meanwhile, seems to take on guests from all ends of the political spectrum. " You're kidding right? Hannity tosses softballs at conservatives and never gives anyone else a chance to get a word in edgewise. Mostly that means conservative republicans. The only thing I haven't figured out is HOW the republican party pays him.
Click to expand...
Good points.
I detest Hannity's disingenuous intro, "The best news and information you will find anywhere..."

Since when does bloviating and opining count as news and information?

Why would radio owners allow him to get away with that fib? His show is on par with the hourly ABC or CNN or FOX radio news?

His show certainly isn't news. I'd hope most would see through that facade.
 
I don't think that if Hannity got 13.6 mil CUME in his next book Limbaugh would be a fallen idol.

However, you know very well that's how many news outlets would report it.


Couple of things- Hannity has been known to interview many liberals on his show. Everyone from Charlie Rangel to Whoopi Goldberg.

And Morgan- I'm inclined to think Hannity's time slot IS helping him and will only help him grow.

I know in Wheeling, he just came on in place of a local host in that time slot on a 50KW blowtorch.

In the Tri-Cities, Tenn. area, he is now the 3-6 guy on the leading news talker.

What I'm saying is that after 20 years, sometimes Rush seems to be a bit stale. There isn't the humor there once was on his show, and Hannity's pace seems to be a bit quicker, his style a bit fresher.

If I have Rush on at noon and Hannity on at three, like 104.7 does in Pittsburgh, then I have to think with more available listeners Hannity will eventually surpass Rush.

Not that I'm looking forward to the day.
 
Pratte4Life said:
I know in Wheeling, he just came on in place of a local host in that time slot on a 50KW blowtorch.

In the Tri-Cities, Tenn. area, he is now the 3-6 guy on the leading news talker.

What I'm saying is that after 20 years, sometimes Rush seems to be a bit stale. There isn't the humor there once was on his show, and Hannity's pace seems to be a bit quicker, his style a bit fresher.
Click to expand...

Wheeling and the Tri-Cities are nothing markets. Let's not revive the debate about "important markets", but in the scheme of things, they're not going to help him much, whether WWVA is a blowtorch or not. And don't think Steve Novotny's being let go is due to much but budget issues.

Don62 said:
I detest Hannity's disingenuous intro, "The best news and information you will find anywhere..."
Click to expand...

No reason to get so excited, although it does get old... as if anyone cares about news and information. It's a talk show. We want to be entertained. Rush may be stale, but Hannity was always stale. I'm sure Mr. Boyce will disagree, so for the record, it's just my opinion... anytime I would program a station, Hannity would be my first goal, since Rush has reached his full potential and is more costly. But, I guess I just don't get the show. Perhaps it's also because I've heard him say a few too many times that he's changing "hearts and minds" and that politics trumps entertainment.

Johnny Morgan said:
A Hannity problem that will keep him behind--he's on in drive time, which is a great place for stations to run a high local spot load, much higher than they could get with a national show. Limbaugh is on at a time with more stable--not fluid, commuting, listeners.

Second, even if those stations with local PMD did pick up Hannity and delayed him...that gives him the same number as Limbaugh.

What station is seriously going to compete in a market by taking the lesser O'Reilly, e.g., and betting the farm on Hannity?

You're more likely (perhaps, always likely?) to see Limbaugh and Hannity together, which means the math will be, at most, equal station carriage.
Click to expand...

You have to look at the demographic of who's listening to Rush at his time. On the west coast, 9-10am is still "AM drive". From retirees to salesmen driving in cars, there are people listening to Rush. Don't know about the O'Reilly reference, but the bottom line is that Rush is still more of a "phenomenon" than Hannity, who's just a very successful conversative host. Rush is on country stations in the boonies that break for three hours to air his show. There are a few of them just two hours from me, from KAFF-A/Flagstaff, which airs Rush live amidst country (and beats the all-talk station by a handy multiple), as well as others.
 
For my ear, Rush is better and more entertaining than Hannity. Sean's so called high level comes across to my ear as anger and hype and frankly at the end of the day, who needs that. The talker, who'd be interesting to watch on a national level would be Rush's sometimes fill in host, Roger Hedgecock. I'd like to see him on opposite Hannity. Of course, I could also see Roger being groomed to graduate from the "Limbaugh School for Advanced Conservative Studies" and become the new head professor when Rush retires.
 
Rush has far more raw "radio" talent than Hannity. Hannity's credibility suffers because of many of the people who are regular guests on his program. Newt Gingrich who was shamed out of office because of his infidelity, Oliver North who should be in prison because of his role in Iran-Contra, Mark Furman who was exposed as a racist in the O.J. trial, and then there's Ann Coulter who's trashy mouth is far bigger than her brain. Both Limbaugh and Hannity have been exhibiting signs of being desparate since the election. Their rhetoric is getting more mean spirited and sounds like they are grasping at anything to hold onto to keep their precious idology afloat.
 
Hannity's "style' is a disgrace...He interrupts guests he doesn't like with some question like "Why do you hate America?" then dogs them "why won't you just answer the question."
 
"Yes or no?!?!? Yes or no?!?!? It's a simple question..."

Admittedly this is a behind-the-scenes B-to-B wrinkle, unrelated to the show itself, but THANK YOU Sean Hannity for being more helpful to affiliates than Rush Limbaugh is.

Limbaugh is MUCH-too-big-a-star to bother, but Sean WILL read promotional copy for affiliates. In fact, he's a pretty quick turn-around. SMART on Sean's part, since doing-so spreads his voice all-over the station's broadcast day, and makes him seem less-imported, and more-a-part-of-the-station's-own on-air family.

HC
www.HollandCooke.com
 
I never hear Hannity mentioning his radio show on his TV program.
Nor Colmes mentioning his nighttime show either.

Some ban from FNC about plugging radio shows?
 
Don62 said:
I never hear Hannity mentioning his radio show on his TV program.
Nor Colmes mentioning his nighttime show either.

Some ban from FNC about plugging radio shows?
Click to expand...

Actually, I *do* hear it on occasion.

Colmes is SYNDICATED BY FOX, so I doubt there's any gag order there.
 
pbf1 said:
Don62 said:
I never hear Hannity mentioning his radio show on his TV program.
Nor Colmes mentioning his nighttime show either.

Some ban from FNC about plugging radio shows?
Click to expand...

Actually, I *do* hear it on occasion.

Colmes is SYNDICATED BY FOX, so I doubt there's any gag order there.
Click to expand...

Hannity's radio show in ABC, so wouldn't the same apply under such logic?
 
I do hear Bill OH- RYE- LEE plug his radio show frequently on the TV Factor.
I don't watch Hannity a lot. When I watch him I rarely hear him plug the radio show.

I don't think Hannity's close to overtaking Limabugh. Hannity's show is about as big as it's gong to get.
 
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