Politico: Rush may leave Cumulus

[umfan]

The company can put a live and local show on the air for the same amount of money that Rush costs.

Really? Because it's so easy to develop a show that people will listen to?

Also, I don't see Cumulus making an investment like this. If they drop Rush, or Rush drops them, it'll be about money.

 

[Come on]

The company can put a live and local show on the air for the same amount of money that Rush costs.

Really? Because it's so easy to develop a show that people will listen to?

Also, I don't see Cumulus making an investment like this. If they drop Rush, or Rush drops them, it'll be about money.

Uhh... the third market in the country has developed a live and local show that kicks Rush's ass every day. So, yes, it is easy!

And, you say if Cumulus drops Rush it will be about money? WLS in Chicago could run a live and local show at a cheaper price tag than what it costs to have "the rights" to carry Rush.

 

[umfan]

And that has been replicated in how many other markets?

WLS owned that slot before Rush came along.

I'm not saying it cannot happen, but that it's not likely to and Cumulus isn't likely to make the investment, in multiple markets to make it happen.

 

[Come on]

And that has been replicated in how many other markets?

WLS owned that slot before Rush came along.

I'm not saying it cannot happen, but that it's not likely to and Cumulus isn't likely to make the investment, in multiple markets to make it happen.

I would say in 90 percent of all stations that carry rush, those stations can do live and local for cheaper than the fee of paying for rush.

So, it's more of an investment to carry rush than it is to be live and local.

The rush brand used to mean big bucks. That ship sailed about 3 years ago. Now there are so few advertisers who want to keep advertising with him and there are others who never will or never would.

It's not a good situation. The news talk stations that are running rush and beck, etc. Are all on a downward trend and the advertising dollars aren't there anymore.

If the money was there cumulus wouldn't be pulling the plug.

 

[umfan]

OR, they think they can syndicate just about anything on their blowtorch signals and it will work.

I guess we'll see depending on how this unfolds.

 

[RBA]

The fact if the matter 48 out the top 50 advertisers have no play orders on Rush Limbaugh's broadcast.

Rush is headed for pay podcasts. He will get his older audience to sign up for free trials with automatic credit/debit card renewals. This older audience, that is not savvy in the auto-renewal tricks will either forget about it or have a real hard time figuring how to cancel. And at the same time these older listeners will be aggressively pursued to buy gift subscriptions for their liberal relatives (to educate them) and do their patriotic duty by buying gift subscriptions for service members.

 

[fmradio1]

I. sure Rush has been watching Beck's "Blaze" business model closely. I think podcasts are coming the second he separates from Premiere. He won't have the numbers he used to have (like Howard Stern when he moved to satellite) but he'll have a die-hard core audience who will be more than willing to part with their money to hear him blather, and also get some special interest and wingnut minded business buys. It won't be like the glory days, but he'll make a few bucks and keep his brand out there to the people who connect with it.

 

[jnkiii]

http://www.showbiz411.com/2013/05/0...behind-his-likely-leaving-of-wabc-and-cumulus

This article provides a great explanation plus this news is very old and the switch to WOR has been anticipated for months now.

Salon, Philly.com and other 'haters' are out there today with misleading information. But what else is new.

Curious, if Beck is picked up by WOR as well as Rush and Hannity.

"Haters?" Both stories just rehash Politico's Rush-leaves-Cumulus spin. The story you posted indicates Rush is Clear Channel air talent and is a pawn in a business decision way over his head. Politico and the rest make it sound like Rush is calling the shots and that Cumulus is his "network." Where's the hate?

I was referring to the headlines. It was obvious that some sites were gleeful.

I also agree that it would make no sense for Cumulus to totally drop the Premiere shows.

On another point, does anyone see Rush or Hannity heading to The Blaze in the next 5 years?

 

[del_griffith]

I could see them a Blaze type model.

 

[Legend City]

Rush could do what Beck is doing, but, it won't last for either of them, their audience is dying off, literally.

Rush created his problems, angry white guy talk radio gets old and boring.

 

[FredLeonard]

The fact if the matter 48 out the top 50 advertisers have no play orders on Rush Limbaugh's broadcast.

Rush is headed for pay podcasts. He will get his older audience to sign up for free trials with automatic credit/debit card renewals. This older audience, that is not savvy in the auto-renewal tricks will either forget about it or have a real hard time figuring how to cancel. And at the same time these older listeners will be aggressively pursued to buy gift subscriptions for their liberal relatives (to educate them) and do their patriotic duty by buying gift subscriptions for service members.

Makes lots of sense. He already sells a newsletter and a live video stream for those who want to see and hear "His Immenseness." I wouldn't rule out a satellite deal, though. Could be a nice package for his target demo: Rush and Real Oldies.

 

[mr_arbitron]

How many listeners does he have?

 

[ProducerGuy]

The fact if the matter 48 out the top 50 advertisers have no play orders on Rush Limbaugh's broadcast.

Every station I've seen that runs Rush has no problems selling the time. This sounds more like wishful thinking than anything.

 

[ProducerGuy]

I would say in 90 percent of all stations that carry rush, those stations can do live and local for cheaper than the fee of paying for rush.

Sure, they could put SOMETHING on the air, but it wouldn't be as polished or well known.

Rush has an aging demographic problem, but it's not at the point where he's going to be doing podcasts anytime soon, despite the fantasy programming being done on the Internet. By the time it would be a real problem, he'll be long retired.

 

[raccoonradio]

Voices of tolerance try to shut down Rush

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/gag_order_oIUFjTnjLizKPx6xJBIyLK

>>No one at StopRush is being chained to the wall and forced to listen to Limbaugh in a dungeon (though their thinking would probably be clarified if they were). So why do they want others to stop listening to him? Are they under the impression that Rush’s listeners would suddenly turn liberal if not for his influence?

Some say "if a conservative doesn't like a radio program, he switches the station; if a liberal doesn't,
they demand it be taken off the air". Of course there have also been pressure campaigns
from the Right too (I'm thinking of the preacher vs. Married...With Children, de-funding NPR, etc.) Sometimes
campaigns backfire. When the film The Last Temptation of Christ came out, some
religious folks--many of whom may not have seen the film--picketed showings. It wasn't
a huge hit but the exposure in the media may have actually made some people decide to
see it, out of curiousity...

 

[Come on]

I would say in 90 percent of all stations that carry rush, those stations can do live and local for cheaper than the fee of paying for rush.

Sure, they could put SOMETHING on the air, but it wouldn't be as polished or well known.

Rush has an aging demographic problem, but it's not at the point where he's going to be doing podcasts anytime soon, despite the fantasy programming being done on the Internet. By the time it would be a real problem, he'll be long retired.

It doesn't matter how polished or well known the host is. The WGN host who is beating Rush like a drum in Chicago came into town from another market.

It doesn't matter if it's polished or well known. The questions are... will the show pull numbers and can it be sold? The answer to both questions for Rush are simple... no and no.

 

[radiobum]

Rush has claimed his loyalty to radio (then again I'm sure he did to his ex's) so I can't see him going to a pay services.

Boortz used to claim that in every market where his third hour was carried live at noon that he beat Rush...and WFLF in Orlando has never had decent #'s despite Rush and a great signal.

 

[ProducerGuy]

The questions are... will the show pull numbers and can it be sold? The answer to both questions for Rush are simple... no and no.

Again, I haven't seen that in my experiences with Rush stations. He's not the juggernaut he was years ago, but he's doing just fine compared to everyone else.

As for the talk of his demo dying off, there are more and more old people being made every day. There will always be a market for someone that old people want to listen to.

 

[KeithE4]

As for the talk of his demo dying off, there are more and more old people being made every day. There will always be a market for someone that old people want to listen to.

But not that advertisers want to target. They just don't target us geezers for the most part. When I first heard Limbaugh in 1989, I was 34 - part of the Sacred Sales Demos. Now I'm 57 and no longer matter to radio advertisers (and they don't matter to me either), and people my age are at the young end of his audience.

 

[ProducerGuy]

As for the talk of his demo dying off, there are more and more old people being made every day. There will always be a market for someone that old people want to listen to.

But not that advertisers want to target. They just don't target us geezers for the most part. When I first heard Limbaugh in 1989, I was 34 - part of the Sacred Sales Demos. Now I'm 57 and no longer matter to radio advertisers (and they don't matter to me either), and people my age are at the young end of his audience.

Now THAT is a different story, and to be honest, not Rush's fault. Sales people really shouldn't neglect older demos, but they do. Or, I should say, LAZY sales people neglect those demos. I would guess Rush came onto my radar when I was 19 or so. I'll be 40 in a few weeks. I'm still in the demo, but I only listen to Rush because he's on after me. Political talk bores me to death. That doesn't mean I go around bashing the hosts, though. They're capable broadcasters who serve an audience for the most part.