I don't think Mainelli hired Rush... it was former ABC honcho McLaughlin who set Rush up with an ABC based network out of WABC in New York. The deal was forged at the ABC corporate level.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
I don't think Mainelli hired Rush... it was former ABC honcho McLaughlin who set Rush up with an ABC based network out of WABC in New York. The deal was forged at the ABC corporate level.
When did Rush move to CC's Premiere Radio Network ... and why?
I can't remember dates and times, but the story goes something like this: (Feel free, anybody, to correct this.)
Limbaugh did not work for WABC, or ABC Radio Networks. He and a business partner self-syndicated the program. To distribute the show, they (like many syndicators do) leased satellite time/space from what was ABC Satellite Services. As they were pitching the show to big talk stations in big markets at that particular time, many of the stations the program ended up on were ABC O&O's. It may have made sense to use another business unit of ABC to do the technical distribution.
At first, Rush's national program was not heard in New York. WABC wouldn't air it. They provided him a studio and a staff for his national show, in return for Rush doing a local show (10:00 a.m to noon, I think) in which WABC would air his national spots. As the national show became a success, WABC allowed him to end his local show in favor of airing the national program.
As time went on, more and more of Rush's independently-owned mid-market and small market affiliates were gobbled by Jacor, which had it's own satellite services unit. Rush switched, probably as a way to give more business to the what was likely the largest group owner of affiliates at the time. Following the Jacor/Clear Channel merger (and this is where my recollection of the timeline gets loose), Rush entered into deals with Premiere Radio (owned by Clear Channel) to not only handle technical distribution, but also affiliate relations, ad sales, etc. I'm guessing at this point, Rush was no longer interested in "running the business" the way he and his partner had.
On another note:
There's something very interesting in that transcript of Rush's interaction with the caller. Nobody else seems to have mentioned it here and I think it demonstrates the short shelf-life of these "gotcha" scandals. The caller, in an effort to make his point about Sterling being tries to relate to when "Rush" said nasty things about "those girls from Rutgers."
That was Imus. It got him fired.
If you actually get through on the phone to the Limbaugh show, it's fair to say you're fan of the guy. It's not easy to get on the air there. You have spend time and energy doing it, at a point in the day where most people are at work. You would think this guy would know the Rutgers controversy was not Rush's.
In 1997, McLaughlin sold his part of the EFM network (the actual parent of the EIB "network") to Jacor (Randy Michaels) and then CC got it when they bought Jacor.
Rush owns the show... his deal with Premiere is for the syndication and sales. His "network" gets paid for the content.
Last edited:
F
FredLeonard
Guest
As noted, Rush doing a local show on WABC, while Mainelli was PD. At least as far as the local show was concerned, Mainelli was Rush's boss. How much authority Mainelli had and whether he ever exercised it is another question.
Maybe Rush didn't need much direction in the early days but he could use it now, IMO. All these syndicated hosts seem to have their own little fiefdoms with enough rabid fans to feed their egos and make them think they can do no wrong. Some apparently have the ability to self-direct but many obviously do not.
You're correct to an extent.
Rush initially did a local 4-hour show at WABC and then he'd do his then-2-hour syndicated show a bit later in the day. Mainelli did oversee Rush and certainly had influence on him for some time. Mainelli was successful at the highest level and ran a tight ship. I'm sure that wasn't lost on Limbaugh, who was really a consummate radio guy before he started taking himself so seriously as a power broker. I know several people who were involved with WABC back then and apparently, the more successful Rush became, the more withdrawn and antisocial he became.
Last edited:
F
FredLeonard
Guest
Rush's local show was two hours - not four; plus a two hour syndicated show for a total of four hours. WABC did pick up "best of" segments of the national shows on weekends. Early on in syndication, many stations were unwilling to clear a syndicated show during midday and delayed Rush until evenings or ran the "best of" show on weekends.
The New York show was in many ways a better show. Less one-sided and dogmatic. New York callers who challenged Rush, instead of the already-emerging ditto-heads. Still, Rush kept telling the New York audience how much they were missing by not being able to hear his national show.
The New York show was in many ways a better show. Less one-sided and dogmatic. New York callers who challenged Rush, instead of the already-emerging ditto-heads. Still, Rush kept telling the New York audience how much they were missing by not being able to hear his national show.
I believe he initially did 6-10A. The syndie show was noon to 2.
F
FredLeonard
Guest
No, sorry. He did 10am-noon local; Noon to 2pm syndicated.
Are you absolutely sure he never did 6-10A at any point? I know about his later shortened local show, but that 6-10 really sticks in my head. I'll have to ask around out of curiosity. I don't think I dreamed that. At least I hope I didn't.
F
FredLeonard
Guest
FBN: WABC went through a bunch of morning drive hosts between Ross and Wilson and Curtis and Kuby. Maybe you're thinking of Mike Gallagher, who went though the revolving door. Alan Colmes and Lionel also did morning drive but I doubt they'd be mistaken for Rush.
Curtis and his wife Lisa handled AM drive from about 1991-1994 when Lionel took over. In 1996, Gallagher, who was originally intended for later in the evening, was fast-tracked to PM drive when Reverend Boyce was forced to fire Bob Grant. He was then moved to AM drive with Lionel a few months later. The thought in programming was that Lionel needed Gallagher to keep him on topic and Gallagher needed someone to keep things light and funny---but the two didn't really mesh as well as was hoped, so Lionel was eventually put back on his own again--but now in PM drive. Gallagher did mornings until around 2000 when Curtis and Kuby were paired.
In the three years Rush was at WABC before Curtis & Lisa started in AM drive, I believe he did do 6-10A for a short time. Again, I'll have to get back to you on that.
Last edited:
Are you thinking of the late Dave Dawson?
F
FredLeonard
Guest
It is telling that (1) WABC had some many different morning drive hosts between R&W and C&K, (2) That we can't remember them, (3) We're not sure who they were and (4) Some of them went on to far greater prominence. If Rush did take a brief stint in AM drive (possibly for promotional purposes), I guess a lot of us were paying more attention to the I-man, Howard or even Gambling 3.0.
I don't think so. I'll ask my wife -- she might remember.
I do remember when Dave Dawson was exiled to overnights -- my recollection is that he was still under contract and did the show from his home somewhere in the Midwest. Or maybe he talked a lot about how he'd like to be home in the Midwest.
It was riveting radio because he didn't seem to care what he said. It was like, "What are they going to do, fire me?"
Got it: Steve Kane.
Even worse for Dave. He did mornings in the late 80s and was apparently absolutely hated by notorious GM Fred Weinhaus. Dave was taken off the air, so he returned to his native---I'm thinking either KC or St. Louis---until Weinhaus decided that since they were still paying his contract, he should do overnights. In person. So Dave had to return to NY to work out his contract on latenights.
- Status