Station Owners: Limbaugh Crossed the Boundary

[HotTalker]

You make it sound like the discussion of Rush and the "carping" about rush is ONLY by "the people who work in radio."

I'm only referring to the discussions here and on other industry boards. This isn't the first time any of us have seen this sort of behavior, either. Any time Rush's name is brought up, otherwise rational people turn into schoolyard namecallers. I won't even get into the obvious conflicts of interest that some notable posters might have when discussing any high profile host, but suffice it to say that someone who makes a living appearing on TV shows hosted by Rush's competition should have any comments taken with a grain of salt.

One thing I've learned about radio. There is absolutely no loyalty, and management is almost always lacking in backbone. That's why it's so dangerous to let special interest groups dictate what shows are allowed to be aired. Once they get Rush off the air, you and your show might be next. ("You" being a general term for those who still work in radio who are quick to jump on any stray word Rush, Savage, Hannity or Levin say.)

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

That's why it's so dangerous to let special interest groups dictate what shows are allowed to be aired. Once they get Rush off the air, you and your show might be next. ("You" being a general term for those who still work in radio who are quick to jump on any stray word Rush, Savage, Hannity or Levin say.)

You make a valid point.

There are always tensions and tug-of-war scenarios in our efforts to perfect the concept of self-government.

We do not want a situation where "special interests" can easily kill free speech by playing the role of bully.

But, it is the duty of "special interests" to also make sure that bullies who might dominate the speech of the public square are kept within a gamut that is has the smell of reasonableness.

It is a valid debate in this country today to discuss among ourselves whether Conservative Talk Radio is indeed within the gamut of reasonable expression, or has it "wandered off the ranch" into some kind of quagmire that is destructive to our culture.

I hope this fiasco will cause Talkers of all genres to do some self inspection. The entire "Talk Industry" may be overdue for a "Come to Jesus" meeting as it is called in the corporate world.

 

[jas2525]

Unfortunately, much of today's talk radio is populated by intellectually dishonest people who are either too lazy or too dishonest to present a factually based argument. If the facts do not add up to a conclusion consistent with their position on a given issue, they change the facts. It's been especially noticeable since Obama came on the scene. Heretofore unseen depths of dishonesty to foster fear and hatred. And their audiences seem to question none of it. That's healthy for the coutnry. Such patriots.

This latest situation with Limbaugh is a perfect example. He completely misrepresented the material content of this young woman's testimony to create a strawman. Talk hosts sadly do this all the time, and it is destroying national discourse, because too many listeners are too lazy to do their own homework, they just let the ideologue's version stand unchalleneged.

 

[RBA]

What stations have announced that they are dropping the show?

http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=24843

First, I think.

 

[RBA]

What stations have announced that they are dropping the show?

http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=24843

First, I think.

http://nepr.net/news/pittsfield-mas...rush-limbaugh-after-contraception-controversy

And another one is gone.

 

[listener-in]

You make it sound like the discussion of Rush and the "carping" about rush is ONLY by "the people who work in radio."

For the record, I'm one person on these boards who doesn't and never has worked in radio or any other of the mass media. I'm here both because I'm a radio junkie and because I care that the medium is in hands that don't have its welfare at heart. With a few exceptions among small owners, all they care about is the next quarter's bottom line. As it turns out, they're not too good at either radio or their bottom line; maybe the latter failing is because of the former. I'm grateful for the chance these boards give me to vent; heaven knows, the stations themselves aren't good listeners. Like Limbaugh himself, the big owners think they are too big to fail.

 

[HotTalker]

There is definitely "blood in the water", but it's more because some people see this as an opportunity to knock the big guy down a peg in some misguided attempt to better their own lots or bolster their own egos. What Rush actually said is irrelevant. The meme has been started that he crossed some imaginary line that hundreds of radio hosts cross on a daily basis.

Anyone who works in this industry that is happy about this should be ashamed of themselves for being so shortsighted. Today it's Rush, tomorrow it's Hannity. The next day it might be you.

 

[borderblaster]

Taking Limbaugh down would be a huge prize for the left that they've wanted since 1988. They would really like all opposition to go away

 

[landtuna]

There is definitely "blood in the water", but it's more because some people see this as an opportunity to knock the big guy down a peg in some misguided attempt to better their own lots or bolster their own egos.

There is one other important reason and it is coming from someone who cannot benefit in any material way from Rush or any other talking head. And that reason is that the irresponsible and slanderous accusations that Limbaugh sees as nothing more than cannon fodder for his show is becoming more and more detrimental to the welfare of the country at large.

For the past decade and a half we have witnessed the polarization of the American public which is largely driven by despots such as Limbaugh. That he is not completely honest in his statements makes it even worse. He has been playing one side against the other simply to earn maximum income from listeners who parrot his "views". He is Joe McCarthy reincarnate.

What Rush actually said is irrelevant.

Oh no it is not and if you truly believe that you are no better than he is. Rush defamed and disrespected someone by the use of incorrect statements and the authority of his money making ability. He is an irresponsible bully and worse, a slanderer.

The meme has been started that he crossed some imaginary line that hundreds of radio hosts cross on a daily basis.

The "hundreds of radio hosts" you mention, if in fact they exist, do not have Limbaugh's audience nor, I strongly suspect, have the backing of their employers should they make a similar offensive statement.

Anyone who works in this industry that is happy about this should be ashamed of themselves for being so shortsighted. Today it's Rush, tomorrow it's Hannity. The next day it might be you.

It is long past time for radio trolls like Limbaugh to disappear from our society and earn their fortunes muckraking for the National Enquirer. He does absolutely nothing to benefit his audience or society at large and as long as radio gives him a voice they besmirch themselves along with him.

 

[borderblaster]

So we'll just go back to the days when only liberal opinion is heard with no rebuttal.

 

[listener-in]

The meme has been started that he crossed some imaginary line that hundreds of radio hosts cross on a daily basis.

Anyone who works in this industry that is happy about this should be ashamed of themselves for being so shortsighted. Today it's Rush, tomorrow it's Hannity. The next day it might be you.

I see. Everybody does it, so it's OK. That, my friend, is exactly the problem.

If you don't want to be vilified, clean up your act. Everyone knows when he/she crosses a line, and the more they get away with it, the more they move the line. When you screw up, apologize promptly, and make it real, without any caveats and weasel words.

Elsewhere on these boards, people have tried to excuse Limbaugh's 3-day tirade and non-apology apology with Ed Schultz's single slip when a single comment of his about Laura Ingraham crossed the line. He apologized, no ifs, ands or buts, and he was off the air for a while.

Tonight on Rachel Maddow's program, she showed photo of herself and Cal Thomas taken after they had lunch together today; it followed a public comment he had made about her which he quickly regretted and sincerely beat himself up over in his column. I disagree with Mr. Thomas on most things, but he showed real class, and set a standard for his media colleagues to follow.

 

[listener-in]

So we'll just go back to the days when only liberal opinion is heard with no rebuttal.

Oh, and when was that?

Before the industry was delivered to the right-wing talkers, you could usually turn on talk radio and hear a wide range of opinion if you stuck around for a while.

 

[HotTalker]

Before the industry was delivered to the right-wing talkers, you could usually turn on talk radio and hear a wide range of opinion if you stuck around for a while.

And before every other medium was delivered to the left...

You get the idea.

Or maybe the right took a neglected medium (AM radio) for itself because it had no other forum to discuss issues.

There's one big problem with all these calls for "civility". Who is going to enforce? You? The government? The FCC? Reverend Al?

Maybe you should just mind your own show and let Rush do whatever Rush will do. This isn't a zero sum game, despite the limited number of signals in the country.

 

[listener-in]

And before every other medium was delivered to the left...

I guess you don't see too many newspapers. "Liberal" papers have more or less equal opinion from left and right. Conservative papers are just that - all conservative, all the time.

And have you watched the Sunday morning interview/opinion shows TV lately? The norm is to have more Republican than Democratic guests, and their round-table panels are almost always weighted to the right, often by 3 to 1.

It was conservative pundit William Kristol way back in the mid-1990s who admitted that while the media were not liberal, it was good strategy to "work the refs" by claiming a liberal bias at every opportunity.

 

[jas2525]

There's one big problem with all these calls for "civility". Who is going to enforce? You? The government? The FCC? Reverend Al?

Oh please, let's let Rev. Al do it. It would be a fascinating experiment.

 

[ctkatz]

There is definitely "blood in the water", but it's more because some people see this as an opportunity to knock the big guy down a peg in some misguided attempt to better their own lots or bolster their own egos. What Rush actually said is irrelevant. The meme has been started that he crossed some imaginary line that hundreds of radio hosts cross on a daily basis.

Anyone who works in this industry that is happy about this should be ashamed of themselves for being so shortsighted. Today it's Rush, tomorrow it's Hannity. The next day it might be you.

i'm just a fan of radio. i have no exposure to the media other than meeting a couple of guys at a local remote during a commercial break. but pardon me if i think it is a good thing for anyone who blasts outrageous statements without basis in fact repeatedly over and over day after day year after year get removed from the air. the fact that he is on so many stations with so many listeners and he is able to get away with saying a quarter of the things he does unchecked passing it off as astute political commentary should be much more worrisome to you rather than if those who actually work in radio want to see this guy taken off the air.

i notice you mentioned first rush then hannity. one thing i note in common with both is that they like to throw out a lot of baseless statements unchecked and when called upon it will not make mention of their error.

 

[joshzz]

Eleven national advertisers have dropped Rush. As you know, without advertisers it doesn't matter how many listeners you have.

KPUA, Hawaii has dropped Rush and I believe it won't be long before others follow suit.

I wonder if Clear Channel Communications which has stood behind employee,Rush Limbaugh, is going to abandon him. It is possible people have started to the company demanding that he be taken off or they'll abandon listening to all Clear Channel stations.

I would like to hear from at least from station representative that carry Limbaugh. Are you going to keep him on the air? How many sponsors have you lost due to his inappropriate behavior? Lastly, has Limbaugh hurt interest in your other programs?

 

[jas2525]

i notice you mentioned first rush then hannity. one thing i note in common with both is that they like to throw out a lot of baseless statements unchecked and when called upon it will not make mention of their error.

And that is EXACTLY what happened in THIS situation. Rush didn't do his homework. He clearly did not know what this woman actually testified about, because if he did, he would've known it had nothing to do with sexual behavior: hers or anyone elses.

Sadly, many hosts are too lazy or too dishonest to find out what actually happened in these controversial situations.

Even more sadly, so many listeners just take at face value what these liars say and never check anything out themselves, hence all the support for Rush calling this woman "what she really is". :

Lazy and dishinest. Are those conservative virtues now?

 

[CrankyYankee]

Women vets are asking that the Rush Limbaugh program be removed from Armed Forces Radio(AFN)
Read more here---> http://www.stripes.com/blogs/stripe.../women-vets-want-limbaugh-off-of-afn-1.170669

 

[bmcglynn]

Rush's future on the airwaves depends on two components:
1) His contract term and personal willingness to continue
2) An Economic Market for his show

Pending #1 is satisfied, it will take large-scale backlash to see Rush's show go. The type of backlash would ultimately need to be in the form of revenue. With 11 advertisers departing the show - this sends a signal... but more likely a small "ping" rather than a siren.

In all actuality, CC's inventory is probably sold-out, so there would be advertisers waiting in the wings. Clear Channel also has a strong national ad sales team, and can target large agencies and corporations for ad buys. Compound that with a presence in most top 150 markets, there are a lot of corporately-controlled outlets.

The real question is with the independents and small market operators. Will local advertisers decide to move their ad dollars to other stations? To other dayparts? In either case, there will be a loss of revenue for that air spot. If there is no replacement revenue, then there is a problem. Most likely, the revenue would be replaced becuase the show still pulls in listeners (albeit it may be slipping in some larger markets with the introduction of the PPM).

My guess, this will have a net zero (or net positive) impact on revenue. It will take a genuine disinterest in his show to impact ratings on a large enough trend to make radio operators decide to change their lineup. With Clear Channel as the syndicator, and with many Clear Channel markets - I don't see a change happening any time soon. Especially if Obama is in the whitehouse until 2016.

The other possible change agent is if an alternative option came about that pulled audience. With Cumulus putting growth into Huckabee there is an option. Maybe Hannity would be a good fit if he were scheduled against Limbaugh ... on an FM station?

Personally, I was a ditto-head back in the early and mid 1990's. Rush was a great entertainer and great Radio person. His show back then was creative, stimulating, and slightly unique in what radio offered. I moved out of the country for 12 years and upon my return and visits over the last 5 years, I have been less interested. I don't know if it's the overall content of the show or my tastes that changed.


Brian