The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
Remember seeing headlines such as the "Limbaugh Advertisers Flee Show Amid Storm"? That's what The New York Times ran on the front page of the Business section earlier this month. The media wallowed in how many days of coverage -- frequently leading the nightly news or placed prominently in the paper -- about the advertiser boycott and how much harm it was causing Rush Limbaugh.
The actual argument Limbaugh made was never put in context and we learned that the word he used (one that is frequently used in prime time sitcoms and by liberals who oppose female conservatives) should be grounds for permanent banishment from the country when uttered by Rush. Or something.
Well, the Washington Post has a follow-up:
Exactly one month after the conservative radio host sparked outrage ... stations are standing by him, advertisers are trickling back to his program and the news media have moved on. ...
Limbaugh’s advertising losses may have been less than media accounts suggested. While more than 100 advertisers told Premiere that they didn’t want to be associated with “controversial” radio programs of any kind in the wake of the flap, some of these companies weren’t regular Limbaugh sponsors in the first place.
Most of the remaining departures were only airing regionally.
“Contrary to the wishful thinking of the professional special interest groups, reports of sponsors fleeing the ‘Rush Limbaugh Show’ are grossly exaggerated. In fact, the program retains virtually of all its long-term sponsors who continue to have great success” with the show, saidRachel Nelson, spokeswoman for Premiere.
One of the goals of the group astroturfing the campaign against Limbaugh is to seek his removal from 180 of the stations that currently air him. They're pretty close to that goal -- they've gotten him off of two teensie-tiny stations. One in Hawaii and one in Western Massachusetts. I'm sure the remaining powerhouse stations that enjoy huge revenues because of his many listeners will drop him any day now.
What I love about this story is that it shows, once again, the bubble of the liberal elite. The only time they ever listen to Limbaugh is when his comments are taken out of context and clipped by a group devoted to doing just that. And that's fine. Talk radio is an acquired taste and it takes a certain commitment -- of time and open-mindedness -- to hear a talk radio argument made in full.
The manufactured outrage over this incident, and how willingly the media elite played along, didn't end up hurting Limbaugh. But didn't it hurt the credibility of those that played along?
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Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
Just saw that Jim Geraghty had some wise words on the matter in the Morning Jolt:
Jun '10
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
With the audience that Rush produces advertisers follow as the night the day.
May '10
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.:
What I love about this story is that it shows, once again, the bubble of the liberal elite.
It also shows how mainstream news is shaped by that bubble. Liberal journalists still dominate the news. If they didn't, conservative outlets wouldn't have made so much of Rush losing sponsors.
May '10
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
Rush is often cited as the man that "saved AM radio." He pulls in around 14 million unique listeners a week. (That's anyone who listens for at least one quarter of an hour in the 15 hours he's on.)
According to Arbitron this is your Talk Radio audience:
Rush also has a bit of churn with lower end affiliates, anyway. He's on a lot of the 50,000 watt clear channel "blow torches" and the smaller stations are redundancies. They come and go quite a bit.
Jul '11
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
There was little doubt in my mind that the left would try and fail here. In today's decadent culture you just are not going to get much lasting momentum on the poor choice of words he used to describe the 15 minutes of fame law student.
Apr '11
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
To quote Pauline Kael (I believe), "I can't believe it, nobody I know voted for Nixon."
As conservative ideas find more ground, the response of the liberal has been to go to ground, dig in, and turn up the volume on the Progressive Megaphone. They've come to the point they believe their own propaganda.
Jun '10
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
Some in Congress wanted to ban him from Armed Forces Radio too. I think they soon decided that removing Rush's show was probably a great way to start a mutiny, but not much else.
Oct '10
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
"But didn't it hurt the credibility of those that played along? "
No. Because they didn't have any to begin with, at least not with thinking people. The mind-numbed robots who believe the MSM claptrap live in an echo chamber and have no desire to be informed or educated. So they'll always believe whatever the MSM trot out, and when proved wrong, they close their ears and change the subject (I've experienced that personally). They'll never abandon the MSM on principled grounds.
Dec '10
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
Mollie,
Thanks for the update on Rush. I'm glad Old Ironsides is still fit for battle. Let us know if over the next few months there isn't a backblow from the phoney hatchet job they did on Rush and he winds up more popular than he was before.
Regards,
Jim
Jun '11
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
The liberals and the media miss the point on Rush. Rush delivers real time accuracy and insight like no other.
It is all exposed as it happens with Rush. He is the real time truth detector.
Aug '11
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
Dittoheads everywhere rejoice!
Feb '12
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
C. U. Douglas: To quote Pauline Kael (I believe), "I can't believe it, nobody I know voted for Nixon."
As conservative ideas find more ground, the response of the liberal has been to go to ground, dig in, and turn up the volume on the Progressive Megaphone. They've come to the point they believe their own propaganda. · 8 hours ago
Didn't you know that the louder you say it, the more true it is? That's why you almost always see Progressives in a gaggle, they can yell louder as a group.
Edited on March 30, 2012 at 7:53amApr '11
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
Limbaugh said yesterday that surveys indicate that listeners had increased from 10% to as much as doubling in some markets over the last month. A few more of these attacks and he will hit 25 million. I live in one of the US's peoples republics but our local radio station carries Limbaugh loud and clear daily along with specific digs at the breaks aimed at the local liberals.
Sep '10
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
Rush has been syndicated in Madison forever. Air America couldn't even survive in Madison.
Apr '11
Re: The Failure of the Stop Limbaugh Movement
Rush sure can get attention! Air America, Current TV etc. just wish they could.