NYT: Late Period Limbaugh
Radio Equalizer: Megasplash, Megadeal
So the media are all abuzz with the news of Mr. Limbaugh’s big $400 million contract to stay on the radio through 2016. All I can think of is how happy I am for the guy.
I’ve been listening to Rush since I was in college at UT Austin, back during the 1992 campaign. The RA in my dorm made a comment about the picture of President Bush (41) that I had on my wall, that I would probably like this guy on the radio, Rush. The funny thing was that my RA was a liberal, but he was right, I checked out Rush and started carrying a radio walkman in order to listen to him when he was on.
After college, I moved to Houston, and thought it was so awesome that we got two chances to listen to Rush each day, and to add to it I got to listen to Dan and Mike and the other guys on KPRC and KSEV. (heh…I almost wrote 850 and 710, the two conservative talk stations in Denver)
Now, I subscribe to Rush’s podcasts and listen to him on my iPod.
I may not agree with Rush as much as I used to, but I have always found him very entertaining, and I hope he keeps it up through 2016 and beyond. He deserves all the success he has worked so hard for.
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I read this yesterday, and didn’t link it as I figured one of you wise contributors would. This is a great read! No matter what you think of Rush, it’s a great read.
Astrosmith you’re makin me wistful from living in Denver ‘93 - ‘03!!!
One of our BACA members is Peter Boyle’s sister (Boyle’s a lib but a good guy and motorcyclist)
I also miss listening to Mike Rosen mornings on the ‘50,000 watt BLOWTORCH of the Rocky Mountain West’ - aka KOA 850.
Oh and KUDOS to the Rushmeister too!
Wish I could listen to him as I used to - working on the phones all day kills that concept……..
As one who has never been a Rush fan, I think his new contract is fabulous.
Free market reigns!
Let the liberals develop their own “Rush,” and let the free market be the ultimate “Fairness Doctrine”.
I do not envy the rich, I should emulate them. I don’t have the guts nor the brains to do what he’s done. He’s earned the deal. More power to him.
The government’s share of his signing bonus: $35 MILLION!
Katfish, do you mean actor Peter Boyle, who died in Dec 2006?
Oh yeah, I listen to Mike Rosen on 850 KOA all the time.
And when I was living in Dallas, I would listen to Mark Davis and the other hosts on WBAP.
This morning in the truck as I was listening to Rush’s podcast from yesterday, I heard the part where Rush referred to his $400 million contract as “a cut”, because he had “planned on twice as much”!
Oh he kills me. I just know that the lefties will think that is not funny at all and Rush being a blowhard and bragging or something, but it’s just a reference to baseline budgeting in Congress where a reduced increase in spending is considered “a cut” because they had planned to increase spending by more.
And yesterday, I caught a bit of Hugh Hewitt talking to an OIF veteran who was supporting Obama not because he knew anything about the issues, but because he’s not doing too well right now and Obama is promising “change”. Hewitt tried to talk him out of it, but the guy was so ignorant that I don’t think he got it.
So talk radio’s work will never be done, at least until Pelosi and Reid get the “Fairness Doctrine” reinstated.
Companies pay individuals what they feel their worth is. Given the impact Rush has been to his employer, talk radio and the AM band itself make him worth every penny. The fact the Lib-Talk has failed time and time again…it is because they do not talk…they rant. Rush making $400 million has the Dem-Libs I know on the brink of insanity (that’s fun to watch). One and all have a safe 4th of July. Remember the day correctly.
My brother claims Rush is a daily part of his life and has been for 20 years. I find that rather depressing. LOL.
Leftists everywhere are having a coronary today. I don’t listen to Rush really at all, but I think that’s just funny.
Expect renewed calls for the “fairness doctrine”…
The “fairness doctrine” sounds like nationalization of the radio industry where “big government” takes over and “fairly” gives equal time to both liberals and conservatives. What happen to “free market system” where the “supply and demand” determines air time? How are some stations suppose to make a profit if they have to give fair and equal time to liberals who have no audience? How about a fairness doctrine for a media that is overwhelmingly liberal, where’s the fairness there.
“So the left is all abuzz with the news of Mr. Limbaugh’s big $400 million contract to stay on the radio through 2016.”
Who? Where? Sounds like FoxNews’ “some people say.” The “left” doesn’t care. In fact I love the way he has managed to convince the $40,000 conservative that the eeeeeevil liberals want to take his money and redistribute the wealth. When in actuality he is just looking for a tax cut…
Oh and I hope the people in this thread are not the same ones who say athletes make too much money.
13. And the problem with a tax cut is…?
#7 - NO. Peter BoyleS is on AM Radio in Denver
#13 - Of COURSE pro athletes make too much.
But nary a ONE of them (nor anyone else IMHO) has significantly reduced APATHY in America like Rush has…..yall hilarious detractors don’t “get it”….it aint about agreeing with him - it’s all about him motivating folks on both sides of the aisle to wake up and pay ATTENTION. (I know I know - simplicity is just too much for yall to digest or accept)
#13 houdem
Anyone in an open, democratic, capitalistic society is free to negotiate the most money for services rendered, whatever they may be. I do not, and never have, criticized anyone, athletes and actors included, for making too much money. If the owner of a sports franchise or film studio chooses to pay millions for a person’s performance, it is their private business. I may think it unwise or even stupid, but that is another thing entirely. It is not my place to comment on either parties’ right to enter into whatever contracts they may conclude.
What I do find hypocritical are the people who will criticize the income of a corporate CEO as being 50 times (pick a multiplier) that of a lowly lineworker in the company’s plant. Those same indignant critics never seem to find it noteworthy or unacceptable that actors or musicians or the Katie Courics of the world make hundreds of times the income of a roadie, lighting technician, key grip, cameraman or bit actor working for scale.
16 - Those athletes generate a boatload or income for the owners. Their salaries (like limbaugh’s) are justified.
17 - Most people get angry over CEO pay when stock prices, under that CEO, have fallen. See Bob Nardelli. I, personally, had no problem with Lee Raymond getting the pay he did because he did what he needed to do - increase the long-term value of his shareholders.
I, too, believe that comparing somebody’s salary as X times greater than “the generic blue-collar” guy is silly. The amount one gets paid in a free market is NOT a function of how hard you work or the social/moral significance of your job (nurse, teacher)…it’s much more about how much income or revenue you generate. To me the trader on wall st. is one the best example of getting paid your worth.
#18 Stock prices sometimes don’t have anything to do with CEO performance. It can have a lot to do with input costs, the overall economy, and general market sentiment… with the CEO has no control over.
In 1992, my Grandmother told me she’d like to stick a fork in Limbaugh. “lotta dirty air would come out”, she said… someone once said Rush Limbaugh makes “cents”… I’ve been listening since 1991… Ironically, Rush Limbaugh has enabled drug addiction to be accepted as a “disease” instead of a moral flaw, even by his “zero-tolerance” dittohead audience… Lastly, has Rush ever explained why he never voted for Reagan? (He cast his first ballot at age 36)… not very democratic, patriotic, conservative or responsible… megadittoes, out…
Thank God there’s someone like Rush to help those who can’t think for themselves
#17 Hey texpat, “free” and “open” market for CEO’s? Why don’t companies bring in CEO’s from overseas? (because it’s a rigged game, that’s why) Surely a well qualified administrator could come over (from, say, India) and run, say, a hospital, for less than $100k per year… and do it as well or better than a $1.2 million (more or less) hack CEO that’s there now… So you see, just like “reality tv” isn’t “reality tv”, the “free market” isn’t a “free market”…
GOTCHA!
more power to Rush’s new contract… it means we’ll be hearing more commercials for Allen Bros. Steaks and less Rush…
houstondem: May I suggest that both the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and the Marine Corps Scholarship Fund will continue to see large donations as well?
#20, I just knew that someone would bring up Rush’s pain pill problem when I wrote this post. Thanks for maintaining my faith in the pettiness of liberals.
As for Rush’s pain pill addiction: it is, to me, an entirely different problem for someone to get hooked on prescription medicines after some type of surgery than it is for someone else to get hooked on other drugs by choice. Our laws in this area do need to be changed, because in my opinion we punish the users of these drugs too much, instead of getting them help to get off the drugs, and punish the suppliers too little. You cannot solve the demand side of the issue by locking users up in jail, and you cannot solve the supply side by continuing to not guard our borders (for example).
Obviously I am not a “zero-tolerance dittohead”, and I wonder just how many people actually fit your notions.
Count on headshaker to stir the pot. I don’t know one single person who lets Rush Limbaugh do their thinking for them.
#24 jimb
LMAO - are you a DittoHead?
Just listen to his callers. They can’t take a dump unless Rush tells them it’s OK.
OH NO! RUSH AIN’T ON TODAY! IT’S JASON LEWIS INSTEAD! HOW AM I GOING TO THINK TODAY?!?!?!?!
Oh wait, I just remembered. I do have a brain and have been using it successfuly to argue with Houstondem and Liv in the Joe Horn thread.
Toughguy e-warrior dittos to Rush!
LOL. I’m not a dittohead, but I doubt that the vast majority of his listeners are idiots…
#27 jimb
Where did I say they were idiots?
They’re not idiots, they’re just misguided souls
Headshaker,
It’s clear that you implied that Rush listeners are drooling idiots with the comment “They can’t take a dump unless Rush tells them it’s OK.”
Point of fact: Rush listeners are not idiots, nor are they misguided souls.
And we’re pretty damn observant too.
#29
LOL - Rush has taught you the art of self-defense very well.
Keep listening to what he says. It’s going to be a long, long next 8 years for the DittoHeads.
It’s gonna be a long next 8 years for EVERYONE
#31 Squawker
Yeah, but even more so for Rush and his followers. The disaster that is Obama will no doubt cut deep into the “souls” of the Rushbots.
Three top lies and those who speak them.
Government: We are here to help
Girlfriend or boyfriend: I will respect you in the morning
Blog participants: I don’t listen to Rush Limbaugh
Shakey
No more so than what George Bush “has done for” conservatism.
BTW I listen to Rush when I have the radio on 740. However most of the time I am listening to good ‘ol Rock in Roll.
In fact I have got to get up and turn over my record.
The biggest winners here will be Hannity and Savage…$miling ear-to-ear I bet when they heard what Limbaugh $igned for…
Nah, Dad taught me self defense long before I ever heard of Rush.
On November elections, we’ll see. At worst though, if Obama somehow manages to convince enough people to vote for him (a very big if at that), his Presidency will only last 4 years.
A honest examination of Obama’s record will reveal that there’s no way he outperforms Jimmy Carter in anything but failure.
LOL, I don’t listen to talk Radio much at all in the past 2 years. Not even DP.
Isn’t it always interesting that it’s always someone else’s fault when conservatism takes a hit?
The disaster that is Obama will hurt the souls of everyone in this nation, Rush listener or not. And no, Limbaugh didn’t have to tell me that.
#38
I don’t disagree, but what makes you think McCain will be any better?
#40 jimb
Yeah, but some of us are already mentally prepared.
By the way, did you get my email? Let me know if you want some stuff.
For one thing, John McCain graduated from the Naval Academy. The slightest amount of research will tell you that military academy standards are extremely high. It’s hard to get in. It’s even harder to graduate.
I happen to know from the stories my sister has told me and my family. She graduated from the Naval Academy in 2001. That place is anything but easy. They train their students to be leaders.
For example: my sister now works in the Pentagon.
That’s just the start of McCain’s resume. Yes, I disagree with him wholeheartedly on illegal aliens and global warming, but I know the man has been trained to lead.
I can’t say that about Obama.
Rush Limbaugh has one message. Conservatism is the only way to go. Everything he says centers around that message. EVERYTHING
Every criticism of liberals, ragging on Republicans, is a comparrison and contrast of his ideals of what is conservatism.
His recent contract does not prove “Rush is right” but what it does prove is that consumer demand reigns supreme and he was richly rewarded for his efforts and talents.
Let’s keep this thread focused on the subject of the story. If you wanna discuss McCain/Obama take it to the open comments.
Thanks in advance
#20 antifascist
Limbaugh had nothing to do with how substance abuse and addiction is defined in this society. It was classified as a disease long before his problems.
Concerning your grandmother, it is apparent cognitive disorders are hereditary in your family.
Concerning Rush’s voting record before he became politically engaged and active, who cares ?
#22 antifascist
I would respond to your comments about CEOs if there were any substance within them. Unfortunately, they are the babblings of an unserious person and that they are patent nonsense is self-evident.
I think I’ve proven my point about Rush listeners being able to think independently of him.
HAL, on the other hand, is a completely different matter. Yes HAL. *grovel* *grovel* Sorry HAL. *grovel* *grovel*
42 - I’ll let you know, thanks…
#46 texpat
A free and open market system would produce lower CEO wages as the #22 point illustrates. You can’t have it both ways, we’ll have to call it a “99% free market”… also, how about some logical rebuttal?
antifascist 1
oops, misclicked submit, to continue:
#46 texpat
A free and open market system would produce lower CEO wages as the #22 point illustrates. You can’t have it both ways, we’ll have to call it a “99% free market”… also, how about some logical rebuttal?
antifascist 1
Limbaugh is very good at what he does, and through the success of a format he pretty much invented, revolutionized a then comatose portion of the broadcast space known as “AM”. He’s earned every cent, and enabled many others to follow in his path. For the most part, his kind of success is unheard of in such a competitive industry.
In the NYT piece above, the recounting of his early “career” in radio reminded me of the many talented people I’d met in my brief but exciting and (not nearly as) rewarding career in commercial broadcasting.
Off hand, I can think of roughly 50 people who are still among the sharpest and quickest minded folks I’ve ever met. I’ve not kept up with any, but have kept track of a few.
– “Cookin Kinnon Thomas” The owner of the country station I worked at for 3 years… Put the place on the air for about $250K 1st year costs, just two months before Urban Cowboy was released and “country became cool.” Made a ton of money overnight and later sold the station for $4.5M. Last seen looking for an open Class C allocation in rural OK.
– Jerry Lousteau, “The Uglee Jock” came up with that catch phrase/gimmick at KLOU Lake Charles LA, where during an election year he ran a vigorous campaign for Dog Catcher (a non-existent post.) Was successful in string of medium sized markets as “Ugly Jerry” and now owns two stations in a small market in Mississippi, where he recently ran for mayor.
Roger Dale Martin, one of the best voices I’ve ever heard, and could do a Nixon impersonation that made folks roll on the floor, was about to finish his bachelors in accounting when I worked with him (yes, accounting…) Passed his CPA exam on the first attempt, went on to achieve a doctorate in law, and last I heard, lives right here in sunny Houston.
Then there’s Paul Hoffner, another “born for the airwaves voice” who went straight from the small Lake Charles market to KRBE, and was still in the biz a few years ago when I heard him on (the then) KWMX-FM up in Astrosmith’s neck of the woods.
There’s more, but I digress… It’s a tough business with a lot of talented and aggressive people that move fast. It’s unusual that Limbaugh stuck with it, and his success is astounding.
But what I originally meant to comment about was a quote from the NYT piece.
Megga-dittos Rush!
oops, misclicked submit, did it again, (no tab key I suppose… today is my first posting activity… feels good) to continue:
#46 texpat
A 100% free and open market system would produce lower CEO wages as the #22 point illustrates. You can’t have it both ways (i.e. different rules for management) in a free and open business model, we’ll have to call it a “99% free market”… also, how about some logical rebuttal? You can’t have it both ways… Admit it, I GOTCHA on this one…
antifascist 1 texpat 0
Rush Limbaugh is to Clearchannel Communications as the Jonas Brothers are to Disney… meaning he is not a “free” market success, he is a manufactured lackey (as savage says: “a Bush Bootlicker” meaning an “establishment bootlicker”). Sure there are high ratings, but he is a minion of Clearchannel. He is cost-effective propaganda ($400 million for 8 more years is a steal) for the establishment and of course for Clearchannel to gobble up more and more of the public airwaves. Lets call him “Establishment Apparatus” [not even a person if you think about it]… and yes, I am a long-time listener… I kinda feel sorry for him. He is not the master of his on-air persona, the economic establishment is… That has to take a toll… no wonder the drug problem…
He is talented, as are the Jonas Brothers…
Hey, the Jonas Brothers rock!
Or, rather Camp Rock, currently playing on Disney Channel…
On a related note, I can’t believe Billy Ray Cyrus has found so much success through his daughter…
antifacist, you don’t know what you’re talking about. If there was no market for it, the “establishment” that Rush is part of would not exist in its current form. Are you suggesting that CC and Rush are both part of some gigantic Goebbels-style government/media complex?
What would you suggest, if I may ask, would make the market in this area is “freer”?
/what’s that black helicopter doing outside of my window?
#52 antifascist
1. I didn’t know there was an import tariff on CEOs. Seriously, there is no logical reasoning behind your statement about importing lower CEOs at lower compensations. A chief executive officer cannot be compared to a profession like engineering in which, quite often, similar tasks are repeated within well-defined parameters. A CEO has wide-ranging, undefined, enormous and frequently changing responsibilities. That person must also have broad knowledge across a variety of subjects. There is no CEO bar exam or certification, anymore than there is for a university president or the head of a major non-profit foundation.
Also, there have been numerous CEOs, CFOs and COOs in American companies who were born outside the USA or were promoted from foreign subsidiaries or divisions. Eckhard Pfeiffer of Compaq comes to mind and the oil&gas business in Houston is a prime example. And why would any person, from any country, being recruited as a CEO be willing to work for less than his peers ? Anyone of that caliber would already be commanding international attention and might very well cost more than domestic talent.
2. Rush Limbaugh was nationally syndicated in 1988 when Clear Channel had only a couple of dozen stations. No one had ever heard of them while at the same time, millions had heard of Limbaugh. He honed his craft and show for many years before CC bought his production company. It was not until 1996 when federal law changed that CC was able to expand rapidly.
While they have a contractual agreement for broadcasting and syndication, I can promise you CC does not tell Limbaugh how to do his show. The very idea is laughable. Rush was a huge presence in American broadcasting long before CC was anything but a small group of radio stations.
Rush has said he will continue to do his show as long as it is fun and challenging to him. I fully expect him to turn off the mike and walk out the day it is not. It is not like he needs the money.
I am a DittoHead.
I don’t remember the other 11 steps.
As far as comparing his contracts to athletes, sports team owners get 1/2 billion dollar stadiums given to them by tax payers and get the revenue so it is not a true market at work.
Possibly some of the other talk show hosts would have made it big if Rush didn’t start it but as I see it, Rush has made nearly as many millionaires as Bill Gates has.
#58 GJT
Rush has created not only countless millionaires in reviving a moribund AM radio industry, but he has also created a few billionaires, as in the three guys who founded Snapple.
I forgot about Snapple, I think Bruce Matthews and Mike Munchak(sp) with the Oilers started a franchise down here back then.
#54 Jimb (East Texas style “Jilm” or Jim B.) ??
as for the Goebbels model… if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks… that does not mean it is a duck… however, it is dangerous to consolidate our media to just a handful of owners… The media apparatus (press) isn’t called the fourth estate for nothing…
#55 Rush is not authentic… he’s a minion… deal with it… megadittoes, out…
#60 antifascist
Americans and people in free countries around the world have access to more news and analysis and opinion sources than ever in history. Consolidation of ownership of rapidly shrinking and dying media like newspapers is not only no cause for alarm, it is to be expected. As the readership of papers and viewership of traditional networks continue to diminish, they will have to merge in order to survive. New and better sources of news and information continue to emerge and evolve on the internet and will provide for a more informed citizenry. The internet is one of the great democratizing forces in history and, unfortunately for nostalgic Luddites like yourself, it has killed the robotic, mind-numbed news machine of ABCNBCCBS.
As expected, your facile, glib comments on Rush Limbaugh betray your inability to mount any sort of reasonable argument.
I, too, started listening to Rush many years ago. I believe it was during the Desert Shield/Desert Storm days. A very liberal attorney in our town told me I ought to listen to him. It took a week or so of listening and then I was a regular. I only hear him when I leave work for lunch or hear his weekly highlights on the weekend.
I don’t agree with everything he says but think the country is better off with him on the air and I am glad this will continue. Mega-dittos, Rush!
Speaking of Talents, God gave Rush ( or lent it to him) to help in the cause. Although I bet none of us agree a 100% on everything with Him, the overwhelming majority of what he says is helpful to freedom Thanks Rush………..My main disagreement on substance, is with Rush’s staunch defence of ‘Big Pharma’. The problem for me is the control weilded by them through the incestuous link with the FDA. That is NOT to say that all of their stuff is bad or that all FDA control is unnecesarry. If Rush were to follow his own advise and ‘follow the money’, He would see that People on my side of the issue would like a return to Freedom re: natural remedies etc. ala Dr. Hotze et al. Where Rush’s red flag is the perceived anti- Corporate sentiment. LOve ya Man!
Heh, wait ’til Squawk sees this on Music Friday!
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