Will local advertisers rush away from Limbaugh?
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Will local advertisers rush away from Limbaugh?
The Good Hands People dropped him like a hot potato, and he was even re-jected by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
But will the swirl of controversy surrounding Rush Limbaugh -- the most listened to radio talker in America -- and his recent remarks calling a female law student and activist a "slut" -- cause local advertisers to abandon ship here in Philadelphia, where he airs on 1210-WPHT weekdays at noon?
And could Limbaugh actually leave the airwaves in the City of Brotherly Love -- as happened with his fellow conservative yakkers Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity some 14 months ago?
At least one major local firm -- Penn Medicine, the University of Pennsylvania's massive health system -- which aired a commercial during the Limbaugh show yesterday on WPHT told the Daily News it was "concerned" about Limbaugh comments and would be checking first thing tomorrow morning to see if more spots are scheduled.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System purchases advertising segments based on number of listeners and not based on a specific show or personality," said Susan E. Phillips, senior vice president of Penn Medicine. "Mr. Limbaugh’s recent controversial comments are of concern to us and we are reviewing the situation with respect to our advertising."
Katherine E. Blodgett, vice president of the Philadelphia Orchestra, which also aired a commercial on Limbaugh's program, said "we don’t buy ads specifically on the Rush Limbaugh show but rather buy a certain number of ads" -- on CBSPhilly, which owns several local stations -- "that will air throughout a 24 hour period.
Nationally, at least 12 major advertisers have yanked their ads from Limbaugh since Friday, including Allstate Insurance, AOL, Sears, The Sleep Train, Sleep Number, Citrix, LegalZoom, QuickenLoans and Carbonite. The speedy corporate response is a testament to the power and speed of social media, as advertisers were beseiged on Twitter and activists raced to organize boycotts on Twitter.
Two radio stations, in Hilo, Hawaii and Pittsfield, Mass., cancelled Limbaugh today. The Hilo station called his comments about the law student Sandra Fluke "egregious." The veterans' group VotyeVets was lobbyiing last night to get the right-wing icon yanked from Armed Forces Radio. Quicken Loans CEO Dan Gilbert not only pulled that firms ads but took ads for the NBA's Cavaliers, which he also owns, off the Cleveland affiliate.
In Philadelphia, WPHT also carries Phillies baseball and there's heavy cross-promotion of those broadcasts with Limbaugh.
The advertisers will eventually be back, or the time slots will be filled with others who want to reach his audience. That's not said in support of his comments, just as recognition of the market reality. He broadcasts to a coveted demographic.
That said, maybe his comments now make it easier for him to get a show on HBO, like Bill Maher.
Comment removed.
Rush often uses over the top rhetoric to make a point. The advertisers have a right to do as they want. Rush is an entertainer much like Bill Maher, and I did not see this page call for his head when he called Sarah Palin a crude term etc. I thought the liberals were for freedom of speech? The selective moral outrage is astounding. Rush is the #1 host, and WPHT would be wise to keep him. Will: PHT claimed they dropped Beck and Hannity for "more local content", not because of their opinions.— Bush3- I'm so sick of the squeamish leftists... they couldn't wait to pounce on this... he said what many of us have said amongst our friends... we are far too picky when it comes to what public figures say and how they say it... grow up and get a life.— hotstuff
"maybe his comments now make it easier for him to get a show on HBO, like Bill Maher" . . . . . . Has Rush been trying to get on HBO? Actually I wonder what it would take for Bill Maher to get a talk show on wholesome, taxpayer-funded Armed Forces Radio, like Rush?- Limbaugh, like all others on Armed Forces Radio is not paid to be on there. Plus, the listeners have reuqested him. Maher doesn't do anything without getting paid. He would also have to clean up his language to be on AFR. Limbaugh's comments ,while wholly inappropriate, come nowhere near the mysoginistic utterances of Maher.
— georgel - There is no such thing as bad publicity.— Another_1
- Poor rightwingers - Rush is all they've got. Let's let him be. After all, he's probably done more to help the cause of reproductive freedom with one word than any co-ed could ever dream of with a thousand speeches to Congress.
- ///After all, he's probably done more to help the cause of reproductive freedom ///
Was someone trying to ban contraception? I must have missed it. Either that or you're engaging in a fun little game called "making things up." - And like a pathetic rape defendant whining about the victim's provocative dress, Rush blames liberals for making him say it. I feel so dirty, lol!— montani semper liberi
The difference between Bill Maher and Rush Limbaugh is simple: Maher is a Democrat through and through, but an entertainer who is taken with a grain of salt by his viewers. On the other hand, Limbaugh is the kingmaker for the GOP. Politicians on the right are terrified of Limbaugh. Don't believe me? Listen to George Will last Sunday morning. Rush has been the defacto leader of the GOP since "W" won his second term. As a matter of fact, this whole comparison to Bill Maher was a talking point directly from the lips of Limbaugh himself.— wokmaster- My outrage meter is pegged at eleventy. Why hasn't Bruce Springsteen penned an ode to the aggrieved party yet? Rush's advertisers should not only pull their spots, but should cease all operations until Rush has gone through the proper remediation. He must be terminated and then eliminated - he is a threat the likes of which our world has never seen. Hold me!!!— m13sully
- So it's OK for your insurer to offer Viagra in its health plan, but not OK for a woman to seek protection from a Viagra-induced pregnancy? So men can run all around having sex (on their insurance plans) but the woman can't get contraception from the same plan? LOVELY DOUBLE STANDARD!— philharmonic55
- A couple of points to make, but first, you're waaaayyyy off base.
For one thing, many insurance plans do not cover Viagra.
Second, the discussion for which Fluke was before Congress, and for which Limbaugh called her a "slvt," was whether religious organizations should be forced to provide contraception coverage in their insurance plans to employees, and for which several religious organizations wish to have an exception.
Third, it's not a double standard at all. One item is a means (viagra), the other is an end result (pregnancy). it is not necessary to have contraception in order to have sex. - "LOVELY DOUBLE STANDARD!"
Horribly misguided post, as one treats a chronic condition, and the other is elective and preventative by it's very nature. Sorry, but your comparison doesn't hold water.— .bp-philly.
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