(Major shakeup for the radio industry) Cumulus planning to drop Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity

[kpete]

Last edited Sun Jul 28, 2013, 10:28 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Politico

By DYLAN BYERS | 7/28/13 7:59 PM EDT
In a major shakeup for the radio industry, Cumulus Media, the second-biggest broadcaster in the country, is planning to drop both Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity from its stations at the end of the year, an industry source told POLITICO on Sunday.

Cumulus has decided that it will not renew its contracts with either host, the source said, a move that would remove the two most highly rated conservative talk personalities from more than 40 Cumulus channels in major markets.


The decision comes after negotiations between Cumulus and Premiere Networks, the division of Clear Channel that distributes Limbaugh and Hannity's shows, broke down due to disagreements over the cost of the distribution rights, the source said. Cumulus is known to drive a hard bargain on costs, and Clear Channel is known to seek top dollar for big names.

As industry insiders caution, Cumulus and Clear Channel have come to the brink before during contract negotiations only to resume talks. But the source told POLITICO that Clear Channel was unlikely to reduce the cost for distribution rights to a level that would satisfy Cumulus.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/07/cumulus-planning-to-drop-rush-limbaugh-sean-hannity-169371.html#.UfWxAAR0nQU.twitter

---

missed the best part from the Think Progress version of the story:

Limbaugh recently acknowledged difficulty selling ads, complaining ad buyers are “are young women fresh out of college, liberal feminists who hate conservatism“:

http://thinkprogress.org/media/2013/07/28/2370021/report-nations-second-largest-radio-broadcaster-planning-to-drop-rush-limbaugh/

[MotherPetrie]

1. I can't get excited over this. No way they won't end up coming to terms.

[Shrike47]

2. A woman can dream.

[MotherPetrie]

3. It WOULD be great, but I've just seen warring media cry-wolf situations too many times.

[riversedge]

11. Limpy and Hannity will most likely PAY the station to keep

them on air. Both of their egos are beyond humungous!!

[davidpdx]

25. I'm pretty skeptical as well

It is going to take a lot more work to get rid of these two conservative pinheads. Both still have a loyal following. It will be interesting to see how things turn out.

[rocktivity]

4. Awwww, what a shame

rocktivity

[Horse with no Name]

5. Trial balloon

RW freaks will come out in en masse.

13th hour negotiation will ensue and there will continue to be hate on the airwaves.

[cosmicone]

6. While it sounds like public posturing to get the best deal,

I hope they actually drop the two shows.

However, I hope even more intensely that they don't replace them with someone more bigoted and cruel than those two. Those two have jumped the shark ... we don't want new R/W talk radio blood.

[Ken Burch]

7. If they did, would it mean all that much?

I'd like to see Rush and Sean get as small an audience as possible, but if they get knocked off of commercial radio, won't they just switch to satellite radio and get mega-richer, like Beck did?

[leftynyc]

28. They're already rich

and that is not the point. If their mouth breathing fans have to actually pay to listen to them, their influence will shrink dramatically - Beck got wealthier but when was the last time he drove any conversation?

[Ken Burch]

8. Wouldn't it be great if THEIR jobs were outsourced to guys in Delhi or Bangalore?

I'm sure there's gotta be Hindu-nationalist versions of Limbaugh and Hannity. Just imagine what THOSE shows would be like...

[meadowlark5]

9. The baggers will be protesting in the streets

Just like they galvanize to eat at Chik-fil-A or buy Paula Deans cookbook, they'll organize some crusade in front of the Cumulus Media corporate headquarters protesting this decision. It's an attack on freedom of speech again There will be misspelled signs and accusations that Obama is trying to silence the voices of those two good Americans.

[olddots]

10. it's just 2 ultra greedy corporations getting together to be macho

The media owners pass the higher costs that they inflate themselves on to us .

[Doctor_J]

12. big deal. They can get some other fascist to do the same thing for a tenth

of the money. This is not a major shift by any means.

[damnedifIknow]

13. Dorothy is pleased

[sulphurdunn]

14. Their masters

have a simple standard: If you don't make them money you're gone. They peddle rightist ideology for advertising dollars, not because they give a rat's ass what Limbaugh or Hannity peddle to the rubes. This is what happens when conservatives fight over the only thing they really value.

[mahannah]

15. Drop them now. Today.

[baldguy]

16. How many D's in schaddenfreude?

[rocktivity]

17. Consider the source

That is, consider that the source of this story may be a member of the Rush or Sean camps trying to stir up public sympathy.


rocktivity

[Dawson Leery]

18. Ratings are down and Clear Channel (Bain) is demanding

more money for less service (profit).

[alp227]

19. "remove (Limbaugh and Hannity) from more than 40 Cumulus channels in major markets."

Last edited Mon Jul 29, 2013, 01:56 AM - Edit history (2)

I already posted about the possibility of Rush losing a bunch of markets irrevocably when this news was just a rumor before the summer.

Below I will break down markets where Rush is carried on a local Cumulus station and speculate if any other stations in the area will be able to take in Rush. I see that in many markets Rush will move to lower-power stations that don't cover as large regions as the cumulus stations do.

(Hmm I only count 34 stations in my search of RushLimbaugh.com comparing the state-by-state list there w/ wikipedia's list of radio stations owned by Cumulus media.)

Among large markets:
Chicago, IL/WLS: Most likely Rush will replace the (tape-delayed) Dennis Miller on Salem-owned WIND 560. Salem Radio is sorta the right wing version of Air America Radio as most Salem stations carry the same lineup of syndicated shows, but WIND carries the Premiere Networks-distributed Glenn Beck show. Premiere also distributes Rush. WISN 1130 out of Milwaukee is also an alternative for Rush fans if WIND doesn't take the show.

Dallas, TX/WBAP: Rush could move to Clear Channel-owned KFXR 1190 and replace that station's 11am CT delayed presentation of Glenn Beck. Alternatively there is the Salem-owned KSKY.

Detroit, MI/WJR: Bye bye. Salem-owned WDTK 1400 is the only other talk station in Detroit/Ann Arbor metro other than WJR, and during the 12-3 ET Rush timeslot WDTK carries the Salem-distributed Dennis Prager live. Nearest Rush station is WTAM 1100 out of Cleveland with a VERY weak signal in Detroit Metro due to an AM 1090 in Detroit area.

New York City/WABC: 77 WABC has been the flagship Rush station since 1988, as the Eric Cartman of talk radio launched his national show from that station after nearly a decade as a local-level host. Once the Cumulus contract sunsets, Rush and Sean shows will most likely move to WABC's 50-kW heritage competitor, WOR 710, which was recently bought by Clear Channel.

Washington, DC/WMAL: Most likely the independent WTNT 730 "The Truth", whose slogan was once "Washington's conservative talk station", can pick up the show. WCBM 680 out of Baltimore also carries Rush live. if you look up WTNT's website you'll notice it's got a shitty brokered time format most of the week! Alternatively, Salem-owned WWRC 1260.

HOWEVER, SOME smaller markets may no longer be polluted with Rush, but other stations may swap the show with other stations. Or strong distant stations may be able to serve dittoheads in the outskirts.

Albuquerque/KKOB: The only other talk stations in the ABQ/Santa Fe area are either another Cumulus station (dismiss that) and progressive stations KTRC/Santa Fe and KABQ/Albuquerque. Do note that Clear Channel owns KABQ; thus the possibility of KABQ replacing Dial Global-dist. Ed Schultz with Premiere-dist. Rush should NOT be dismissed as Clear Channel owns Premiere!

Albany, GA/WALG: No other stations in the home of the University of Georgia where Limbaugh show may fit. Albany dittoheads will need to listen to a noisy signal of WSB 750 out of Atlanta if they are somewhere w/o internet access.

Appleton, WI/WOSH: Rush is on a nearby Green Bay station, WTAQ.

Binghamton, NY/WNBF: Dittoheads here can listen to Rush on (a weaker signal of) WHCU out of Ithaca (my birthplace!)

Blacksburg, VA/WFNR: Rush can be heard from nearby WFIR/Roanoke.

Boise, ID/KBOI: Rush could end up tape-delayed one hour on rival KIDO if the station replaces Glenn Beck with Rush.

Chattanooga, TN/WGOW: The other talk station in Chattanooga is this crazy Christian fundmanetalist WJOC, and that station has Alex Jones (a cheaper show) during the Rush timeslot. Seems that Rush fans without the Internet will need to listen to Atlanta's WSB-AM under a lot of static. Oh, shout out to Chattanooga political cartoonist Clay Bennett!

Colorado Springs, CO/KVOR: CS is also Michelle Malkin's hometown. The other CS talk station, KZNT, is a Salem station that carries Prager. However, Denver 50 kW blowtorch KOA does have good coverage in CS.

Columbia, MO/KFRU: Dittoheads in the home of the University of Missouri can still get their Rush fix via KWOS out of Jefferson City or (a weaker signal of) KMBZ/Kansas City.

Dubuque, IA/WDBQ: No other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit.

Fayetteville, AR/KFAY: The home of the University of Arkansas has no other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit.

Fayetteville, NC/WFNC: No other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit.

Flint, MI/WWCK: Competitor WFNT, which is 5 kW vs. WWCK's 1 kW, could replace its delayed Glenn Beck presentation with a live Rush presentation.

Fort Walton Beach, FL/WFTW: No other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit as lower-power competitor WFDM carries a statewide syndicated host (Burnie Thompson) during the Limbaugh show.

Huntsville, AL/WVNN: No other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit. However, WEKI, based in nearby Decatur, could replace Prager with Rush.

Johnson City, TN/WJCW: Rush could move to WFHG-FM and replace that station's delayed presentation of Laura Ingraham.

Kalamazoo, MI/WKMI: No other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit.

Killeen, TX/KTEM: No other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit, unless dittoheads are willing to put up with weaker signals on KLBJ/Austin or KWTX/Waco.

Knoxville, TN/WOKI: This station could swap rush to WETR for Cumulus-dist. Mike Huckabee.

Lake Charles, LA/KAOK: No other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit, but KLVI Beaumont and KTRH Houston, Clear Channel-owned Limbaugh affiliates, may be audible in the area.

Lansing, MI/WJIM: Higher-powered competitor WILS (WILS is 25 kW, WJIM 890 W) currently carries Glenn Beck delayed during the Rush timeslot and may take Rush.

Little Rock, AR/KARN: No other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit.

Macon, GA/WMAC: Limbaugh could possibly move to WRWR-FM in nearby Warner Robins replacing WRWR's delayed Glenn Beck presentation.

Montgomery, AL/WLWI: Rush could move to Clear Channel's WACV.

Pensacola, FL/WCOA: (Hi Mike Papantonio!) WNRP could replace its live presentation of Dennis Miller.

Reno, NV/KKOH: KKOH could swap Rush to FM talk station KNEZ in exchange for the Cumulus-distributed Mike Huckabee Show.

Rockford, IL/WROK: No other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit, unless dittoheads are willing to listen to noisy signals of WIBA/Madison or whichever Chicago station is the next to have Rush.

Topeka, KS/KMAJ: No other stations in the area where Limbaugh show may fit, unless Topeka dittoheads want to listen to KMBZ out of Kansas City with some interference.

York, PA/WSBA: York can hear Rush on two other stations: WHP Harrisburg or WCBM Baltimore.

[earcandle]

23. I hope you don't mind that I reposted this on my FB page. If you do mind, let me know and I will

delete it.

[alp227]

24. are you reposting this permalink?

or copy and pasting the info? either way it's ok as long as you credit it to this message board.

[Kolesar]

31. "the Eric Cartman of talk radio " : perfect ... eom

[dawn frenzy adams]

20. I never beleived those ratings for conservative radio.

In 2011, the Daily Beast and the Young Turks exposed right-wing radio's ratings as fraudulent. Apparently, there is a new system of rating called the Portable People Meter. http://www.salon.com/2011/05/24/limbaugh_ratings/ Previously, it was Limbaugh who came up with the 20 million listeners. They are finding out that conservative radio is not that popular. Cenk issued a bet to Rush to prove his ratings.

Here are links to old articles:

Conservative Talk Radio Is Dead (Limbaugh, Beck Ratings Dive)
Young Turks (May 16, 2011)
Cenk really sums it up nicely in this video.

---------

Is Right-Wing Talk Dying?
Feb 9, 2011 5:39 AM EST

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/02/09/glenn-beck-sean-hannity-ratings-drop-right-wing-talk-is-dying.html

-------------

Tuesday, May 24, 2011 08:30 AM EST
Are we done with Rush Limbaugh yet?

http://www.salon.com/2011/05/24/limbaugh_ratings/

[earcandle]

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Here is our latest release and 50% of proceeds will go to the Trayvon Marvin Foundation

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Lyrics and Vocals: J Neo Marvin
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itunes link

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or listen in full (free)

http://www.earcandleproductions.com/RainyNightInFlorida.mp3

People need the music of the people who are articulating the zeitgiest of today and yesterday so that we don't forget and can keep on keeping on...

Ear Candle Radio, where you can rate a song for the top twenty and even buy it on itunes at a click if moved. Armchair shopping. no parking fees.

Give yourself a break. Lie down on the sofa and take an underground trip into our world of sound. Google Ear Candle Radio

This is not really an ad. Its a request. Can you help? I need to get my teeth fixed to get ready for my graduation of MA in ITEC.
I am smart, but no one will hire me with ugly front teeth, thanks to Dr. David Crawford of San Francisco.
I am living on school loans with high interest. Help me pay it off, and help to end the Stand your ground laws? Its only $.99.
Will you do a good deed, Mr. rabbit, Mrs. rabbit? Fulfill a couple of needs? Brother can you spare a dime, er. 10 dimes?

[hrmjustin]

22. Good!

[davidpdx]

26. So I'm curious if anyone knows the answers to these questions

When is the deadline for negotiations?

When does the old contract run out?

[BumRushDaShow]

29. Some answers

The Cumulus - Premiere deal is supposedly up at the end of this year.

And as background - Cumulus bought Citadel (the original ABC radio network) a couple years ago.

Meanwhile, Premiere itself is owned by Cumulus rival Clear Channel, which itself owns stations, and Premiere had already renewed Limpball's contract back in 2008 (to go until 2016).

So this would be more of a move of the show to the Clear Channel-owned stations (and any smaller independents who can afford it) and away from the Cumulus-owned stations.

IMHO, the STOP RUSH, etc., effort should continue and just target any new set of stations.

[davidpdx]

30. Thanks

That makes sense about it being the end of the year.

So essentially there are two huge station owners.

What I'm a little confused at is Cumulus/Premier (who I've never heard of) they already renewed Limbaugh through 2016, why are they negotiating now? I'm curious what' Hannity's deal is as well. Is this all based on the lost ad revenue?

I'd think the shows would be too expensive for the smaller independent stations.

[ceonupe]

32. Cumulus

Owns stations

Clear Chanel in this case owns premier who owns the syndication rights for both shows. Clear channel also owns stations itself but in many market where it does not have a talk station cumulus owns the dominant talk station


And while I don't agree with rush or hannity there is no denying they bring more listeners than any other non sports radio talk show.

This article is poorly written by politico and try's to turn this in to more than it is.

This is simply a standoff between 2 parties over money. No matter what both shows will prob be #1 in their time slot amongst other talk offerings so its really a question of will cumulus and clear channel reach an agreement or will these shows leave those stations.

On another note I notice while the Forman and construction crews often listen to rush/hannity I rarely see the owners or sales people listen.

[Kingofalldems]

40. So Rush and Hannity are men of the people I guess?

Keep em coming.

[ceonupe]

42. No but the little guys eat up there talk thinking

That if they follow the conservative way they will be rich.

I was pointing out the people with real power don't really listen just the little guys.


And no I don't like either as they suck but I'm not blind enough to see that they get more listeners than any other talk radio program at their air time.

Personally I enjoy NPR and BBC radio for talk news. For talk debate shows and angry rage shows I no longer listen left or right.

[defacto7]

27. I was almost dancing in the street

until I read it was only over money. Money wins the day unfortunately.

[wordpix]

33. "young women fresh out of college"---Limpdick is upset they don't like him

He would love to be a hero to these young women but they're ignoring him so he blames them for his demise.

[Myrina]

35. He's not blaming them for his demise ....

.... he's still blaming them because he wasa the little turd who couldn't get a date from anyone like them in high school.

[Dash87]

37. I wonder what his name is on AVoiceForMen?

Wimmenz are ruining my life! Wahhhh!!!

[Myrina]

34. Damage is already done ....

... everyone involved are gazillionaires, and the average sheeple that listen to them are so warped there's no bringing them back to sanity. They have fulfilled their mission of creating a culture of whacko potential domestic terrorists who think they're actually patriots.

[Dash87]

36. Those eeevil young women! Feminists too!

They cause everything from earthquakes to meteor showers!

The funny part is, his core audience is supposed to be older white men, but even they know he's full of it!

[KamaAina]

38. I should be dating an ad buyer

young women fresh out of college, liberal feminists who hate conservatism“:

Sounds perfect.

[grantcart]

39. See sometimes the market can be fun!

[brooklynite]

41. WOR-710 (Clear Channel) will be happy to give them slots in New York

They're running C- and D-list hosts right now and would be happy for the notoriety.

[Blue Owl]

43. Plop... Plop...

Flush...

[RoccoR5955]

44. Will they drop them both

from a tall building? The Empire State Building would be nice. I am sure it would get good ratings for them too.

[truedelphi]

45. I bet I am not the only one here who suspects that

The Crazier Limbaugh listeners will still hear him, no matter if ZERO radio stations still carry the guy!

[PoliticAverse]

46. Followup: Limbaugh re-ups with Cumulus for 3 years...

As expected, Rush Limbaugh has re-upped with Cumulus Media, bringing an end to months of heated, often public contract negotiations.

"On Wednesday night or Thursday, we completed our negotiations with the Cumulus Broadcasting Co., and there will not be any changes. I will continue to be on radio stations for the next three years," he told his listeners on Friday.

Read the rest at: http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2013/08/limbaugh-reups-with-cumulus-171120.html

[kpete]

47. if you want me to cry

I have a few tears left

peace, kp