9-23-14Any story we run with Rush Limbaugh in the headline is sure to generate passionate comments from our readers. Yesterday was no different. Rush has been a success in our industry for over 25 years, he's had his share of national controversy and he's played a consistent role in the politics of America. Even within the ranks of our own business people love him or people hate him. Bryan Broadcasting's Ben Downs comments, "If what the Stop Rush people were telling my clients were true, I would take my lumps and move on. But, to lift excerpts of Rush illustrating how absurd some ideas are as if they were his own opinions is legally libel. I agree, there should be repercussions for organizations who intentionally make up stories to hurt our business." There's no denying he'll go down in history as one of the most consistent success stories of all time. If you haven't had a chance to look at the industry comments our story generated yesterday, here they are again...
It's not something Rush Limbaugh normally does, give added publicity to those trying to take him down. Apparently America's most-listened-to talk show host has had enough. Tuesday afternoon, Rush issued a press release called "The Rush Limbaugh Show Exposes the Stop Rush Conspiracy." It comes on the heels of the Democratic Campaign Committee?s newest email asking voters to sign a petition calling for sponsors to end their relationship with the Rush Limbaugh Show. Rush says 10 Twitter users -- and Angelo Carusone, EVP of Media Matters for America -- are actually behind the campaign to intimidate his advertisers, and Rush spokesman Brian Glicklich calls it blackmail.
Rush posted on his website that the Stop Rush group claims to be made up of ordinary consumers unhappy with his comments. Glicklich (pictured left) says that's not the case at all. ?A small number of politically motivated out-of-state activists are distributing target lists indiscriminately, and annoying small businesses until they give up the advertising deals that help them grow, or risk being unable to conduct business at all. It?s not even activism? it?s blackmail.? The list includes Nancy Padak who uses a Kent State University e-mail address and the Rush camp says "e-mails advertisers with harassment from her official Kent State email address (she tells the Daily Caller she no longer works at the University). and gives businesses she has no relationship with 1 star ratings if they advertise on Rush."The Rush camp says this small group of Twitter users appears to be bigger than it is because they deploy custom automated tweeting software in violation of Twitter's rules. "They send barrages of thousands of messages through this software until advertisers are bullied and harassed into cancellation." On his website, Rush has posted the names of nine people he says are behind the Twitter spam campaign.
Executive Vice President Media Matters for America Angelo Carusone responded to the claim that there were only ten people causing all the trouble. "After initially insisting there were no troubles with advertisers, two years later Limbaugh's crisis team comes out with a report attributing this massive exodus to just 10 people? The numbers just don't add up. This is a grassroots effort that grows every day."
Read the Rush Limbaugh press release HERERead what Rush posted on his website HERERead the Daily Caller coverage of the story HERE
(9/25/2014 10:53:28 PM)
Repeal of the Fairness Doctrine started the long downhill slide for Radio and Rush Limbaugh is the court jester. He and other crud-merchants have resulted in an American population that is mis-informed, ill-informed, and unnecessarily polarized, according to the wishes of those really in control.
(9/25/2014 10:03:33 PM)
10 people are responsible for taking down Rush? Sounds like you should HIRE them.
(9/25/2014 2:16:45 PM)
I think, Rod, that as many Americans are embarrassed that such a sanctimonious boor could be so popular. Still, that doesn't mean the guy can't or shouldn't be on the radio.
(9/25/2014 1:50:36 PM)
Rush Limbaugh's enduring success is based on the simple fact that tens of millions of ordinary Americans have felt it worthwhile to invest a part of their day listening to his show. They've chosen to do this, freely, without coercion or intimidation. Rush's success and prosperity have been earned by him, without him forcing anyone to do anything. He's the quintessential American Success Story, and this infuriates his enemies, small-minded people who secretly envy his success. (9/25/2014 8:17:07 AM)
There is enough room in the media to slander absolutely everybody.
The key is about who believes what from whom.
Freedom of Speech reigns.
Legitimate cases of slander and such will continue.
PC is a lost and unworthy cause.
I see no problem with any of this, especially when the revenooers or cops are banging on my door.
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