Study: Rush Limbaugh's Ratings Best During His Commercials

New York Times:

Rush Limbaugh's fans are at their most numerous when he is not even speaking. That is among the findings of a study by Coleman Insights, a radio consulting firm, that uses newly available minute-by-minute listener data from New York, Philadelphia and Houston to map the ebb and flow of Mr. Limbaugh's audience.

The study found that Mr. Limbaugh's share of radio listeners was greatest during commercials, beating his share during on-air segments by 0.18 percentage point.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[BOfever]

10:50 PM on 04/07/2008

This came from the NY Times? What happened to them and when did they become so sad? Remember a couple months back when they said McCain had sexual relations with that lady and then they said there was more to come? 3 months later, we're still waiting for an actual story and not BS.

[NarcissisticFibrosis]

10:22 PM on 04/07/2008

What a crock. Do you even believe your own headlines?

[seekanddestroy]

09:18 PM on 04/07/2008

As much as I love bash the fat load, the headline is b.s. He is very, very popular. No accounting for taste. Just remember folks he's a commentator, not a news outlet. He traffics in opinion, and his listeners are very loyal, however shortsighted. This country is in a huge financial mess, and the majority of that mess was caused by a Republican led Congress, Senate and Presidency. Pure and simple. Point all the fingers you want, that is a fact. That is all.

[debwarot]

08:01 PM on 04/07/2008

At last! I finally understand why anyone would ever bother tuning into his show - it is those stimulating commercials!

[flacon]

06:14 PM on 04/07/2008

I know it hurts many of you but Rush is a success on a scale that the losers at Air America can only dream about.

Why? He's smart, entertaining and happy. Three qualities his opponents fail to evidence.

[dadw5boys]

06:18 PM on 04/07/2008

5.74 % of all listeners = very few people actually nation wide.

[SecretSquirrel666]

11:37 PM on 04/07/2008

Then why is the left wing always up in arms over him? Please, inform me.

[ClevelandTom]

07:42 PM on 04/07/2008

Smart? I have serious doubts about that. I've heard him hold forth on global warming and he certainly doesn't know squat about science. His political analyses are generally taken from others. I think shrewd is a more apt description. He knows what a fairly narrow segment of the US likes to hear and he gives it to them.

Entertaining? Well, that is a subjective judgement you're welcome to.

Happy? He didn't sound too happy to me as his favorites in the GOP primaries went down one after the other.

[timothe]

04:30 PM on 04/07/2008

In case anyone wanted a definition of conservatism according to Rush:

We conservatives are proud of our philosophy. Unlike our liberal friends, who are constantly looking for new words to conceal their true beliefs and are in a perpetual state of reinvention, we conservatives are unapologetic about our ideals.
We are confident in our principles and energetic about openly advancing them. We believe in individual liberty, limited government, capitalism, the rule of law, faith, a color-blind society and national security.
We support school choice, enterprise zones, tax cuts, welfare reform, faith-based initiatives, political speech, homeowner rights and the war on terrorism.
And at our core we embrace and celebrate the most magnificent governing document ever ratified by any nation — the U.S. Constitution. Along with the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes our God-given natural right to be free, it is the foundation on which our government is built and has enabled us to flourish as a people.
We conservatives are never stronger than when we are advancing our principles

[glesslib]

09:13 PM on 04/07/2008

A conserviative (Libertarian) friend of mine often says that conservatives, like him and different than liberals, supposedly like me, because they make up their minds about a subject and never change it. We liberals, he says, change our minds way too much.

The the ability to close one's mind so that new information never changes your opinion on a subject is something I wouldn't be bragging about. It means that even if you have new information that shows you that your position is wrong, you stand by your first position. Sounds not too bright, doesn't it? Sort of like Rush, and Bush, and Kristol, and Cheney and..............

[timothe]

12:39 AM on 04/08/2008

One man's openmindedness is another man's inability to make a stand.

Free markets, small governments, and state's right to legislate morality are simply the right way to govern according to the Constitution. And we have 230 years of history to prove that our Constitution is the finest form of governance on the planet. Why change now? And what other proven governance should we change to?

[VivaZapata]

04:11 PM on 04/07/2008

who says "my friends" more, rush or mccain? who is less sincere?

[mamiller]

04:07 PM on 04/07/2008

trying to figure out the relationship between the headline and the facts presented in the article. It isnt what the NYT said. the headline is worthy of mr limbaugh himself....

[glesslib]

03:35 PM on 04/07/2008

If only he were a little porkier.

[VivaZapata]

04:14 PM on 04/07/2008

he's just a big bowl of all that is wrong with the world.

[jimpryor99]

03:29 PM on 04/07/2008

One of the dumbest articles ever posted on Huffington Post, and that's saying a lot. Trying to tell people that listeners only tune in to hear a flipping commercial. Just stupidity wearing a reporter's costume.

[VivaZapata]

04:13 PM on 04/07/2008

can't stand rush, but i got to agree with jim pryor here. the man is very popular. pity.

[NarcissisticFibrosis]

10:30 PM on 04/07/2008

Crap rules on talk radio and 'net news. Just look at this site--a bunch of egomaniacal celebrities pretending to know what the hell they're talking about.

[DesertLight]

01:55 PM on 04/07/2008

Can't believe a guy who is deemed so wrong and irrelevant to the progressives, why he warrants the vitriol and attention he gets. People like this feed off of hatred.

[mojool]

01:23 PM on 04/07/2008

I am certainly no fan of Rush. Just turn your radio off...this is a free country. If he wants to spew hypocrisy, then so be it. Also, why is this even on the front page of the HuffPo? This study discrepancy was less than a percentage point. Is this even news???

-Gary in Charlotte

[castlerider]

01:08 PM on 04/07/2008

So how is it this slimeball makes 80 MILIION a year?

He does not sell that much on his radio show to warrant that kind of revenue, i don't care what it might be he's selling.

The rethug right knows he is INDISPENSABLE. They absolutely cannot do without him spewing his garbage to the ears of all the faithful who have to be reminded constantly why they are more patriotic then anyone else, and why liberals liberals liberals are the scourge of the planet. Obviously making off with a hefty sum to be their mouthpiece, somehow.

[lungwort]

01:42 PM on 04/07/2008

He doesn't make $80,000,000 a year.

[Zentomato]

12:43 PM on 04/07/2008

Holy smokes is that a current picture of Limbaugh associated with the longer article? Wow he has blown up like a whale again! Plus sucking on those cigars and considering his oxycontin use, which by the way excessive usage causes hearing loss, I am sure his health must be tenuous. He should retire and move to the Dominican Republic. Hire a nice houseboy . Enjoy his millions.

[Maifmart]

12:35 PM on 04/07/2008

Could it be once the commercial ends and people hear his voice they hit the seek button again?