Radio Stations and Advertisers Consider Withdrawing Support for Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh's rhetoric has crossed the line between free speech and a political campaign. It's appropriate and necessary for media to give voice to political opposition, but it is inappropriate when on-air media talent becomes the voice for a political opposition party. Limbaugh's lengthy Castro-like speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) was his coming out party for a run for president of the United States and as he emerges as the new leader and voice of the Republican Party, radio stations and advertisers have an obligation to reconsider their support.

It is essential to question whether Limbaugh should continue to have access to the public airwaves and whether advertisers should continue to support him. The support of advertisers could be easily perceived as a statement of political support for Limbaugh's policies. Advertisers and radio stations that support Limbaugh could -- and perhaps should -- be interpreted as providing explicit support for the far right wing of conservative politics. Giving a political party control over the press is a dangerous precedent, and a Sustainable Free Press requires that the people believe that media takes responsibility for the content it delivers. An editorial voice is far different than a politician's control over the press, which throughout history has been the first step toward dictatorship.

Limbaugh's only real job is to appeal to a very small but loyal audience and deliver them each day to his radio program. His only professional need is to generate larger audiences than other radio show hosts and in that context he is no different than a snake charmer or tattoo lady on the carnival midway. But we should not ignore Rush Limbaugh's oratory. He has taken over the political leadership of the far right wing activist group in our country -- a group who appear to believe the last eight years were the best in our nation's history and a group who may count among them advocates for violent anti-government actions. Limbaugh, in his (CPAC) speech, explained why he believes it's acceptable to hope for the President of the United States to fail. He essentially has called for the overthrow of the current government, saying "it is time to take back our nation." Politicians are subject to being voted in or out of office. Those who find Limbaugh's political calls as the leader of the "take back the nation" campaign to be inappropriate for a radio host have a more immediate option: to withdraw support.

This is a dangerous time for the American radio industry. Advertising revenues are drying up. While leading Republican industrialists are among those who support Limbaugh's calls for action by the wealthy few against the government, many of these same leaders are dependent upon the Obama Recovery Plan to bail them out of the mess they have put themselves and the nation in. Media companies are dependent upon a national economic recovery. Media owners must think long and hard about their role in society and the messages they want to communicate about their support for Limbaugh and what many consider to be his politics of hate. Limbaugh is using his bully pulpit to launch a presidential campaign that radio stations and advertisers are explicitly enabling. If the proposed boycotts against Limbaugh's advertisers and stations gain any momentum, it will be just one more challenge for an already challenged industry.

The media industry and marketers should consider getting out ahead of the Limbaugh backlash. Radio station owners and advertisers should consider their own role in our nation today. They should not censor content. But they need to acknowledge Limbaugh's new role as a politician and set profits aside to protect the fundamental separation of a free and independent press from political control over content.

Boycotts are rarely successful and several other times over the past few years various media outlets and writers have called for a boycott of Limbaugh's advertisers. Previous advertisers have been listed at (www.dailykos.com/story/2007/4/24/121022/830) and organizations are now readying updated lists with such advertisers as GoToMyPC. These boycotts are also calling on those who oppose Limbaugh to reject those radio stations that carry his syndicated program. Boycotting Limbaugh's program itself is a useless exercise, but there has been a call to boycott other programming on the stations that carry his program, sending a strong message that stations cannot simply accept anti-government rhetoric without paying a price. Limbaugh publishes his station list at www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/menu/rush.guest.all.html.

To communicate with or to be contacted by the executives and/or companies mentioned in this column, link to the JackMyers Connection Hotline.

This post originally appeared at JackMyers.com.

Comments

[jsmappy]

OK , that was fun, but can we get back to reality? In the worst economy since the Great Depression, advertisers are NOT going to stop putting Ads on the most listened to talk show in Radio History. Nor are they going to diverge from FOX TV where they get twice the exposure than all the other Cable channels COMBINED. Democrats have a virtual Dictatorship and are still scared of 'Commentary'! Are those ideals on that shaky of ground?
September 11, 2001 - James Carville said of Bush "I certainly hope he doesn't succeed." Where were you all calling for his head? We certainly can't have that! Hypocracy smells doesn't it. If 5 years ago I had said "I hope Madoff isn't successful." Would that have been a bad thing? Instead of pouting about Rush, maybe Obama should focus on turning this economy around. Or, maybe he knows that isn't going to happen. In that case, detractors definately need to be silenced. Time for The Fairness Doctrine. Maybe if Talk Radio is gone, people won't notice the Great Great Depression.

[Ronald B. Robinson - Huffpost Blogger]

I call for a boycott of advertisers of Rupert Murdoch Fox show '24' in my March Huff Post article:

MURDOCH AND FOX PORTRAY BLACK MEN AS TERRORISTS ON '24'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ronald-b-robinson/murdoch-and-fox-portray-b_b_172562.html

Please give a plug and a read as well. Thanks.
Ron

[djibouit2008]

I am a great defender of free speech, but the kind of class racist attitudes that this man represents is very very dangerous. You must understand that words are powerful, and people are looking for hope. This man is looking for control, that's control of peoples thinking.

I would gladly help in a Nationwide boycott of all of this man's sponsors. Lets hit him where it hurts his pockets.

Thanks, A Retired US Army Vet.

[myworld]

Great action call.

[theclosetconservative]

Freedom of Speech is Public enemy number one if the person speaking is speaking against liberal fascism. Mr. Myers, please be serious. To say Rush is advocating an overthrow of the government at any level beyond voting the Democrats back to minority status is among other things dishonest. That you would characterize Limbaugh's address as "Castrolike" proves that you either didn't listen or that you don't know much in the way of history about Castro.
Obama's policies are causing our 401K's to disintegrate. The Russians are lauging at us after they leaked President Obama's letter to the Prime Minister. Maybe you saw the news. He proposed leaving the Czechs and Poles hung out to dry with no missile defense if the Russians "try" to help us out with Iran. But as long as liberals want to make noise about Limbaugh, that gives Republicans time to do their real job: taking back the majority in 2010, and reining in the leftist "Messiah."
http://theclosetconservative.com

[ATFIllinois]

Your 401k disintegrated well before obama was inaugurated or even elected. Get your facts first. Then you can distort them as much as you please. But then again, pesky little facts don't matter much to conservatives.

Taking back the majority in 2010??

I'll take that action any day of the week! I'll bet you what's left of your 401k.

[ReealOne]

Excellent Article Jack Myers! Thanks so much for the invaluable information on boycotting the wannabe POTUS (but doesn't stand a gasoline soaked cat's chance in h*ll) Rush Limbaugh.

Because the form of "freedom of speech" has gone way too far beyond to insanity and danger, Americans who care about our beloved country have an obligation to take action.

Thanks again for this wonderful article and invaluable information!

[Chbronze]

Wonderful strawman argument, his coming out party. But I like the idea of a boycott, I'm sure that hasn't been tried before.

[SteveDenver]

Thanks for the resources. I didn't want to have to listen to his show to find out who to avoid. Like most Americans, I'm spending less these days and it matters more where I spend it.

[jsking2110]

they advertise on his show because he has a huge audience. It's just that simple. It's capitalism. I guess jack myers doesn't understand that, or care. At least my tax dollars aren't paying for his show, like NPR does.

[Techboy308]

I already refuse to buy anything advertised on his program. Been not doing it for years...

[Ipanemagirl]

I think advertisers should feel embarassed to support Rush on the air. he pollutes the waves in a very bad way!

[David Baird]

Most right wing controlled stations where they pray for you and laugh at you with scorn. Unpleasant monsters.

[stevej2200]

I agree with previous comments that the title of this article is totally misleading. The author merely states that he wishes advertisers would withdraw support for Limbaugh. Actually, as a progressive Democrat, I feel Rush is a great ally for our party right now. Every time he opens his mouth he lessens credibility for his own party amongst "mainstream" voters. As for urging advertisers to boycott his show, I personally dislike censorship in any form.

[Techboy308]

How is a boycott censorship? If someone disagrees with his, should they have to sponsor him just to ensure his "free speech?" When do I get my radio program with guaranteed advertisers so I can exercise my "free speech" for three hours a day?

Censorship and boycott are two very different things...

[Gunga-Din]

Mr.Myers , put the british media in your black list too

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

The reason I take Rush Limbaugh seriously is not because he's offensive or right-wing, but because he is one of the few people addressing a large group of disaffected people in this country. And despite his frequent denials, Limbaugh does indeed have a somewhat cultlike effect on his ditto-heads. They can listen to him for three and a half hours a day, five days a week, on radio and television. I can assure you that David Koresh did not harangue the Branch Davidians so long nor so often. - Molly Ivins

[ediva75]

Unfortunately Rush and his large nutzo fanbase disaffected group represent the negative aspects and lacking of knowledge and educating oneselves on things you don't agree with and do agree with as well as POV is what reigns supreme. When you live in a world in which everyone looks/acts/thinks like you and you have limited exposure to other viewpoints or other people (shoot in their cases even other yt folks not like them) and have no desire to be educated to have better understanding to others (whether you have money as a business person or you don't) than outlets that also lack knowledge and insight and tolerance like Rush/Hannity/Beck/Coulter/O'Reilly and Fox news becomes your daily "fix" that you latch onto because they share your viewpoints as well as your deep seated racism. You can't really change how people like that think nor be fearful of them. I

Only thing you can do is feel sorry for them and perhaps if they have kids PRAY for their kids to not have any of the parent's negative outlook on the world they view thru conservative mindset and eyes to not influence their kids!!!

Frankly if those who think like the morons mentioned above opted