Rush is everywhere! Ever wonder why? This might be a factor.
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Ever wonder why Rush "Boss" Limbaugh's syndicated radio show is all over the place like the proverbial cheap suit?

If you do much driving in rural areas -- e.g. between cities -- "Boss" Limbaugh's bloviations are often the only thing you can pick up on a car radio. Hey, that's what CD players are for.

Did Rush accrue hundreds of local radio affiliates across the country because his political views are mainstream? That's obviously not it. OK, so why IS his show so "popular?" Why do hundreds of stations around the country carry his show, the most widely syndicated talkfest in the country?

Glad you asked.

The real story is not generally well-known. The only reason I know is through my covering the business of radio for years for several major daily newspapers and also, for industry trade magazines like Radio World.

It's because -- ready for this? -- Rush's show was, and presumably still is, given away for free to many local radio stations.

This shocker is because of a little-known practice in broadcast syndication called a "barter deal." (Barter deals were briefly mentioned in Michael Wolff's first-rate recent piece on Rush in Vanity Fair).

Here's how a barter deal works: To launch the show, Limbaugh's syndicator, Premiere Radio Networks -- the same folks who syndicate wingnut du jour Glen Beck -- gave Limbaugh's three hours away -- that's right, no cash -- to local radio stations, mostly in medium and smaller markets, back in the early 1990's.

So, a local talk station got Rush's show for zilch. In exchange, Premiere took for itself much of the local station's available advertising time (roughly 15 minutes an hour) and packed the show with national ads it had already pre-sold.

Think Gold Bond Medicated Powder.

It's a very sweet deal for local radio station owners, explained Bill Exline a respected radio broker (he helped people buy and sell local stations). "Not only does the local station get three hours of free programming," Exline explained, "but that's one less local talk-show host on staff they need. It makes small- and medium-market radio properties more profitable and attractive by cutting down staff expenses."

Shocking, isn't it, that Limbaugh would allow jobs to be cut to advance his dubious career? Not to mention helping to make small radio stations far less local?

Major-market right-wing talk stations, like San Francisco's KSFO-AM ("Reichstag Radio") have to pay actual money, of course, to carry Boss Limbaugh's daily proclamation-a-thon. (Note: KSFO, which I referred to as "Sieg Heil on Your Dial" in my column when it first switched to righty talk, is the same station that gave hatemonger Michael Savage his first radio megaphone).

Radio sources say that small- and medium-market stations still get Limbaugh's show for free, or pay only a token amount of cash for it. I asked Michael Harrison, editor of radio-syndicator-friendly Talkers magazine about this, and he claimed he didn't know how many Limbaugh affiliates still barter. .

So, when you hear Rush bellowing as you're passing through Birdseed Junction, Beanblossom, or Pyrite, just remember: The radio station's getting what it paid for. Or, more accurately, DIDN'T pay for.


Bill Mann

TV-Radio critic, www.dcweasels.com

One problem with that though...if so few people hate him or don't like him why do the advertisers still spend millions if not billion's around the U.S. paying for it? Well the main reason is lot's of listeners do like him. So many in fact that the businesses have spent millions by now in polling and focus groups and found lot's of the listeners do listen to him and it's not because he is free...maybe in the beginning like most talk shows...but once they get such a huge fan base it changes.

So this Bill Mann needs to go back to business school and Isuggest a class or two in Micro or Macro Economics and some other business classes like marketing and others and all one has to do is follow the money. Where does the money come from one ask...well it comes from consumers...because if it was not for the consumer/listner of the show the companies would not through away money even in a tight economy as we are in for Rush or for anyone.

Keep in mind most radio stations especially A.M radio stations struggle to keep going and the BIGGEST listening hours lately have been according to Arbitron, top five programs include those of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and Michael Savage. Others include Neal Boortz, Mark Levin, Bill O'Reilly (until his retirement from radio in early 2009).

So please let's focus on what radio is...it's a BUSINESS!! One if you tell the people what they want to hear and most likely the truth you will keep radio advertising dollars floating in. Not some half baked explanation of things. Besides how many "liberal" radio announcers are there? Hmmmmm yeah none come to mind. Even Dennis Miller was liberal before 9/11 and he switched to conservative radio. They attempted liberal radio sure...Janine Galopero or how ever you want to say her name and Al Franken (don't take his election as a case in point....Minnesota on average is more liberal than most).

Point is Dollars speak. Am I conservative or liberal...I am neither. What I am is someone who want's a straight answer and the right answer and more about business sense and dollars than the BS coming out of a politicians lieing mouth or someone who doesn't know what they are talking about.

Sorry that was my rant for the day. I have nothing against the woman for posting just the person who wrote the article.