What’s the worst thing that has happened to Rush Limbaugh? The Sandra Fluke controversy? Claiming that Obama’s election was encouraging black kids to beat up whites on schoolbuses? Getting caught with illegal drugs? The fact that the median age of his audience has probably exceeded the US life expectancy? Or that he has fewer female listeners than any almost any other program on radio?
None of the above. The worst thing to happen to Limbaugh is likely to be Mike Huckabee.
Sure, Rush has had problems in the past, but before now his advertisers have had nowhere else to go for a national radio audience. But the new Huckabee Huckabee show is launching on 100 stations in the very same time slot as Limbaugh. And it promises “more conversation; less confrontation”. Will Limbaugh lose audience share to the less obnoxious Huckabee?
Eventually. By attrition if nothing else.
2 Comments
Confrontation sells. That’s why even the Food Network has more challenge shows than actual cooking shows. Reality TV, which I would have thought had outlived its lifespan, is as popular as ever, due in large part to the confrontational aspect, or more likely the creative editing that makes it appear so.
Nail on the head Sammy. I can’t believe some of the crap that passes for entertainment (Jersey Shore, Mob Wives, Wives of just about anybody, etc).
As for the Post, I say it’s the Free Market at it’s finest. Bye Bye Rush, Howdy Mike.