![]() stations shaped the national political conversation, swaying ordinary Republicans and the direction of their party.īlessed with a made-for-broadcasting voice, he delivered his opinions with such certainty that his followers, or “Ditto-heads,” as he dubbed them, took his words as sacred truth. He called himself an entertainer, but his rants during his three-hour weekday radio show broadcast on nearly 600 U.S. Unflinchingly conservative, wildly partisan, bombastically self-promoting and larger than life, Limbaugh galvanized listeners for more than 30 years with his talent for sarcastic, insult-laced commentary. His death was announced on his show by his wife, Kathryn. Limbaugh said a year ago that he had lung cancer. So with the official close of the Rush Limbaugh Show and the Rush Limbaugh era, the next chapter in conservative media begins.Īnd thanks to Rush Limbaugh a thousand conservative media flowers can be expected to bloom.Rush Limbaugh, the talk radio host who ripped into liberals and laid waste to political correctness with a gleeful malice that made him one of the most powerful voices in politics, influencing the rightward push of American conservatism and the rise of Donald Trump, died Wednesday. While it’s always wise to never say never, it is hard to imagine any other media figure having as great an impact on the American scene as Rush Limbaugh. Not to mention that there are now blossoming other successful conservative TV networks like Newsmax and One America News.Īll of this - local conservative talk radio hosts, national talk radio conservative hosts, and conservative television networks are a monumental legacy. Or, as it were, the Rush Limbaugh of television networks. With Fox News soon being the undisputed leader of cable news. And with a considerable TV background behind him and the support of Rupert Murdoch, Ailes created an entire Rush-style conservative television network. Too many people, too many endless complications to produce a show, so he retreated to radio - what he did best.īut Roger Ailes, he who had begun as a young TV producer for the-then indomitable Mike Douglas TV show, was indisputably a TV guy. But as Rush frequently later said, Rush was not a TV guy. For awhile after Rush had burst onto the radio scene his great friend Roger Ailes built a CNBC television show around him. Not to mention finding the presence of Hannity, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck or some other national host. In today’s post-Rush world it would be almost impossible to roll into an American city of any size and not find one or more local conservative talk radio shows like Ken’s or those of his fellow “Rush guide” local hosts - Charlotte’s Brett Winterble, Seattle’s Todd Herman, or Minnesota’s Jason Lewis. Sure there were radio hosts here and there across what Rush called “the fruited plains.” But there was nothing remotely like the talk radio institution that Rush’s success would spawn. Once upon a time there was no talk radio. The mere fact that Harrisburg’s Ken Matthews was there to close down Rush’s show is a serious testament to what Rush created in the first place. ![]() ![]() Doubtless there will be others as the next chapter in conservative talk radio unfolds.īut one last time, as the Rush Limbaugh show officially ends it is a moment to reflect on Rush and what he created and now has left behind - and his contributions to this new chapter. In fact, in true conservative fashion, there will be much competition out there in conservative radio. Buck Sexton and Clay Travis will fill the Rush slot, although, as they are doubtless the first to recognize, not his shoes. And that legacy is that a new chapter in conservative talk radio begins. ![]() The good news is that, as also with all things, Rush left a legacy. What began almost a full 33 years ago and had quickly become an American institution was, as all things must, turning to memory. The Rush era was, in fact, truly over for once and for all and for good. The realization that Rush’s show - which had continued since his death with guide hosts and taped Rush playbacks on various topics - was now, in fact, irretrievably over and never to return was both poignant and a tad unnerving for his fans. On Friday, Jthe Rush Limbaugh Show officially shut down the Golden EIB microphone.Īs it happened, it fell to my local Harrisburg radio host, WHP’s Ken Matthews, to be the last “guide” host that had shepherded the show since Rush departed to give back the talent he had on loan from God. ![]()
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