Rush Limbaugh Signs $400 Million Contract
Rush Limbaugh isn’t going to have any trouble affording good cigars, having just re-upped with Clear Channel through 2016 for $400 million, including a $100 million signing bonus. And you thought pro athetes got paid a lot.
Said to be Limbaugh’s most lucrative deal ever by far, the new agreement runs through 2016 and includes a previously unheard-of nine figure signing bonus. For those of you in Rio Linda, that means more than $100 million, upfront.
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Beyond infuriating the left, that staggering sum is sure to reinforce the widespread industry belief that talk represents one of broadcast radio’s only remaining bright spots. While several other major outfits are struggling to survive, Limbaugh and Premiere have provided a steady revenue stream for Clear Channel.
In fact, while advertisers have begun to abandon music radio for the Internet and other media, Limbaugh has recently added sponsors.
Clearly, I’m in the wrong business. Then again, if I could captivate 20 million listeners three hours a day for a couple decades, I’m sure I’d make more, too.
UPDATE: The Chavets piece: “Late-Period Limbaugh.”
Heh. That’s certainly been a failing of Err America, for example. And you KNOW this stuff is going to be a talking point when the Democrats push the “Fairness” doctrine again.
Sigh, Rush is only good at tearing apart and not building. I stopped listening to him years ago. He is a major part of what is wrong with conservatism. I much prefer the more rational non-hate filled brand of conservatism I find here. OTOH, hate does pay better so maybe if you use the word liberal in every sentence in some negative way and make wildly preposterous unsubstantiated claims, you can make millions also.
Steve
By getting paid upfront, he is avoiding a potential Obama/Dem tax increase. It’s a smart hedge from a smart guy.
I don’t think it is so much hate as it is stirring up controversy, and Rush is very good at that.
No wonder the left doesn’t like the free market. A guy points out just how incredible out of touch with reality the left is and the market place rewards him with $400. The left finances an alternative which points out how evil Bush is and the market sees it tank into oblivion.
A few years back, Rush announced to his audience in the closing minutes of his show that he was entering rehab to overcome a prescription medication addiction and would be gone for a month. The left rejoiced that the king of talk radio had fallen from his throne and that this marked the beginning of the end for him.
Just goes to show how prescient the left is in spite of their great humility.
I waiting for O’Reilly to scream how unfair this is and no one deserve to be paid that much. Oh wait, that only applies to big Company’s execs that produce vital services not professional athletes, entertainers and podcasters but I’m repeating myself. I like O’Reilly but he goes off the deep end at times.
As for Rush, he deserves it as much as anyone. He has done much to make his program a success unlike some newscasters who were paid a great deal to take over a seat and brought down ratings.
Needless to say I like Rush. I may not agree with him always but I do more often than not. He is at least very consistent. I like how he is able to get under the lefts skin. He also has the old Bill Clinton ability of having attacks bounce off of him and back at his opponents. He doesn’t stand behind a Republican simply because of them being a Republican instead he sticks with his conservative principles regardless.
Yeah, well, he’s never claimed to be anything but a populist, and therefore has his own motivations.
I enjoyed Rush once upon a time, he is a bright guy. Its too bad he decided to become a full time hate monger.
As for O’Reilly being a “populist”, the video of him going off on a technician on the Inside Edition set gives us a pretty good idea of how he actually treats “the folks”.
Meh. I’m trying to work up some displeasure and failing. Douchebag media company gives douchebag media star lots of money. And I care why?
If you think I’m going to be defending O’Reilly, you don’t know me very well… for so it is with ALL populists, eventually.
I will admit I’m curious as to what qualifies him in your book as the liberal catch phrase of the 90’s… “Hate Monger”…
Meh. I’m trying to work up some displeasure and failing. Douchebag media company gives douchebag media star lots of money. And I care why?
Hopefully Rush will O.D. on all that Oxycontin he’ll be able to buy with his big money contract. Then I wil be able to take over his spot. I’m a shoe-in for hate spewing. Here… watch.
“Liberal. Left. Democrat. Tree Hugger. Minority.”
That about covers it.
I’m no big Rush fan, but it is clearly the liberal side of the media that tears apart instead of building! Not to mention the advocacy of corporate robbery at gun point and the suspension of all legitimate civil liberties.
As for race, the liberals are using race to fuel a sort of “Neo-McCarthyism”. Everybody is a racist who disagrees with them.
All Rush said was McNabb was overrated when ask why he said in part due to the MSM wanting a black man to succeed at quarterback. This is true in many areas Look at how the MSM fawn over Obama. Granted they would fawn over any democrat but seem even more so with Obama.
Kudos to Rush! He is very much deserving of this contract. If some people weren’t so enslaved by Lord PC, they might find they agree with Rush more than not. As for the all-out blind haters Rush has out there, two bits of advice. Grow a pair and grow the hell up!
$400 million!That’s a joke right!Not worth it!
Now that’s big bucks. Heck I just want to be his cigar merchant. Whether he is worth the $400 million or not will be determined by those paying. He’s got the listeners but how do you recoup that kind of salary?
“I’m a shoe-in for hate spewing. Here… watch.”
Ironically, you got demonstrated your “hate spewing” in you first sentance:
“Hopefully Rush will O.D. on all that Oxycontin he’ll be able to buy with his big money contract.”
So you denounce someone for being “hate spewing” by wishing for his death. Stay classy liberals….