Posted on 02/15/2023 8:01:34 AM PST by Red Badger
Rush Limbaugh's death two years ago this week left a void in conservative media that younger, more versatile contenders are still trying to fill.
Why it matters: Today, no one radio host commands the same level of power and influence that Limbaugh did, but a number of new voices are emerging — blending the reach of traditional and digital platforms — and collectively proving to be more powerful in shaping conservative opinion for younger audiences.
"The world is changing and there are questions as to how Limbaugh, had he lived and remained healthy — based upon his mindset and his approach to the business — would have remained as pertinent as he was," said Michael Harrison, the longtime editor and publisher of TALKERS, a radio trade publication.
"He was not as flexible when it came to social media and some of the other forms that it takes right now to be a media presence as opposed to just a radio presence," he added.
Driving the news: Several conservative radio hosts have been competing for listenership in Limbaugh's former noon to 3 pm ET time slot.
While none of them have the same reach that Limbaugh once had on radio, they are much more active across a wider array of platforms, often reaching younger audiences. By the numbers: Limbaugh's show was broadcast to over 600 stations across the country, but many stations have opted to carry different programming in that time slot after his death.
Premiere Networks, a radio subsidiary of iHeartMedia, filled Limbaugh's time with a new show from conservative media personality and sports journalist Clay Travis and political commentator Buck Sexton that is broadcast across 400 stations. Conservative commentator and talk radio host Dana Loesch and Radio America struck a deal with Audacy in 2021 to make her show available in 11 of their markets, expanding her program’s reach to over 230 stations. Cumulus Media's Westwood One debuted a new conservative talk program in Limbaugh's old time slot, "The Dan Bongino Show," in 2021, across more than 100 stations across the country. Of note, Bongino said last year he would end his commitment once his contract expired with Cumulus in mid-2024. Be smart: Other station groups have opted to lean into local radio talent.
WSB Radio moved Erick Erickson into Limbaugh's slot in the Atlanta region. Audacy Philadelphia replaced Limbaugh's show with local host Dom Giordano. State of play: While their distribution footprints are smaller, these hosts are much more active on digital platforms than Limbaugh ever was, reaching younger audiences.
Sexton has a daily weekday podcast. Travis sold his entertainment sports blog, OutKick, to Fox News in 2021. Loesch, in addition to her radio show, authors a Substack newsletter and hosts a show on The First, a conservative network on DirecTV and its streaming services. Bongino hosts a podcast and a digital streaming show, in addition to being active on the conservative video streaming platform Rumble. Between the lines: Podcasting has become a huge opportunity for radio hosts to expand their reach. And video platforms like TikTok and Reels have made it easier for podcasters to gain new audiences quickly.
The "800-pound gorilla" in conservative podcasting is Ben Shapiro, said Howard Polskin, conservative media expert and author of The Righting, a conservative media blog. Shapiro's podcast is syndicated for radio. Until last year, he hosted a live hourlong daily radio show for Westwood One as well. The Daily Wire had three of the fastest-growing podcasts on the right by percentage growth in Q4 last year, according to an analysis of Castbox data by Polskin. Two of its podcasts, “The Ben Shapiro Show” and “The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast," had the highest number of subscribers. The Daily Wire has 2.8 million followers on TikTok, and its editor emeritus Ben Shapiro has 1 million. The big picture: One major shift in the post-Limbaugh landscape has been the rise of ideologically-driven personalities who aren't wed to the Republican party line.
Provocateurs from outside traditional party politics, like Joe Rogan, Elon Musk, and Dave Portnoy, are driving a new strain of American political conversation. “People are ideological, they hold sincere beliefs that remain unchanged regardless of party convention, which is why they tend to disregard typical party talking points," Loesch told Axios. "I think this is why you see people like Tucker and myself performing well with our audiences.” The bottom line: "Limbaugh has been replaced in terms of the coveted noon to three Eastern time slot by a number of hosts — all of whom should be taken seriously — but none of whom are of the stature that Limbaugh was on," said Harrison.
Thanks to the internet, "There probably never will be another one," he added.
Don’t you love it when leftists tell you about all the problems Conservatives are supposedly having?
Rush was OK I guess, but he didn’t understand the unconstitutional government power-grabbing of so-called “socialism” especially in the otherwise free market.
Here in central Texas, Michael Barry gets my vote as the best conservative voice on radio. I wish everyone had the opportunity to listen to him.
He does five(!) hours of radio a day out of Houston, Texas, and I’m lucky to listen one of those hours each day. Sometimes more. Usually less.
Ever since Rush passed on, I have hardly listened to the radio like I used to.
We get Dan Bongino in Rush’s old timeslot, but his New Yorker accent is irritating to me. We get Ben Shapiro in the evenings and his accent is even worse, and he talks so damn fast in staccato fashion it takes me several seconds to decipher what he’s saying.
There will never be another Rush in my lifetime, I’m afraid............
I would rather dive out a 20 story window than listen to this Clown, or any of the others for that matter.
It’s a whole new world than Rush lived in just a few years ago. Government at all levels has been exposed, in most part thanks to Trump, for exposing this epic wide spread government corruption.
Shapiro is awful; I can’t stand his whiny voice, and he talks way too fast, like a typical NYC-er.
“...more versatile contenders..”
__________
More versatile than whom?
This article did not mention Charlie Kirk, who I think may be the closest to Rush than any of the ones mentioned. Bongino is close too.
I listened to Conservative Talk Radio for many years before Rushbo and still listen to many Conservative Radio Talk Shows since he passed on, but he was clearly one of a kind.
No one can replace Rush. He is missed.
But there are many good alternatives out there. I personally like Markley Van Camp and Robbins. I think most normal people can relate to them.
One-and-done for me.
“Provocateurs from outside traditional party politics”
Radio is dead- Well not totaly dead, but who listens anymore but GreyHead Booomer Cons?
Podcast, Internet is now and the future for the time being.
Shapiro and DW have been exposed as Corporate Media Shills in the Crowder mess.
In his day Rush was the only one, and thank goodness I had the chance to listen.
Now, open your ears, there’s a whole new wolrd to dicover. So many OTHER voices to listen to. Malice, Dore, Noir, Jeremy, etc . . .
Listen to them all, and sort the Truth out for yourself.
Even El Rushbo would agree with that.
Agreed. I followed Rush through his entire radio career. He was definitely the King. Now, I skip around, because there’s no one I can consistently listen to, without growing tired.
Chris Plante is my go-to for mornings, Bongino once in a while, Levin at night, sometimes, and Red Eye Radio for late night.
Andrew Wilkow is really good. He’s also on Sirius/XM
I loved Rush as much as the next guy. But, what did 30 years of talk radio really get us? It got us where we are today, which is not a good position.
Rush was fun to listen to, but it didn’t really accomplish anything. That’s true for all conservative media. It’s just talk.
Same thing the left does with Ukraine. We know all about Russians business and Putin’s health care.
But we hear nothing about anything in Ukraine.
They do it because people on the right fall for it.
Axios concern trolling.
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