Editing Rush Limbaugh (section)

===''The Rush Limbaugh Show''===
{{Main|The Rush Limbaugh Show}}
Limbaugh's radio show aired for three hours each weekday beginning at noon [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern Time]] on both [[AM broadcasting|AM]] and [[FM broadcasting|FM]] radio. The program was also broadcast worldwide on the [[Armed Forces Radio Network]].

Radio broadcasting shifted from [[AM broadcasting|AM]] to [[FM broadcasting|FM]] in the 1970s because of the opportunity to broadcast music in stereo with better fidelity (AM stations in the United States would not get the opportunity to broadcast in [[Stereophonic sound|stereo sound]] until August 2, 1982). Limbaugh's show was first nationally syndicated in August 1988, on the AM radio band. Limbaugh's popularity paved the way for other conservative talk radio programming to become commonplace on AM radio. The show increased its audience in the 1990s to the extent that even some FM stations picked it up. {{As of|2019|1|post=}}, about half of Limbaugh's affiliate stations were on the FM dial.

Limbaugh used [[Theatrical property|props]], songs, and photos to introduce his [[monologue]]s on various topics. On his radio show, news about [[homeless]] people was often preceded by the [[Clarence "Frogman" Henry]] song "[[Ain't Got No Home (Clarence "Frogman" Henry song)|Ain't Got No Home]]".<ref name=NYT90 />

In March 2006, [[WBAL (AM)|WBAL]] in [[Baltimore]] became the first major market radio station in the country to drop Limbaugh's nationally syndicated radio program.<ref>{{cite news | last = Hiaasen | first = Rob | title = WBAL Radio Cancels Rush Limbaugh: Station is First to Drop Show, Wants to Focus on Local News | newspaper = The Baltimore Sun | date = March 14, 2006 | url = http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/427188/wbal_radio_cancels_rush_limbaugh_station_is_first_to_drop/index.html | access-date = March 1, 2009 | archive-date = March 3, 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090303151540/http://redorbit.com/news/technology/427188/wbal_radio_cancels_rush_limbaugh_station_is_first_to_drop/index.html | url-status = live }}</ref> In 2007, ''TALKERS Magazine'' again named him No.{{nbsp}}1 in its "Heavy Hundred" most important talk show hosts.

Limbaugh frequently mentioned the EIB (Excellence In Broadcasting) Network, trademarked in 1990. In the beginning, his show was co-owned and first syndicated by Edward F. McLaughlin, former president of [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], who founded EFM Media in 1988, with Limbaugh's show as his first product. In 1997, McLaughlin sold EFM to [[Jacor Communications]], which was ultimately bought up by Clear Channel Communications. Limbaugh owned a majority of the show, which is syndicated by the [[Premiere Radio Networks]].

According to a 2001 article in ''[[U.S. News & World Report]]'', Limbaugh had an eight-year contract, at the rate of $31.25 million a year.<ref>"Vital Statistics", U.S. News & World Report, July 30, 2001, p. 7.</ref> In 2007, Limbaugh earned $33 million.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Celebrity 100: #36 Rush Limbaugh |url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/53/07celebrities_Rush-Limbaugh_YNXQ.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525071826/http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/53/07celebrities_Rush-Limbaugh_YNXQ.html |archive-date=May 25, 2011 |work=[[Forbes]] |date=June 14, 2007}}</ref> A November 2008 poll by [[Zogby International]] found that Limbaugh was the most trusted news personality in the nation, garnering 12.5 percent of poll responses.<ref>{{cite web|title=Zogby poll finds the internet today's most trusted news source|date=November 20, 2008|work=The IFC Media Project|url=http://www.imao.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/media_project_poll_info.pdf |access-date=September 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130911034053/http://www.imao.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/media_project_poll_info.pdf|archive-date=September 11, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

Limbaugh signed a $400-million, eight-year contract in 2008 with what was then Clear Channel Communications, making him the highest-paid broadcaster on terrestrial radio. On August 2, 2016, Limbaugh signed a four-year extension of the 2008 contract.<ref name="BondHollywoodRep08022016">{{cite news |last=Bond |first=Paul |date=August 2, 2016 |title=Rush Limbaugh Extends Radio Contract for Four More Years |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rush-limbaugh-extends-radio-contract-916511 |newspaper=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |location=Los Angeles, California |access-date=August 2, 2016 |quote=Premiere and iHeartMedia said that in 2016 The Rush Limbaugh Show experienced significant audience growth, including 18 percent in adults 25–54 and 27 percent among women in that age group. Despite efforts among progressive groups like Media Matters for America to discourage advertisers, ad revenue for the show increased 20 percent year-over-year. |url-status=live|archive-date=February 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219185458/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rush-limbaugh-extends-radio-contract-916511}}</ref> At the announcement of the extension, [[Premiere Radio Networks]] and [[iHeartMedia]] announced that his show experienced audience growth with 18% growth in adults 25–54, 27% growth with 25–54 women, and ad revenue growth of 20% year over year.<ref name="BondHollywoodRep08022016"/>

In 2018, Limbaugh was the world's second (behind [[Howard Stern]]) highest-paid radio host, reportedly earning $84.5 million.<ref name="auto"/> On January 5, 2020, Limbaugh renewed his contract again. Though media reports said it was "a long-term" renewal, (with no length specified), according to Donald Trump it was a four-year deal.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Stelter |first1=Brian |title=Rush Limbaugh renews radio show contract in a 'long-term' deal |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/05/media/rush-limbaugh-show-contract/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |date=January 5, 2020 |publisher=Cable News Network.Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. |access-date=January 6, 2020 |archive-date=January 6, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200106001811/https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/05/media/rush-limbaugh-show-contract/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Regular guest host [[Ken Matthews (radio)|Ken Matthews]] was also selected a ''TALKERS Magazine'' "Heavy Hundred".<ref>{{Cite news|date=May 14, 2020|title=Thursday, May 14, 2020|url=http://www.talkers.com/2020/05/14/thursday-may-14-2020/|access-date=July 22, 2020|website=TALKERS magazine|url-status=live|archive-date=July 22, 2020|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200722132101/http://www.talkers.com/2020/05/14/thursday-may-14-2020/}}</ref>

In May, Premiere Networks announced that on June 21, 2021, The Limbaugh Show radio timeslot would be taken over by [[Clay Travis]] and [[Buck Sexton]] in hundreds of markets.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/rush-limbaughs-radio-show-to-be-taken-over-by-clay-travis-and-buck-sexton-11622127616|title=WSJ News Exclusive &#124; Rush Limbaugh's Radio Show to be Taken over by Clay Travis and Buck Sexton|newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=May 27, 2021|last1=Steele|first1=Anne}}</ref>