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KPAY-AM

KPAY-AM

KPAY-AM 1290 is a news/talk radio station in Northern California. The station can be heard in Butte County, Californiaa and parts of Tehama County, Glenn County, and Colusa County. The station's transmitter power is 5000 watts and is located in Chico, California. The station used to be owned by Clear Channel Communications, but now is owned by Deercreek Communication.

Personalities and Shows


- The KPAY Morning Show
- Rush Limbaugh
- The Sean Hannity Show
- Paul Harvey (Rest Of The Story)
- The Savage Nation
- Michael Reagan
- Coast to Coast AM

External links


- [http://www.kpay.com/ KPAY Site] PAY Category:Butte County, California

Talk radio

Talk radio is a radio format which features discussion of topical issues. Most shows feature a regular host, who interviews a number of different guests Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting conversations with listeners who have placed telephone calls to speak with the program's host or guest. Listener contributions are usually screened by a show's producer(s) in order to maximize audience interest and, in the case of commercial talk radio, attract advertisers. Generally, the shows are organized into segments, each separated by a pause for advertisements. (In public or non-commercial radio, sometimes music is played in place of commercials to separate the program segments).

History

Talk radio has existed since at least the mid-1950s. New York's John Nebel was among the first to explore the medium. Two radio stations—KMOX, 1120 AM in St. Louis, Missouri, and KABC, 790 AM in Los Angeles—adopted an all-talk show format in 1960, and both claim to be the first to have done so. KABC station manager Ben Hoberman and KMOX station manager Robert Hyland independently developed the all-talk format. In the 1970s and early 1980s, as many listeners abandoned AM music formats for the high fidelity sound of the FM radio dial, the Talk Radio format began to catch on in more large cities. Former music stations such as WLW (Cincinnati, Ohio), WHAS (Louisville, Kentucky), WHAM (Rochester, New York), WLS (Chicago, Illinois), KFI (Los Angeles, California), WRKO (Boston, Massachusetts) and WABC (New York, New York) made the switch to all-talk as their ratings slumped due to listener migration to the FM band. Talk radio is not limited to the AM band. "Non-commercial" usually referred to as "public radio", which is located in a reserved spectrum of the FM band, also broadcasts talk programs. Commercial all-talk stations can be found on the FM band in Los Angeles, Boston and other cities. The commercial FM talk stations often feature hosts such as Tom Leykis and Howard Stern whose audiences are comprised of more men than women. These shows often rely less on political discussion and analysis than their AM counterparts, and often employ the use of pranks and staged phone calls for entertainment purposes. In the United Kingdom, the leading talk radio station nationwide is talkSPORT, formerly called Talk Radio and launching in 1995 on the AM band. The leading local talk station is LBC in London (Britain's first commercial radio station in 1973), specialising in news talk and topical debate on FM. Both are commercial stations though the BBC do offer ad-free rival services that tend to be slightly less popular and put fewer calls to air. Nationally, the BBC operate Radio 5-Live on AM with a format similar to that of TalkSport. They also operate numerous regional services around the UK on the FM band, with BBC London being their flagship local talk radio station, and a direct rival to LBC.

U.S. politically-oriented talk radio

The United States saw dramatic growth in the popularity of talk radio during the 1990s. The repeal of the FCC "fairness doctrine" in 1987-which had required that stations provide free air time for responses to any controversial opinions that were broadcast-provided an opportunity for a kind of flatly partisan (and often intentionally inflammatory) programming that had not previously existed. (There had been some precursors for this, such as the Los Angeles-area controversialist Joe Pyne, who would attack callers on his program in the early 1960s – one of his famous insults was "gargle with razor blades!" – as well as the similar Bob Grant in New York City.) The most successful pioneer in the 1990s talk radio movement was the politically conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh's success demonstrated that there was a market for passionately delivered conservative (and in most cases, partisan Republican) commentary on contemporary events, and many nationally-syndicated hosts have followed Limbaugh's lead in recent years, including Ben Ferguson, Lars Larson, Sean Hannity, G. Gordon Liddy, Laura Ingraham, Michael Savage, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, Larry Elder, Michael Reagan, Ken Hamblin, and The Weekend Warriors. The Salem Radio Network syndicates a group of religiously-oriented Republican activists, including evangelical Christian Hugh Hewitt and Jewish conservatives Dennis Prager and Michael Medved. Libertarians such as Neal Boortz have also achieved some success. Many of these hosts also publish books, appear on television, and give public lectures (Limbaugh, again, was a pioneer of this model of multi-media punditry). Politically liberal talk radio aimed at a national audience has also emerged, although its ultimate success in becoming competing with conservative talk radio for dominance remains in question. Air America Radio, a network featuring The Al Franken Show that was founded in 2004 as a "progressive alternative" to right-wing talk, is a prominent example of liberal talk on commercial radio, and there are syndicated liberal talk programs of recent vintage as well, such as The Ed Schultz Show. In some markets, local liberal hosts have existed for years, such as Bernie Ward in San Francisco, Alan Colmes in New York, and Mr. KABC in Los Angeles. A few earlier syndicated programs were hosted by prominent Democrats who were not experienced broadcasters, such as Jim Hightower, Jerry Brown, Mario Cuomo and Alan Dershowitz; these met with limited success, and Air America has been faced with various legal and financial problems. Left-wing opinion radio has long existed on the Pacifica network, though only available in a small number of cities, and in formats that more often act as a volunteer-run community forum than as a platform for charismatic hosts who would be likely to attract a large audience. Some conservatives argue that the long-format news programming on National Public Radio serves as a platform for liberal commentary on radio, although the network denies any partisan agenda, and FAIR recently identified NPR's disproportionate reliance on Republican sources [http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1180].

Talk radio in Canada

In contrast to talk radio stations in the United States where syndicated programs tend to make up a significant part of most schedules, privately-owned Canadian talk radio stations tend to be predominantly local in programming and focus. There is no Canadian content requirement for talk radio, or "spoken word", programming. The only nationally-syndicated, politically-oriented weekday talk radio show in Canada is Adler On Line, hosted by Charles Adler and heard on eleven stations across the country. Peter Warren's Warren on the Weekend is heard Saturdays and Sundays. Both programs are distributed by the Corus Radio Network and, coincidentally, both hosts had hosted different morning call-in programs in the same time slot on Winnipeg, Manitoba's CJOB 680 before they became nationally syndicated (Adler's show still originates from CJOB and retained its original title, while Warren is now based in Victoria, British Columbia.) Prior to Adler On Line, Corus had syndicated Rutherford, hosted by Dave Rutherford and originating from its Calgary station, QR77. Rutherford is no longer syndicated nationally but continues to air in Calgary and London. Other Canadian talk radio programs which have been syndicated to different markets include:
- Canada's Business Report
- The George Stroumboulopoulos Show airs on Sunday nights on stations in Toronto and Montreal.
- The Home Discovery Show, a call-in home renovation program hosted by Shell Busey.
- Home Focus, a weekend program about home renovations hosted by Ren Molnar. It is the most widely distributed talk radio program in Canada.
- Love and Romance, a relationship advice program hosted by Sue McGarvie.
- Prime Time Sports, a sports talk program hosted by Bob McCown. A three-hour program originating from The Fan 590, usually only the third hour is broadcast nationally.
- The 'X' Zone, a nightly show about paranormal topics hosted by Rob McConnell. It is also syndicated throughout the United States. The two largest talk radio networks in Canada are the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's English language CBC Radio One and French language Première Chaîne. These stations typically produce their own local morning and afternoon programs and regional noon hour programs to go along with the network programming that is aired during the rest of the day. Both networks are commercial-free. Privately-owned talk radio syndication networks in Canada are generally formed for the purposes of sharing programs across a group of stations with common ownership, although some are formed to distribute their one or two talk radio programs to a number of stations regardless of ownership. The largest of these is the Corus Radio Network. Others include the CHUM Radio Network and the Standard Radio Network. Syndicated programs from the United States which air on Canadian radio stations include:
- Coast to Coast AM with George Noory, arguably the most widely distributed U.S.-based program in Canada
- The Dr. Joy Browne Show
- Dr. Laura
- GameTime React with J.T. the Brick
- The Jim Rome Show
- The Phil Hendrie Show on CKTB St. Catharines

Talkback radio in Australia

In Australia, talk radio is known as talkback radio. The most popular station broadcasting talkback radio is historically Sydney's 2UE, whose right-wing hosts, particularly John Laws, are widely syndicated across the continent, though it has in recent years been eclipsed by Sydney's 2GB after the defection of 2UE most popular talkback host, Alan Jones.

Variety of formats

Other topics of discussion in talk radio include:
- Ethics and Morality from Dr. Joy and Dr. Laura,
- Relationships, as on shows such as Loveline and The Satellite Sisters
- Mental health from David Viscott
- Computers from Leo Laporte and Kim Komando,
- Consumer advocacy e.g. Clark Howard,
- Automobiles, as on Car Talk,
- Personal finance from Bob Brinker and Dave Ramsey, and
- Movies from Mike Mayo and Max Weiss. Other hosts specialize in talk radio comedy such as Phil Hendrie. George Noory and Art Bell take turns hosting the late-night talk radio show Coast to Coast AM, which deals with a variety of paranormal topics. Jeff Rense, who hosts an Internet radio show, also features paranormal matters, conspiracy theories, and some politics. Radio show hosts such as Alex Jones focus on exposing Government corruption. Some shock jocks such as Opie and Anthony, Ron and Fez, Howard Stern, Don Imus, and Tom Leykis, are also considered talk radio hosts. Sports talk radio can be found locally and nationally (with the networks ESPN Radio, Fox Sports Radio, and Sporting News Network). Sports talk stations like WFAN in New York City and WEEI in Boston have done well in the ratings (aided by baseball and football game broadcasts).

See also


- List of talk radio personalities
- Radio network
  - List of United States radio networks
- Talk show

External links


- [http://www.talkradioforums.com/ Talk Radio Forums] - discussion board for talk radio shows.
- [http://www.talkers.com/ Talkers Magazine] - features news and seasonal ratings.
- [http://talkradiofan.blogspot.com/ Talk Radio Fan] - talk radio blog.
- [http://www.talkjunkie.com/ TalkJunkie] - talk radio host links. Category:Radio formats

Northern California

Northern California (sometimes NorCal) refers to the northern portion of the U.S. state of California, roughly covering all of those counties except for the ten counties which make up Southern California. It is characterized by its beautiful coastline, mediterranean climate, relatively low population density (apart from the San Francisco Bay Area and metropolitan Sacramento), and redwood forests. Northern California's largest metropolitan area is San Jose and its Silicon Valley suburbs. Other major cities include San Francisco, Sacramento (the state capital), and Oakland.

Higher education


- California State University, Chico
- California State University, East Bay (formerly California State University, Hayward)
- California State University, Sacramento
- California State University, Monterey Bay
- Humboldt State University
- Saint Mary's College of California
- Santa Clara University
- San Francisco State University
- San José State University
- Sonoma State University
- Stanford University
- University of California, Berkeley
- University of California, Davis
- University of California, Merced
- University of California, San Francisco
- University of California, Santa Cruz
- University of the Pacific
- University of San Francisco Northern California is also home to a number of seminaries including Fuller Theological Seminary (see also Fuller Northern California), and Western Seminary, each with campuses in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Sacramento.

NorCal Regions


- San Francisco Bay Area
  - North Bay (Marin, Sonoma, Solano, and Napa counties)
  - East Bay
  - South Bay (Santa Clara Valley, "Silicon Valley")
  - The Peninsula
- Wine Country
- Salinas Valley, including Salinas and King City
- Monterey, including Pacific Grove and carmel
- Gold Country
- Shasta Cascade
- Emerald Triangle
- Sacramento Valley
- San Joaquin Valley, with the exception of Kern County. Category:Geography of California

Butte County, California

Butte County is a county located in California's Central Valley, north of Sacramento. As of the 2000 census, it had a population of 203,171. 2003 figures place this at 210,400. The county seat is Oroville. Butte County is watered by the Feather River and the Sacramento River. It is the site of Feather Falls, the sixth largest waterfall in the United States. The county is the home of California State University, Chico.

History

Butte County was one of California's first counties, created in 1850 at time of statehood. Part of the county's territory was given to Plumas County in 1854 and to Tehama County in 1856. Its name is derived from the Marysville or Sutter Buttes, which lay within the boundaries when it was created. The word butte is derived from the Teutonic word meaning "a blunt extension or elevation." In the French language, it signifies "a small hill or mound of earth detached from any mountain range."

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 4,344 km² (1,677 mi²). 4,246 km² (1,639 mi²) of it is land and 97 km² (38 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 2.24% water. The county is drained by the Feather River and the Butte River. Part of the county's western border is formed by the Sacramento River.

Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there are 203,171 people, 79,566 households, and 49,410 families residing in the county. The population density is 48/km² (124/mi²). There are 85,523 housing units at an average density of 20/km² (52/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 84.52% White, 1.39% Black or African American, 1.90% Native American, 3.32% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 4.82% from other races, and 3.90% from two or more races. 10.50% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 79,566 households out of which 28.40% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.70% are married couples living together, 11.20% have a female householder with no husband present, and 37.90% are non-families. 27.20% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.10% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.48 and the average family size is 3.02. In the county the population is spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 13.60% from 18 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.80% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.60 males. The median income for a household in the county is $31,924, and the median income for a family is $41,010. Males have a median income of $34,137 versus $25,393 for females. The per capita income for the county is $17,517. 19.80% of the population and 12.20% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 23.80% of those under the age of 18 and 7.30% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Cities and towns


- Biggs
- Chico
- Concow
- Durham
- Gridley
- Magalia
- Oroville
- Oroville East
- Palermo
- Paradise
- Richvale
- South Oroville
- Stirling City
- Thermalito Several movies have been filmed in Butte County, including 'Gone with the Wind, Friendly Persuasion, Magic Town, The Klansman, Ruby Ridge: An American Tragedy and The Adventures of Robin Hood.

Educational Institutions


- Butte College
- California State University, Chico

See also


- List of California counties
- List of school districts in Butte County, California

External links


- [http://www.buttecounty.net/ Butte County local government]
- [http://www.buttesar.org/ Butte County Search and Rescue]
- [http://www.buttefire.com/ Butte County Fire/Rescue]
- [http://www.csuchico.edu/ CSU Chico (Chico State)]
- [http://www.butte.cc.ca.us/ Butte College] Category:California counties

Glenn County

Glenn County is a county located in the Central Valley, in the northern part of the U.S. state of California. As of 2000, the county had a population of 26,453. The county seat is the city of Willows.

History

Glenn County was formed in 1891 from parts of Colusa County. It was named for Dr. Hugh J. Glenn, who was the largest wheat farmer in the state during his lifetime, and a man of great prominence in political and commercial life in California.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 3,437 km² (1,327 mi²). 3,405 km² (1,315 mi²) of it is land and 32 km² (12 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.93% water.

Demographics

As of the census2 of 2000, there are 26,453 people, 9,172 households, and 6,732 families residing in the county. The population density is 8/km² (20/mi²). There are 9,982 housing units at an average density of 3/km² (8/mi²). The racial makeup of the county is 71.78% White, 0.59% Black or African American, 2.09% Native American, 3.38% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 18.18% from other races, and 3.86% from two or more races. 29.64% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 9,172 households out of which 38.10% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% are married couples living together, 10.90% have a female householder with no husband present, and 26.60% are non-families. 22.00% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.70% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.84 and the average family size is 3.33. In the county the population is spread out with 30.80% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 102.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 99.50 males. The median income for a household in the county is $32,107, and the median income for a family is $37,023. Males have a median income of $29,480 versus $21,766 for females. The per capita income for the county is $14,069. 18.10% of the population and 12.50% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 26.30% of those under the age of 18 and 7.60% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Cities and towns


- Hamilton City
- Orland
- Willows

External links


- [http://www.countyofglenn.net/ County of Glenn website] Category:California counties

Watt

:For other uses, see: Watt (disambig) The watt (symbol: W) is the SI derived unit of power.

Definition

One watt is one joule of energy per second. : 1 W = 1 J/s = 1 newton meter per second

Origin

The watt is named after James Watt for his contributions to the development of the steam engine, and was adopted by the Second Congress of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1889 and by the 11th Conférence Générale des Poids et Mesures in 1960.

SI multiples

Conversions


- 1 watt ≈ 3.41214163 BTU/h
- 1 horsepower ≈ 745.700 W
- 1 horsepower (electrical British) = 746 W
- 1 horsepower (electrical European) = 736 W
- 1 horsepower ("metric") = 735.498 75 W

Derived and qualified units for power distribution

A watt is a unit of power or the amount of energy per unit time.

Kilowatt-hour, MWd

When paired with a unit of time the term watt is used for expressing energy consumption. For example, a kilowatt hour, is the amount of energy expended by a one kilowatt device over the course of one hour; it equals 3.6 megajoules (1 hour = 3600 seconds). A megawatt day (MWd or MW·d) is equal to 86.4 GJ (1 day = 86400 seconds). These units are often used in the context of power plants and home energy bills. For the use of watts as a measurement of transmitter power in radio, see effective radiated power and nominal power.

MWe, MWt

Watt electrical (abbreviation: We) is a term that refers to power produced as electricity. SI prefixes can be used, for example megawatt electrical (MWe) and gigawatt electrical (GWe). Watt thermal (abbreviation: Wt). This is a term that refers to thermal power produced. SI prefixes can be used, for example megawatt thermal (MWt) and gigawatt thermal (GWt). For example, a nuclear power plant might use a fission reactor to generate heat (thermal output) which creates steam to drive a turbine to generate electricity. See nuclear proliferation for discussion of a reactor that generates 200 MWt (50 MWe), and another reactor that generates 800 MWt (200 MWe).

See also


- SI
- Kilowatt hour (kW·h)
- Watt balance
- Conversion of units
- Orders of magnitude (power)
- James Watt
- RMS
- Back to the Future

External links


- Nelson, Robert A., "[http://www.aticourses.com/international_system_units.htm The International System of Units] Its History and Use in Science and Industry". Via Satellite, February 2000. Category:SI derived units Category:Units of power ko:와트 ja:ワット simple:Watt

Chico, California

Chico is a city located in Butte County, California. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 59,954. Chico is home to California State University, Chico. Chico was founded in 1860 by General John Bidwell, and became incorporated in 1872.

Geography

John BidwellChico is located at 39°44'24" North, 121°50'8" West (39.739983, -121.835460). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 71.9 km² (27.8 mi²). 71.8 km² (27.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.04% is water.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there are 59,954 people, 23,476 households, and 11,644 families residing in the city. The population density is 834.5/km² (2,161.0/mi²). There are 24,386 housing units at an average density of 339.4/km² (879.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 82.36% White, 2.03% Black or African American, 1.30% Native American, 4.21% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 5.65% from other races, and 4.25% from two or more races. 12.26% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 23,476 households out of which 27.1% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.4% are married couples living together, 11.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 50.4% are non-families. 29.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.42 and the average family size is 3.03. In the city the population is spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 27.0% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 26 years. For every 100 females there are 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 93.9 males. The median income for a household in the city is $29,359, and the median income for a family is $43,077. Males have a median income of $35,548 versus $26,173 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,970. 26.6% of the population and 12.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 19.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.2% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

Government

Chico's city council consists of seven councilmembers. Each member serves 4 years. The mayor is chosen by the councilmembers and serve for two years. City council meeting are on the first and third Tuesday of each month. The councilmembers are:
- Scott Gruendl - mayor
- Maureen Kirk - vice mayor
- Steve Bertagna
- Dan Herbert
- Andy Holcombe
- Ann Schwab
- Larry Wahl Rick Keene, California assembly-member was a former Chico city council member.

Points of interest

Chico is the site of Bidwell Park, the seventh-largest municipal park in the United States, Bidwell Mansion State Historic Park, the Chico University Arboretum, and home to the tallest building between Sacramento, CA and Portland, OR. Chico is also the home of California State University, Chico. Sierra Nevada Brewing Company is based in Chico. Butte Creek Brewing Company, maker of hand-crafted organic ales, is also located in Chico. The president is Daniel Flipino.

Sports


- Chico Outlaws (Baseball - Golden Baseball League)
- Chico Heat (old baseball team - Western Baseball League)
- Chico Rooks (Soccer)

External links

Category:Cities in California Category:Butte County, California

Rush Limbaugh

Rush Hudson Limbaugh III (born January 12, 1951 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri) is a popular American entertainer and radio talk show host. A commentator with a conservative point of view, he discusses politics and current events on his show, The Rush Limbaugh Show. Since starting his radio show in August 1988, Rush Limbaugh has cultivated an audience estimated between 13 and 20 million listeners weekly (according to Arbitron ratings surveys) making it the largest radio talk show audience in the United States. [http://www.talkers.com/talkhosts.htm][http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-28-2005/0004199479&EDATE=] The Rush Limbaugh Show has been largely responsible for the shift in AM broadcasting to a news-talk format after an audience decline in the 1970s, earning him the title "the man who saved AM radio". Rush Limbaugh is as much a political symbol as he is a broadcaster and political satirist. Limbaugh is the 1992, 1995, 2000, and 2005 recipient of the Marconi Radio Award for Syndicated Radio Personality of the Year, given by the National Association of Broadcasters. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993.

Private life

Limbaugh began his career in radio as a teenager in the late 1960s in his hometown of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, using the name Rusty Sharpe. His father, a judge whose wealth and status gave him considerable influence in southeastern Missouri, had once owned the radio station where Limbaugh started his career. Limbaugh always spoke of his parents with great warmth and affection. He dedicated his first book to them, writing: "Your love and kindess made me the terrific guy I am." Limbaugh's father had wanted Rush to be a lawyer, and was initially skeptical about his son's choice of a career. However, he supported his son in his endeavors. During the first Gulf War, Limbaugh's father watched him do a commentary and was impressed by his delivery. He called him and asked "Where did you learn to talk like that?" Rush said simply "I learned it from you, Dad." Young Rush was also very close to his grandfather who was a prominent attorney, practiced law well into his nineties, and lived to the age of 103. He attended Southeast Missouri State University for one year where, ironically, he flunked two speech courses, then dropped out. This would have normally made him eligible for the draft, but he was classified 1-Y due to an undisclosed medical problem [http://www.snopes.com/military/limbaugh.htm]. Limbaugh stated that he was not drafted because a physical found that he had an "inoperable pilonidal cyst" and "a football knee from high school" [Colford, pp. 14–20]

Relationships

Limbaugh was married for the first time on September 24, 1977 to Roxy Maxine McNeely, a sales secretary at radio station WHB in Kansas City. They were married at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. In March 1980, Roxy McNeelty filed for divorce, citing "incompatibility". They were formally divorced on July 10, 1980. In 1983, Limbaugh married Michelle Sixta, a college student and usherette at the Kansas City Royals Stadium Club. She left him in December 1988 and they divorced in 1991. In 1990, Limbaugh met Marta Fitzgerald, a married 35-year-old aerobics instructor, when she contacted him via the Compuserve online service. After Fitzgerald divorced her third husband, the two were married on May 27, 1994 at the house of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. The ceremony was officiated by Thomas himself. Also in attendence at the wedding were William Bennett, James Carville, and Mary Matalin. On Friday, June 11, 2004, Limbaugh announced that he was separating from Fitzgerald. On air, he stated, "Marta has consented to my request for a divorce, and we have mutually agreed to seek an amicable separation. As I said, it's a personal matter and I want to keep it that way. I don't intend to say any more about this on the air." An article in the Palm Beach Post claimed Fitzgerald had moved out after Rush admitted his drug addiction in October 2003. In August 2004, Limbaugh was reported to be dating CNN television personality Daryn Kagan.

Public life

1970s

After dropping out of Southeast Missouri State University and getting his draft waiver, he moved to Pittsburgh and became a Top 40 music radio disc jockey on station WIXZ. In October 1972, he moved to KQV, using the name Jeff Christie. It was in Pittsburgh that many of Limbaugh's trademarks developed, such as a claim to use a "golden microphone" (which eventually became true in the 1990s on The Rush Limbaugh Show.) After several years in music radio, Limbaugh took a break from radio and accepted a position as director of promotions with the Kansas City Royals baseball team.

1980s

In 1984, Limbaugh returned to radio as a talk show host at KFBK in Sacramento, California. In 1987, the Federal Communications Commission repealed the Fairness Doctrine, thus freeing radio stations to air opinion journalism without having to provide air time to opposing points of view. This emboldened many radio stations to modify their line-ups in order to attract those wishing to hear varied points of view. After achieving success in Sacramento and drawing the attention of Edward F. McLaughlin, a former president of ABC Radio, Limbaugh moved to New York City in 1988, entering the nation's largest radio market on talk-format station WABC-AM, which remains his flagship station to this day. He did a two hour local program on WABC. For a while on WABC he was preceded by commedienne Joy Behar and followed by Lynn Samuels, creating a six-hour block of politically focused radio, with both Behar and Samuels leaning to the left politically. Beginning on August 1, 1988 Limbaugh was syndicated nationally as a two hour show and eventually expanded to three hours while dropping the local New York show, though his show was still based at WABC. (Limbaugh refers on-air to the "Excellence In Broadcasting Network", or "E-I-B"; however, this is merely an on-air signature, as there is no organization with that name.) While WABC remains Limbaugh's key outlet, he now broadcasts from either the Premiere Radio Network studios in New York or his Florida home. Newsday media critic Paul Colford reported on Limbaugh in 1988: [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/nynewsday/access/104791544.html?dids=104791544:104791544&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Dec+21%2C+1988&author=By+Paul+Colford&pub=Newsday&desc=AM%2FFM+Combat+in+the+Morning] ::Rush Limbaugh's act includes plenty of pokes at himself and lots of tongue-in-cheek pomposity such as: "I'm Rush Limbaugh, your guiding light in times of trouble and despair." His politics skew sharply to the right of the "liberal Democrats" (this year's bad guys) and Gov. Michael Dukakis, known in Limbaugh parlance as "The Loser." ::The president of EFM Media is a former head of the ABC Radio Network, Edward F. McLaughlin. He believes that Limbaugh, a partner under contract to EFM, will become the most-listened-to radio personality in America - bigger than Larry King - by virtue of his midwestern manner and informed views. Bigger than Larry King? We'll see. For now, McLaughlin's goal is to have 200 stations signed to Limbaugh's show by 1990.

1990s

The program rapidly grew in popularity and moved to stations with larger audiences.

Guest host

Limbaugh's first television exposure came with a 1990 guest host stint on Pat Sajak's late-night program on CBS. After a confrontation with ACT UP gay activists in the studio audience, protesting what they perceived as anti-gay hate speech (such as "AIDS updates" that some suggested celebrated the deaths of people with AIDS), the studio audience was removed so that Limbaugh could finish the show.

Author

In 1992, Limbaugh published his first book, The Way Things Ought To Be, followed by See, I Told You So in 1993. Both went to number one on The New York Times bestsellers list.

Subject of books

The first book about Limbaugh appears to be the 1993 Rush Limbaugh and the Bible by Daniel J. Evearitt. One reviewer said "Dr. Evearitt is very uncomfortable sharing the label 'conservative' with Limbaugh." and notes that it contains chapters like "No Wife, No Kids -- Is This Man an Expert on Family Values?" [http://www.rtis.com/reg/bcs/pol/touchstone/april97/arn2.html] Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) released a report on October 17, 1994 listing forty-three errors Limbaugh allegedly made during various shows. Limbaugh responded to about half of the original claims; FAIR then rebutted his rebuttal. And the rebutted rebuttals continued. For the full text of the original, the rebuttal and the rebuttal of the rebuttal, see [http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1895], [http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1906], and [http://www.fair.org/press-releases/fair-limbaugh-rebuttal.html], respectively. Critics such as L. Brent Bozell's Media Research Center have charged that FAIR is liberal and partisan [http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/bozell200407080856.asp], which is accurate, but so too is Bozell arguably conservative and partisan. In 1995, FAIR published an entire book, The Way Things Aren't: Rush Limbaugh's Reign of Error: Over 100 Outrageously False and Foolish Statements from America's Most Powerful Radio and TV Commentator, alleging errors by Limbaugh. His defenders claim that because Limbaugh talks unscripted for fifteen broadcast hours a week the number of alleged factual errors is, under the circumstances, very small.

Television show

Limbaugh's second attempt at television was a syndicated half-hour show running from 1992 through 1996, with Roger Ailes as executive producer. The television show discussed many of the same topics as his radio show, and was taped in front of a live audience, which he facetiously claimed had to pass an intelligence test in order to be admitted. Reportedly, Limbaugh ended the show due to disappointment that it was aired too late in the evening in many markets (in many places it was aired at 1:30 AM or even later) and because of the immense amount of time required to prepare for the show. One notorious episode of the show's run occurred in the first episode. In his monologue, Limbaugh made reference to a "cute kid" in the White House, then flashed a picture not of 13-year-old Chelsea Clinton, but of Millie, the dog of recently defeated President Bush. However it did appear possible that this was simply an unfortunate control room mix-up. In 1993, when Chelsea Clinton was still in braces, Rush Limbaugh said this: "Everyone knows the Clintons have a cat," said Limbaugh. "Socks is the White House cat. But did you know there is also a White House dog?" He then pointed to a TV monitor, which switched to a picture of Chelsea Clinton. In response to criticism, Limbaugh claimed that his producer had played a trick on him. Another memorable segment of the show was when Limbaugh played a video clip of then-President Bill Clinton laughing at the funeral of Commerce Secretary Ron Brown with Tony Campolo and then putting on a mournful expression the instant Clinton detected the presence of television cameras which recorded this transition. [http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=39173]

Radio syndication

In 1997, Limbaugh's radio syndicator, privately held EFM Media, was acquired by Jacor Communication, a publicly traded company.[http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati/stories/1997/03/17/daily6.html] Later that year, Jacor merged with Premiere Radio Networks. [http://www.cfonews.com/jcor/c061297.txt] In 1999, Jacor merged with Clear Channel Communications.[http://www.clearchannel.com/Corporate/PressReleases/2001/050499.pdf] Currently, Clear Channel Communications though its Premiere Radio Networks subsidiary is the syndicator for Limbaugh's radio show.

Al Franken and weight

In 1996, Al Franken released a book and CD titled Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations which, among other political humor from a liberal perspective, included harsh criticism of Limbaugh and his allegedly meager fact-finding efforts. The "Fat" portion of the title of the book was a jibe at Limbaugh's weight and in-kind payback for his alleged rudeness on the radio and TV during the time in which the book was first published. Limbaugh's personal attacks during this period included mocking Clinton-era Labor Secretary Robert Reich for being short. Sometime after the publication of "Big Fat Idiot," Limbaugh began to go on various diets. On November 20, 1999, he appeared on CNBC's Tim Russert show describing his weight loss: "I got to 325 at my highest. And … I lost the weight in two stages, and I'm now at 215. So that's—yeah, 110 pounds." He has said that his secret to weight loss is due to pasta.

Called "one of the most dangerous men in America"

On March 3, 1991, Jon Kleinman wrote a letter to the editor of the Los Angeles Times Magazine in which he opined, "Radio is powerful. Limbaugh's views go unchecked. It is my view that he's one of the most dangerous men in America." [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.rush-limbaugh/browse_thread/thread/b2e6ce0a185f89e2/8948b2cebab03ce5?lnk=st&q=%22most+dangerous+man%22+limbaugh&rnum=4&hl=en#8948b2cebab03ce5] Limbaugh adopted this label on his radio program, using it as part of his on-air braggadocio.

2000s

Deafness

By September 2001, Limbaugh's listeners had noted changes in his voice and diction, changes that Limbaugh initially did not acknowledge. However, on October 8, 2001, Limbaugh admitted that the changes in his voice were due to complete deafness in his left ear and substantial hearing loss in his right ear. He also revealed that his radio staff was aiding him in continuing to accept calls on his show, despite his rapidly progressing hearing loss, by setting up a system where he could appear to hear his callers. The system worked remarkably well, but did not convince all listeners, some of whom noted a long delay between a caller ending his point and Limbaugh responding, and occasionally speaking over a caller. In December 2001, Limbaugh underwent cochlear implant surgery, which restored a measure of hearing in his left ear, and his voice and enunciation improved. According to Limbaugh's doctors, Limbaugh's deafness was caused by an autoimmune disease. When Limbaugh revealed [http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/10/10/rush.limbaugh/] in 2003 that he was addicted to pain killers, some doctors drew a link between his deafness and his drug addiction that resulted from the medication Limbaugh was prescribed to alleviate his chronic back-pain. [http://www.hon.ch/News/HSN/515577.html][http://www.reflector.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/drue/515577.html] Nonetheless, no linkage between hydrocodone and deafness has been scientifically substantiated. The House Ear Clinic, who performed Limbaugh's cochlear implant surgery, issued a [http://www.hei.org/news/factshts/painkillers.htm public statement] warning of the possible correlation between habitual use of pain killers containing hydrocodone and acetaminophen, and permanent hearing loss.

ESPN commentator

hydrocodone On July 14, 2003, ESPN announced that Limbaugh would be joining ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown show as a weekly commentator when it premiered on September 7. Limbaugh would provide the "voice of the fan" and was supposed to spark debate on the show. [http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2003/0714/1580436.html] Limbaugh certainly succeeded at the latter. On September 28, Limbaugh commented about Donovan McNabb, the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles: :"Sorry to say this, I don't think he's been that good from the get-go. I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. There is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of this team that he didn't deserve. The defense carried this team." [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=1627887] McNabb was the highest paid NFL player in history at the time, and defenders of Limbaugh's comments point out that McNabb had the worst start of his career in the 2003 season and was the NFL's lowest-rated starting quarterback. McNabb's defenders say that to his credit, McNabb was a runner-up for the year 2000 league Most Valuable Player, a member of three Pro Bowl teams, and led his team to two straight NFC championship games. McNabb had suffered a broken leg during the 2002 season, and had been slow to recover. The Reverend Al Sharpton, a Democratic Party candidate for President, encouraged Limbaugh's firing from ESPN, threatening a boycott of all Disney companies, including ABC, Disneyland, and Walt Disney World. Presidential candidates Howard Dean and Wesley Clark joined in the criticism, as did the NAACP. Limbaugh responded by saying that he must have been right; otherwise, the comments would not have sparked such outrage. On October 1, 2003, Limbaugh resigned from ESPN with the statement: : "My comments this past Sunday were directed at the media and were not racially motivated. I offered an opinion. This opinion has caused discomfort to the crew, which I regret. I love NFL Sunday Countdown and do not want to be a distraction to the great work done by all who work on it. Therefore, I have decided to resign. I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the show and wish all the best to those who make it happen." Limbaugh insisted that his comments were aimed at other members of the media, and not at McNabb or African Americans. It has been suggested that Limbaugh's fellow commentators on the program, some of whom were African-American former football players, may have played a role behind the scenes in ending Limbaugh's career as a football commentator. After Limbaugh's resignation, Sunday NFL Countdown co-host Tom Jackson, who is African American, said on the air[http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=\Culture\archive\200310\CUL20031007b.html]: : "Let me just say that it was not our decision to have Rush Limbaugh on this show. I've seen replay after replay of Limbaugh's comments with my face attached as well as that of my colleagues, comments which made us very uncomfortable at the time, although the depth and the insensitive nature of which weren't fully felt until it seemed too late to reply. He was brought here to talk football, and he broke that trust. Rush told us the social commentary for which he is so well known would not cross over to our show, and instead, he would represent the viewpoint of the intelligent, passionate fan. Rush Limbaugh was not a fit for NFL Countdown."

Painkiller addiction

African-American, 2003]] In early October 2003 and in the same week as the McNabb controversy, the National Enquirer reported that Limbaugh was being investigated for illegally buying prescription drugs. Limbaugh's former housekeeper, under investigation for drug dealing, alleged that Limbaugh was addicted to prescription opioid painkillers such as OxyContin and Lorcet (a combination of Paracetamol (acetaminophen) and hydrocodone) and that he went through detox twice. Other news outlets quickly confirmed the beginnings of an investigation. The highly addictive painkillers function similarly to and belong to the same drug group as morphine and heroin, or a stronger form of codeine. On October 10, 2003, Limbaugh admitted to listeners on his radio show that he was addicted to prescription painkillers and stated that he would enter inpatient treatment for 30 days, immediately following the broadcast. He did not specifically mention which pain medications he was addicted to. Speaking about his behavior, Limbaugh went on to say: : "I am not making any excuses. You know, over the years, athletes and celebrities have emerged from treatment centers to great fanfare and praise for conquering great demons. They are said to be great role models and examples for others. Well, I am no role model. I refuse to let anyone think I am doing something great here, when there are people you never hear about, who face long odds and never resort to such escapes." : "They are the role models. I am no victim and do not portray myself as such. I take full responsibility for my problem. At the present time the authorities are conducting an investigation, and I have been asked to limit my public comments until this investigation is complete." [http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/a/2003/10/10/national1534EDT0646.DTL] Following Limbaugh's admission of drug addiction, his detractors reviewed prior statements by him about drug addicts as examples of hypocrisy. Several statements from the 1990s were found, in particular, on October 5, 1995: : "There's nothing good about drug use. We know it. It destroys individuals. It destroys families. Drug use destroys societies. Drug use, some might say, is destroying this country. And we have laws against selling drugs, pushing drugs, using drugs, importing drugs. And the laws are good because we know what happens to people in societies and neighborhoods which become consumed by them. And so if people are violating the law by doing drugs, they ought to be accused and they ought to be convicted and they ought to be sent up." and in 1998: : "What is missing in the drug fight is legalization. If we want to go after drugs with the same fervor and intensity with which we go after cigarettes, let's legalize drugs. Legalize the manufacture of drugs. License the Cali cartel. Make them taxpayers, and then sue them. Sue them left and right, and then get control of the price, and generate tax revenue from it. Raise the price sky high, and fund all sorts of other wonderful social programs." An article in the January 12, 2004 issue of Human Events (The National Conservative Weekly) presented its reaction to the media attention of Limbaugh's addiction, calling it a 'Network War' against Limbaugh. It charged network anchors with engaging in exaggerated and inflammatory rhetoric by implying Limbaugh was involved in "drug sales" or "drug gangs." [http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=2787 Timeline] An investigation into alleged "doctor shopping" is ongoing in the state of Florida. Limbaugh's attorney Roy Black alleges that the chief county prosecutor investigating Limbaugh, an elected Democrat, is politically motivated. The ACLU, an organization often lambasted by Limbaugh, has come to his defense, claiming that the district attorney violated Limbaugh's constitutional rights by "fishing" through his private medical records. This investigation has, as of 2005, brought no criminal charges. Limbaugh states his addiction to painkillers came as a result of long-term back pain he had been suffering for several years.

American Forces Network controversy

On May 26, 2004, Eric Boehler wrote in a Salon.com [http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2004/05/26/rush_limbaugh/index.html article] that American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) airs The Rush Limbaugh Show, but no corresponding liberal-leaning political show. Melvin Russell, director of AFRTS, defended Limbaugh's presence, by pointing to Limbaugh's high ratings in the US: "We look at the most popular shows broadcast here in the United States and try to mirror that. [Limbaugh] is the No. 1 talk show host in the States; there's no question about that. Because of that we provide him on our service." Limbaugh himself pointed out that AFRTS aired many hours of National Public Radio, which he asserted was liberal programming. The Howard Stern show, which draws eight million listeners a week, was absent from AFRTS. The Ed Schultz show, a liberal talk radio show with over one million listeners a week, originally scheduled to be broadcast on AFRTS was subsequently pulled, with some alleging political motivation, and then debated in Congress.

Anti-war protesters and the media

On August 15, 2005, Limbaugh compared the actions and news coverage of Cindy Sheehan, an anti-war protester and mother of slain soldier Casey Sheehan, to that of alleged document forger Bill Burkett: "The fact is that they are too eager. I mean, Cindy Sheehan is just Bill Burkett. Her story is nothing more than forged documents. There's nothing about it that's a (sic) real, including the mainstream media's glomming onto it. It's not real." [http://mediamatters.org/items/200508220003] Afterwards he said that he was not questioning the authenticity of her claims, but he meant her response was a staged media event. [http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_081805/content/truth_detector.guest.html]. He also said that summer that the time to protest a war is before it begins, not after the first shot is fired.

Internet and technology

Limbaugh was an early adopter and fan of the internet and allowed and invited listeners to send email to his Compuserve account. On his website, Limbaugh offers a subscription service called "Rush 24/7" that provides additional materials mentioned on the show as well as recordings. In 2005, Limbaugh began podcasting his program to subscribers. Limbaugh also claims to prefer and use Apple computers extensively, and sometimes fires shots at Microsoft Windows users.

Philosophy

Defining the conservative movement

Limbaugh made the following comments in an op-ed piece in 2005:
I love being a conservative. We conservatives are proud of our philosophy. Unlike our liberal friends, who are constantly looking for new words to conceal their true beliefs and are in a perpetual state of reinvention, we conservatives are unapologetic about our ideals.
- We are confident in our principles and energetic about openly advancing them. We believe in individual liberty, limited government, capitalism, the rule of law, faith, a color-blind society and national security.
- We support school choice, enterprise zones, tax cuts, welfare reform, faith-based initiatives, political speech, homeowner rights and the war on terrorism.
- And at our core we embrace and celebrate the most magnificent governing document ever ratified by any nation -- the U.S. Constitution.
- Along with the Declaration of Independence, which recognizes our God-given natural right to be free, it is the foundation on which our government is built and has enabled us to flourish as a people.
- We conservatives are never stronger than when we are advancing our principles.
From American Conservatism: A Crackdown, Not a 'Crackup' Wall Street Journal op-ed October 17, 2005[http://www.opinionjournal.com/ac/?id=110007417]

Conservatism and libertarianism

Rush Limbaugh claims to be a conservative, but his show has sometimes advocated a more libertarian viewpoint. On May 18, 1999, he identified himself as "a conservative/libertarian" in his criticism of a caller who argued that the government should break Microsoft up into smaller companies [http://www.self-gov.org/good/a0190.html]. Libertarian economist and columnist Walter Williams has been a frequent substitute on his show. Terry Mattingly remarked, "Limbaugh is kind of an in-the-closet Libertarian, trapped with a Bible-believing audience." [http://jollyblogger.typepad.com/jollyblogger/2004/06/rush_limbaugh_d.html]. Yet, he does not seem to share the libertarian perspective on social issues such as gay rights. Unlike most libertarians, Limbaugh supports the War in Iraq, the War on Drugs and many other policies of the current Bush administration. Limbaugh also does in fact, satirically, define his show as the "Limbaugh Institute for Advanced Conservative Study"

Views on homosexuality

In 2003 Limbaugh broadcast the following hypothetical on abortion choices made by parents based upon trait selection and the anticipated reaction by advocates of gay rights:
Imagine we identify the gene — assuming that there is one, this is hypothetical — that will tell us prior to birth that a baby is going to be gay…. How many parents, if they knew before the kid was gonna be born, [that he] was gonna be gay, they would take the pregnancy to term? Well, you don't know but let's say half of them said, "Oh, no, I don't wanna do that to a kid." [Then the] gay community finds out about this. The gay community would do the fastest 180 and become pro-life faster than anybody you've ever seen. … They'd be so against abortion if it was discovered that you could abort what you knew were gonna be gay babies. [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/827830/posts]
Limbaugh opposed teaching grade school students about homosexuality in 1993 and wrote of gay rights as being special rights. He has made similar statements about transsexuals.

Balance and point of view

Critics decry what they assert is the lack of a balance between liberal and conservative viewpoints on talk radio. Limbaugh's response to this accusation is to claim that most news reporting is liberally biased[http://mediamatters.org/items/200508160010][http://mediamatters.org/items/200508300005]; a common saying of his is "I am equal time." He also does not claim to be a neutral reporter and contrasts his stance with the major news media's claims of objectivity (in the United States). He also has explained himself on occasion as being a commentator and entertainer, not a reporter. Limbaugh's satire, especially that of his early years, has been criticized by his detractors with some even calling it hate speech. News about the homeless is often preceded with the Clarence "Frogman" Henry song "Ain't Got No Home". For a time, the song "I Know I'll Never Love This Way Again" preceded reports about people with AIDS. For two weeks in 1989, Limbaugh performed "caller abortions" where he would end a call suddenly to the sounds of a vacuum cleaner and a child's scream, after which he would deny there was ever a caller explaining that the call had been "aborted." In his references to Ted Kennedy, he often cites Kennedy's alcohol abuse that led to the death of Kennedy's girlfriend at Chappaquiddick; for instance, Limbaugh has nicknamed Kennedy "the swimmer" and frequently refers to Kennedy as the Senator from Chappaquiddick. Limbaugh refers to Robert Byrd as "Sheets Byrd" in reference to Byrd's former membership in the KKK. (An extensive list of Limbaugh's nicknames for various political figures may be found at The Rush Limbaugh Show). Although controversial, his satire has been praised by his supporters and fans.

Demographic appeal

On the topic of what demographic Limbaugh appeals to, conservative economist Thomas Sowell states: :The liberal vision of Rush Limbaugh is that he is some guy who appeals to ignorant rednecks and Joe Sixpacks. As with so many things that liberals believe, they feel no need to test their notions against reality. Actual research on Rush Limbaugh's audience has shown that they are above average in both education and income. :Anyone who actually listens to Rush's show knows that those listeners who phone in are usually pretty savvy folks, and clearly a cut above those who phone in on other radio or television programs. But many liberals have such a sense of superiority that it would never occur to them to listen and learn.[http://www.townhall.com/columnists/thomassowell/ts20030221.shtml] Sowell may have been referencing surveys such as those from the Annenberg Public Policy Center [http://www.annenbergpublicpolicycenter.org/03_political_communication/archive/1996_03_political-talk-radio_rpt.PDF]. Another stereotype of the Limbaugh listener is encapsulated in the epithet "dittohead". When used as a derogatory term, it implies that the subject is a "mind-numbed robot", who falls into the groupthink of Limbaugh's audience. The term orgininated with people agreeing with previous callers' admiration of Rush.

References


- Books written by Limbaugh
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    - This was the best selling non-fiction hardback book of 1992, and holds the honor of being number one on the New York Times Bestseller list for 54 consecutive weeks. To date, no book has broken this record.
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    - This was the best selling non-fiction hardback book of 1993.
- Biographies and commentary
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See also


- Environmentalist wacko, Econazi and Ecoterrorist
- The Rush Limbaugh Show
- Thomas M. Sullivan

External links


- [http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/ Website of The Rush Limbaugh Show]
- [http://www.reelradio.com/jay/index.html#kqv74jc An aircheck of Rush Limbaugh as "Jeff Christie" on KQV-AM]
- [http://dmoz.org/Arts/Radio/Formats/Talk_Radio/Programs/Political/Limbaugh,_Rush/ Open Directory Project - Rush Limbaugh]
- [http://mediamatters.org/archives/search.html?topic=Rush%20Limbaugh Media Matters auto-search for Rush Limbaugh]
- [http://www.newsmeat.com/media_political_donations/Rush_Limbaugh.php Rush Limbaugh's political donations]
- Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush Limbaugh, Rush

The Sean Hannity Show

Sean Patrick Hannity (born December 30, 1961, in New York City, New York) is an American conservative talk radio host, co-host of Fox News Channel's political debate program Hannity & Colmes, and the author of two books.

Early Life & Career

Hannity went to high school at St. Pius X Preparatory Seminary in Uniondale, Long Island, New York, graduating in 1980. Shortly thereafter, he attended New York University but dropped out to pursue his radio career. He has claimed several times on his radio show that personal financial difficulties contributed to his dropping out. Already a poor, blue-collar, Reaganite conservative by the mid-1980s, Hannity says that his true awakening into activist politics and talk radio came during the infamous Iran-Contra Affair, specifically the Oliver North Senate hearings in 1986. His indignance over the media's treatment of North inspired him to call radio stations across the country, expressing his outrage. Eventually, he decided that his voice would be better served behind a real radio microphone rather than over the telephone.

KCSB Controversy

His first radio show was in the late 1980s as a volunteer broadcaster for the University of California, Santa Barbara's radio station, KCSB, although he was not a student at the University.[http://www.as.ucsb.edu/kcsb/history.html] Hannity was dismissed from the station in 1989 following an interview with Gene Antonio, author of The AIDS Coverup: The Real and Alarming Facts about AIDS. During the interview, Antonio argued that AIDS was easily transferrable: that so much as a cough or a sneeze may allow the HIV virus to be contracted. Antonio also used the appearance to argue that gays "were a subculture of people engaged in deviant, twisted acts". Hannity displayed a great deal of sympathy with Antonio's views, proclaiming "Anyone listening to this show that believes homosexuality is a normal lifestyle has been brainwashed. It's very dangerous if we start accepting lower and lower forms of behavior as the normal." After hearing the commentary, another presenter at KCSB called into the show to voice her concerns about Antonio's arguments. During the call, Hannity pointed out to the audience that the caller was a lesbian who had a child through IVF. Antonio then dubbed the caller's child a "turkey-baster baby", with Hannity continuing "I feel sorry for your child." The station reversed its decision to remove Hannity, thanks in part to a campaign conducted by the Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. Hannity decided against returning to KCSB. In Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Liberty Against Liberalism, Hannity argued that the KCSB dismissal was a result of a political witch-hunt. He wrote: "...It [the KCSB show] didn't last long. I was too conservative, the higher-ups said, and they didn't like the comments one guest made on the show... The left-wing management had zero-tolerance for conservative points of view. And I was promptly fired".

After KCSB

Even though he was no longer enrolled as a student or involved with WNYU (New York University's radio station), Hannity placed an ad in radio publications presenting himself as "the most talked about college radio host in America," and WVNN in Huntsville, Alabama hired him to be the morning talk show host. From there, he was hired by WGST in Atlanta to fill the slot vacated by Neal Boortz, who had moved on to competing station WSB.

Hannity & Colmes

Main article: Hannity & Colmes. Hannity is the co-host for Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes political commentary program.

Radio Program

His ABC Radio program went nationally syndicated on September 10, 2001. It is aired from WABC in New York and is now heard on well over 400 stations nationwide. His program now boasts the second-largest radio audience in the country, heard by over 13 million listeners a week. In 2004, Hannity signed a $25 million 5-year contract extension with ABC Radio to continue the show into 2009.

Philanthropy


- Hannity hosts the annual Freedom Concert at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey. This annual event aims to provide full college scholarships for all children of fallen U.S. military servicemen.

Hannitydate

Since 2005, Hannity has run a dating service on his website, called "Hannidate", matching right-leaning singles.

Criticisms

Support for Iran-Contra

Many critics have criticized Hannity for his support for U.S. Government actions in the Iran-Contra Affair. Al Franken, for example, wrote in Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them, that "You've got to wonder about a guy [Hannity] whose interest in politics was inspired by the illegal funding of terrorists [in Nicaragua]." Franken's use of the word terrorist presumably refers to the World Court finding in Nicaragua vs. United States that the U.S. CIA committed "terrorist acts" against Nicaragua.

Conduct at UVSC

In 2004, Hannity was invited to Utah Valley State College, shortly before Michael Moore's appearance. During Hannity's speech, he taunted liberals, asking "Where are they? Where are all the little liberals? Here liberal, liberal, liberal, liberal!". After a liberal asked Hannity a question regarding Iraq and the alledged Weapons of Mass Destruction, Hannity responded "So... you're here at UVSC. Have you thought of Berkeley or any of these other places?"

Books


- Deliver Us From Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism, and Liberalism (Regan Books, 2004) ISBN 0060582510
- Let Freedom Ring: Winning the War of Liberty Against Liberalism (Regan Books, 2002) ISBN 0060514558

Trivia


- A fictionalized, cyborg version of Sean Hannity takes a principal role in the conservative comic book, "Liberality For All", in which he -- along with G. Gordon Liddy and Oliver North [http://accstudios.com/f/comicpreview_page_covera.htm] -- leads an underground resistance against a hypothetical liberal dystopia.
- The position held by Hannity at WVNN in Huntsville, Alabama has since launched the careers of talk radio talents Kevin Miller and Mike Church of Sirius Satellite Radio.
- Thanks to his position as a radio talk show host in Huntsville, AL and his nickname "the Baby Jesus", Huntsville has been dubbed "the birthplace of talk radio".

External Links

Pro-Hannity
- [http://www.hannity.com/ Sean Hannity's official website and web-blog]
- [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,1242,00.html/ Sean Hannity's biography (Fox News)]
- [http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/malkin200402180833.asp/ Hannity vs. Evil]
- [http://www.freedomalliance.org/view_article.php?a_id=576 Sean Hannity & Freedom Alliance to Host Star-Studded Tribute to the Troops] Anti-Hannity
- [http://www.campusprogress.org/tools/195/ Know Your Right-Wing Speakers: Sean Hannity]
- [http://mediamatters.org/archives/search.html?topic=Sean%20Hannity MediaMatters.org articles on Hannity]
- [http://www.thenation.com/doc/20050620/blumenthal The Nation Magazine article about Hannity's questionable associations]
- [http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1158 An Aggressive Conservative vs. a "Liberal to be Determined"] Hannity, Sean Hannity, Sean Hannity, Sean Hannity, Sean Hannity, Sean Hannity, Sean Hannity, Sean Hannity, Sean

Coast to Coast AM

Coast to Coast AM is a late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but usually ones that relate to the paranormal. It was created by Art Bell, airs seven nights a week, and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks.

Subject Matter & Format

Coast to Coast mostly emphasizes very unusual topics, and is full of personal stories related by callers. While program content varies, most nights are focused towards the paranormal, and subjects such as the occult, remote viewing, hauntings, shadow people, psychic predictions, conspiracy theories, UFOs, cryptozoology and science fiction literature, among other paranormal topics. Since the terrorist attacks carried out in the United States on September 11, 2001, the events of that day (as well as conspiracy theories surrounding them) and current U.S. anti-terrorism strategy have also become frequent themes. The broadcast is typically kicked off with a reading of current events or news stories by the host, with callers weighing in if time permits. This is usually followed by a lengthy interview with the evening's guest, or hours of open phone lines. Occasionally, roundtable discussions are held on one of the show's common topics. The Halloween edition of Coast to Coast becomes Ghost to Ghost, as listeners call in with their ghost stories. The New Year's Eve show usually entails listeners calling in their predictions for the coming year, and the host (commonly Art Bell) rating the predictions made a year earlier.

Hosts

Coast to Coast was created by veteran broadcaster Art Bell. At one time, Bell hosted the program every weeknight from his residence in Nye County, Nevada (often referred to on the program as The Kingdom of Nye). He has retired and returned to the show many times since 1998; the first "retirement" lasted two weeks, and was brought on by alleged threats against his family. The second involved, as Bell eventually disclosed, the molestation of his son, forcing him off the air in 1999. In 2001, Bell expressed dissatisfaction with his successor, Mike Siegel, and resumed weekday hosting duties. The following year, he left the show again due to chronic back pain. He was replaced by George Noory. Bell made another comeback in 2003, this time replacing Barbara Simpson on the weekend broadcasts. Then in June 2005, he announced that he would be reducing his role to just two Sundays a month, in order to leave more time for traveling with his wife. He also disclosed that Ian Punnett and Hilly Rose would take over the new vacancies. Previously, Rose had been a frequent guest-host of the program, and Punnett had regularly hosted Sunday evening broadcasts years ago. George Noory currently hosts the weekday editions from Los Angeles, California. He has promised listeners that he will "stick around" to host the show until 2012; his wish is to report on whatever might occur in relation to the many predictions of the world ending (or at least changing significantly) that year, as anticipated by the Mayan calendar, alleged bible code, and a number of spiritualist writers.

September 11, 1997

On September 11, 1997, Bell opened a special line for callers who claimed to have been employed at the United States Air Force operating facility at Groom Lake, Nevada, also known as Area 51. (Bell had done such themed shows occasionally, seeking calls from purported time travelers or from the antichrist.) One caller, an apparently distressed male, said he had been an Area 51 worker, but had been released for "medical" reasons, and was being pursued by unnamed persons. He reported that plans were underway for wide scale destruction, by sinister forces who "want those major population centers wiped out." [http://www.angelfire.com/nv/mywebpage/area51a.html]. The caller was interrupted, and Bell's program went off air. There was a brief period of dead air before Bell's network rebroadcast a portion of a previous interview with Mark Fuhrman for about 30 minutes until the technical problems were resolved. When Bell came back on the air, he reported that the caller had screamed in what Bell took to be genuine terror or fright, before the line was disconnected. This scream was not broadcast to listeners, as it apparently occurred after the disconnect. The interruption of Bell's program gained some mainstream attention, and some concluded it was a publicity stunt, especially since that evening a writer for Penthouse magazine was in Bell's home studio, interviewing the broadcaster. Some have argued there were puzzling aspects to the incident, saying a problem with a communications satellite was the source of Bell's temporary outage. An unsourced account of the event was reported that "(according to GE engineers) the satellite's 'Earth sensor lost lock' and the craft rolled into an attitude where it no longer pointed at the uplinks, causing 50 channels to go off-air for about 30 minutes," and that Bell's program was not the only one affected by the purported satellite problem. [http://www.ufomind.com/area51/list/1997/sep/a16-001.shtml]. One caller claiming to live near Area 51 is documented as saying damage to his home was similar to that caused by an electromagnetic pulse at about the time Bell's broadcast stopped, and a man who claimed to work as an engineer for Hughes Aerospace in Tucson, Arizona reported a similar effect. Other suspicious circumstance happened before and after that particular call. The first person to have called in on the Area 51 line was a man who simply called himself "Steve". Steve claimed he was a current Area 51 employee who was "higher on the food chain" than the infamous Men in Black. He said he was ordered to call in and discuss certain "key events" (convieniently logged within a book Steve openly dictated from) that were related to Area 51, giving times and dates of past events relating to Richard Hoagland, as well as giving generalized, inconclusive information to future events "in this timeline". He also gave information about the Illuminati (and The Supreme Commandant), an alien base on the moon, first contact, and the origin of extra-terrestrial species (which from Steve's explanation that they were in fact humans from a parallel dimension. Art then suggested to dub them as "extra-dimensionals"); all within a matter of a few minutes before Art apparently decided he'd had enough and cut to a commercial break. "Steve" became a semi-frequent caller during the next year or so, usually being the very first caller of the night whenever Art had a special call-in line and topic for the evening. On a later call, Steve predicted that the distraught Area 51 caller had been captured by authorities, was not killed (as many listeners assumed), but rather was taken and reprogrammed/brainwashed to call in once more and proclaim the entire event to be a hoax. Several weeks later, a man claiming to be "the Area 51 caller" called into the Art Bell show to state that the call had been a hoax, just as Steve had predicted would happen. Other suspicious calls that happened that night after the distraught caller included a man who claimed "cleaners" once visited his place of work to rid of confidential documents related to alien technology, as well as two self purported "security" workers for Area 51, one of which boasted the "situation was handled rather quickly, wouldn't you say?" Rock band Tool incorporated portions of the distraught Area 51 caller's voice on their album Lateralus.

Music


- Themes: Giorgio Moroder - The Chase (from Midnight_Express original soundtrack); Cusco - Inca Dance
- Listening to Coast to Coast: UFO Phil

Dreamland

Dreamland, another Art Bell creation, is a similar radio program hosted by Whitley Strieber. It once preceded Coast to Coast AM on most affiliate stations on Sunday nights but moved to Saturday night (after most stations started airing Matt Drudge) and then dropped the program entirely. It is now heard over the Internet[http://www.unknowncountry.com/] and XM Satellite Radio almost exclusively. Dreamland focuses on many of the same topics as its sister program, although often with a more spiritual point of view, as well as an increased emphasis on extra-terrestrials. The name Dreamland is, in fact, a reference to one of the nicknames for Area 51.

External links


- [http://www.coasttocoastam.com/ Official website]
- [http://www.coastfanclub.com/ Coast to Coast AM Fan Club] Category:United States radio programs

Category:Butte County, California

Category:California counties

Tanimbar Islands

The Tanimbar Islands, also called Timor Laut, are a group of about 30 islands in the Maluku province of Indonesia.

Geography

The Aru Islands and Kai Islands lie to the northeast, and Babar Island and Timor lie to the west. The islands separate the Banda Sea and the Arafura Sea. The total land area of the Islands is 5440 km² (2100 sq mi). The largest of the group is Yamdena. Yamdena Island has a range of thickly forested hills along its eastern coast, while its western coast is lower. Saumlaki is the chief town, located on the south end of Yamdena. Other islands include Larat, Selaru, and Wuliaru. The population is approximately 61,000, of whom 44,000 are Christian, and 17,000 Muslim and unknown. (http://www.websitesrcg.com/ambon/Tanimbar.htm)

Economy

Important products are