Limbaugh will continue to host The Rush Limbaugh Show, which broadcasts weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. ET on more than 600 affiliates and reaches millions of listeners nationwide. In 2016, the top-rated program has experienced significant year-over-year audience growth with Persons 12+ (+27%), Adults 25-54 (+18%), Adults 18-34 (+27%) and Women 25-54 (+27%), and average quarter hour audience levels are up double and triple digits in many markets, including New York (+155%), Chicago (+76%), San Francisco (+63%), Houston (+33%), Atlanta (+40%) and Miami (+50%) (Source: Nielsen Audio, JAN-JUN Avg 2016 vs 2015, PPM, Exact Times, AQH). Ad revenue for The Rush Limbaugh Show has also increased by 20% over last year, and the show continues to be the number one program in Talk radio.

 

“After 28 fulfilling years, I seriously considered moving on to something else, but Rich and Bob were very persuasive,” said Limbaugh. “I'm thrilled to be continuing. And I really want to be on the air if the Russians find Hillary's emails.” 

 

“As Rush celebrates his 28th anniversary in national syndication, his commitment to broadcasting excellence has never been more evident,” said Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, Inc. “The Rush Limbaugh Show is stronger than ever, experiencing continued ad sales growth and its highest audience levels of the past decade.” 

 

“Rush continues to deliver impressive results for affiliates and a wide range of advertisers by providing an unmatched connection to millions of loyal fans, along with valuable and unique content,” said Rich Bressler, President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of iHeartMedia, Inc.  “We’re proud to continue our partnership with Rush, and look forward to sharing many more years of success.”

 

Known as the pioneer of national AM radio, Limbaugh is widely credited as the media pundit who reshaped the political landscape via Talk radio by making complex topics uniquely understandable and entertaining. In 1988, Limbaugh and his partners founded EIB, the Excellence In Broadcasting network, launching his phenomenally successful radio broadcast into national syndication on August 1, 1988, debuting with 56 radio stations. In just a few months, an additional 100 affiliates were added, paving the way for the expansion of the Talk radio format. Incredibly remarkable in any industry, Limbaugh has remained the leading Talk radio host in the United States since the early 1990s and continues to dominate.

In addition to his daily radio show, Limbaugh continues to engage millions of loyal fans via The Limbaugh Letter, a subscription-based monthly print and digital companion to the radio broadcast now in its 25th year, as well as the popular Rush 24/7 subscription service, an extension of www.RushLimbaugh.com which is available on mobile applications for iPhone and Android devices. His decades-long career inspired the development of alternative media across multiple platforms, which had previously been nonexistent.    

Limbaugh has been recognized by the National Association of Broadcasters with five Marconi Awards for “Syndicated Radio Personality of the Year,” tying for the most wins ever in the category (1992, 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2014).  He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 1993, the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 1998, and the Hall of Famous Missourians in 2012. 

Although not often discussed or recognized publically, Limbaugh is one of the most generous celebrities in the country, donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to numerous causes - from organizations that help the families of fallen United States Military personnel, to foundations that care for children facing extreme medical challenges. Limbaugh spends countless hours behind the scenes providing personal contributions to families and strangers encountering difficulties and hardships in their lives. He has made a significant positive difference in the lives of many.

This year marked The Rush Limbaugh Show’s 26th annual on-air Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Cure-A-Thon. To date, Limbaugh and his audience have collectively raised more than $47 million dollars for the non-profit organization, helping provide much-needed research and support for individuals and families affected by blood cancer diseases. 

Limbaugh, the best-selling author of The Way Things Ought To Be and See, I Told You So – which have sold nearly 10 million copies to date – recently expanded his readership to a younger demographic.  Realizing there was a real void for non-political, accurate, patriotic American history, Limbaugh and his wife Kathryn co-wrote four #1 New York Times Bestselling time-travel adventures geared toward 8 to 12-year-olds. Upon debut, this series instantly became hugely popular and Limbaugh was awarded “Author of the Year” at the Children’s Choice Book Awards in 2014. The Adventures of Rush Revere Series uses the magic of time travel to take the reader back in time to experience key events and meet Exceptional Americans, such as Ben Franklin and George Washington. Students, teachers, and parents worldwide, from all backgrounds, ages, and demographics, send in thousands of emails and photos praising the series and how their children have a newfound love for American history and reading. The books have received five stars across the board in many mainstream reviews and are approved on the Accelerated Reader List. 

Thousands of copies of the books are donated to libraries, schools, homeschool conferences, and other initiatives each year, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, benefitting the surviving families of our fallen soldiers and first responders. For more information, visit www.rushlimbaugh.com, www.rushrevere.com, and www.facebook.com/rushrevere. 

With over a quarter of a billion monthly listeners in the U.S. and over 85 million social followers, iHeartMedia has the largest reach of any radio or television outlet in America. It serves over 150 markets through 858 owned radio stations, and the company’s radio stations and content can be heard on AM/FM, HD digital radio, satellite radio, on the Internet at iHeartRadio.com and on the company’s radio station websites, on the iHeartRadio mobile app, in enhanced auto dashes, on tablets and smartphones, and on gaming consoles.

iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia’s digital radio platform, is the No. 1 all-in-one digital audio service with over one billion downloads; it reached its first 20 million registered users faster than any digital service in Internet history and reached 85 million registered users faster than any other radio or digital music service and even faster than Facebook.  The company’s operations include radio broadcasting, online, mobile, digital and social media, live concerts and events, syndication, music research services and independent media representation. iHeartMedia is a division of iHeartMedia, Inc. (OTCBB: IHRT). Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company information.

Rachel Nelson

iHeartMedia/Premiere Networks

818-461-8057

rnelson@premierenetworks.com