Rush Limbaugh Signs New iHM, Premiere Deal

iHeartMedia announced today it has renewed and extended its partnership with Rush Limbaugh, the most-listened-to national radio talk show host in America.

Specific terms were not announced, but the long-term, multi-platform agreement reflects The Rush Limbaugh Show’s status as the top program in Premiere Networks’ industry-leading talk lineup of nationally-syndicated properties, including continuous growth and strong performance in both revenue and OIBDAN.

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.

His previous 8-year, $400M contract expired last Friday.  The new deal is said to be for four years with no dollar amount disclosed.

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.”