Conservative Talk Radio Recap: Dec 28-Jan 1

02 Jan, 2010 by Kathy Shaidle

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My weekly Talk Radio Watch column is now up at WND! Naturally, Rush Limbaugh‘s health scare is the top story; however, there’s still news and highlights from other hosts, like Dennis Prager, Glenn Beck, Mark Levin, Hugh Hewitt and more.

Check out the FREE audio and video highlights for the week.

In other talk radio news:

* Mark Steyn sits in for Rush Limbaugh Monday January 4 and Tuesday January 5, as Rush continues his recovery.

However, Rush will be calling in throughout the week — and returns to the microphone on Thursday January 7.

* They either picked the best, or the worst, week possible to launch their new brand/station: taking over from a Spanish language station, all new RushRadio 94.5 kicked off in the North Carolina market with a conservative talk radio lineup.

For years, Rush, Sean Hannity and other conservative talkers were heard on rival station WPTF, who apologized to longtime listeners on their website.

Interestingly, this is yet another instance of a Spanish language radio station faltering. As reported earlier, the switch to a new ratings measurement system has revealed that some Spanish language stations were really getting only about half the listeners they’d been claiming under the old system.

* Speaking of awkward timing: Second City Chicago just announced that their next review is called “Rush Limbaugh: The Musical.” Ann Coulter, Karl Rove and other political stars will be portrayed on stage by members of the famous improv’s cast.

* References to Father Coughlin and Joe McCarthy? Check! “He can’t possibly believe what he’s saying…”? Check! Use of the words “demagogue, ” “crying” and “scalps”? Must be time for “Liberal Think Piece about Glenn Beck, XVII” — this one by the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank. It’s hard to believe big name journalists get paid to write these articles, when someone could easily program a java script “Glenn Beck Smack Down Article Generator.”

* Another left wing radio station fails: Rational Radio out of Dallas/Fort Worth is moving to the web exclusively after losing the lease on its frequency.

* One blogger who once tuned out Mark Levin now dubs him “Man of the Year 2009.”

(Kathy Shaidle blogs at FiveFeetOfFury, now entering its 10th year. Follow her on Twitter @kshaidle)