Rush Limbaugh Extends Radio Contract for Four More Years

Rush Limbaugh told his audience Tuesday he contemplated retiring from his gig as the nation’s No. 1 talk-radio host, but has decided to stick around for another four years, enough to keep him on the air through the first term of either President Hillary Clinton or President Donald Trump. 

“I have, in the past six months, really been going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to keep doing this or move on to something else — or nothing,” Limbaugh said Tuesday on his show.

When push came to shove, though, he stuck with Premiere Networks and iHeartMedia, and The Rush Limbaugh Show will remain on 600 stations in its current time slot, weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET.

Related Stories

TV

ABC News Taps Brooke Brower as Executive Producer of 'This Week'

News

Congressman Ro Khanna on DeSantis' Fatal Flaw, AI Regulation and How the Media Should Cover Trump

“As Rush celebrates his 28th anniversary in national syndication, his commitment to broadcasting excellence has never been more evident,” iHeartMedia CEO Bob Pittman said in a press release issued just prior to the start of Limbaugh’s show Tuesday.

“I really want to be on the air if the Russians find Hillary’s emails,” Limbaugh said in the release.

Premiere and iHeartMedia didn’t reveal details of the extension — not even its length — but Limbaugh said on air that he has agreed to an additional four years.

“I don’t feel old, I don’t feel worn out. I don’t … so I decided to keep doing it, because there’s nothing I love more,” Limbaugh said during his show.

“So four more years is what it is,” he said. “The release didn’t specify that, because I told everybody involved, ‘I don’t want any terms announced.’ I have never, by the way, released that kind of information about my arrangement here.”

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.