Are Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity about to lose their radio shows over last year's Sandra Fluke comments?

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Cumulus Media, the nation's second-largest owner of radio stations, is set to drop Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity
The move would block access to the top two most popular radio shows - both conservative talk shows - to millions of listeners across the country
National Public Radio's Morning Edition could take the No. 1 slot

By Daniel Bates

Published: 09:53 EST, 29 July 2013 | Updated: 14:33 EST, 29 July 2013

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Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity are being dropped by 40 radio stations in the ongoing wake of the Sandra Fluke controversy.

The pair, whose radio shows are the first and second most popular in the US, are being taken off air by Cumulus Media which is the second-biggest broadcaster in the nation.

The decision means that Limbaugh and Hannity will lose a significant chunk of their listeners - and could make NPR’s Morning Edition the most listened to radio show.

However, Limbaugh is already making moves to get back on the radio in cities where he would be blacked out.

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Rush Limbaugh had advertisers leave in droves after he referred to a female law student as a 'slut' and a 'prostitute' for advocating free birth control

Conservative talk show host Sean Hannity, whose radio show is the second-most popular in the country, is also on the verge of being booted from thousands of local radio stations

The New York Daily News reports that in New York, Limbaugh - likely with Hannity along with him - is probably going to move from Cumulus' WABC station to WOR - an AM radio stationed owned by rival Clear Channel.

The move is being hailed as a ‘major shakeup for the radio industry’ and even though it is reportedly over money, there is speculation that Limbaugh may be the real reason.

The root of the row does seem to be Limbaugh’s comments about Fluke, who in February last year gave evidence before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee on the need for affordable birth control.

On his radio show Limbaugh said in response that she ‘essentially says that she must be paid to have sex - what does that make her?'

He went on: ‘It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex. She's having so much sex she can't afford the contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex.’

His comments sparked and firestorm on social media and an advertising boycott from the likes of AOL, Sears, Netflix, Autozone, Capital One, J.C. Penney and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Rush Limbaugh calls Sandra Fluke a 'slut' and 'prostitute'

Controversy: Sandra Fluke became a national celebrity when Limbaugh called her named after she was denied an appearance before a House hearing about birth control

Cumulus chief executive Lew Dickey is said to have blamed him for the $2.4m first quarter slump in advertising revenue after he called Fluke, the pro-choice Georgetown University law student, a ‘slut’ and a ‘prostitute’ live on air last spring.

According to Politico, Cumulus has now said it will not renew either Limbaugh or Hannity’s contract, which expire at the end of the year.

Negotiations are also said to have broken down between Cumulus and Premiere Networks, the division of Clear Channel which distributes the shows for both men, because they could not agree on payments for distribution rights.

Both sides are reportedly tough negotiators and have apparently chosen to walk away rather than agree an unsatisfactory deal.

Cumulus has already begun working on how it will fill the slots vacated by Limbaugh and Hannity and are looking at moving hosts like former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and conservative commentator Mark Levin into one of their slots.

Executives have also begun asking radio talent agencies and regional stations to put forward potential hosts.

Jason Easley, a left-wing commentator with PoliticusUSA, said: ‘The boycotters did it.

‘They got Cumulus to dump not only Limbaugh, but also Hannity.

NPR's Morning Edition could become the top radio show in the country if the two conservative talk shows are dropped from Cumulus Radio

‘Without the public pressure, bad publicity, and shame that the boycott brought on to his advertisers, Rush Limbaugh and Cumulus would probably still have a happy marriage.’

Limbaugh and Hannity’s shows are the first and second most popular in the US with 14 million and 13.25 million listeners each week respectively.

Being dropped by Cumulus does not mean they will be going off air completely as Clear Channel, the largest radio distributor in the US, will continue to carry them.

But a surprising effect could be making publicly-funded National Public Radio's Morning Edition the no.1 show in the country.

It is currently in third with 12.3 million listeners, followed by All Things Considered, also on NPR, with 11.8 million listeners.

In a statement Cumulus said: ‘Cumulus is not in a position to comment about negotiations with talent under contract, no matter what the rumor of the day might be’.