Feminists to CNN: Just Say No To Rush Limbaugh

Statement of NOW President Kim Gandy

August 22, 2001

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Feminist activists and other progressives are responding to what could be the scariest media merger yet: CNN and Rush Limbaugh. CNN has acknowledged that it is in discussion with the radical right-wing radio host for a program on the news channel. USA Today reports that Limbaugh is "listening" to what CNN has to offer.

Limbaugh recently renewed the contract for his radio show in what insiders say is the biggest deal in radio syndication history--worth nearly $300 million. And now CNN wants to help make Limbaugh even richer, while bringing his bigoted rantings to the cable news market.

NOW activists are letting CNN know that they don't have to sink to the level of the FOX News Channel to win viewers. There is still a place for responsible journalism on TV and Rush Limbaugh is neither responsible nor a journalist. Countless articles and books have discredited many of his supposedly "factual" statements, and much of his rhetoric is downright hateful.

CNN has been taking some hits lately from the FOX News Channel because of its cozy relationship with the Bush administration. Many of those in politics and the media view CNN as the progressive news channel and FOX as the conservative one. FOX, with a straight face, offers up its right-wing hosts and attitude as "fair and balanced." The FOX News Channel has grown over the last several years, due in part to its increasing availability on cable systems around the country, while CNN's viewership has declined slightly. Some think CNN could be chasing bigger ratings through controversial names like Limbaugh.

The failures of Dr. Laura Schlessinger's recent TV show and Rush's own syndicated TV show point to the shaky transition of right-wing rhetoric from radio to television. Through e-mails, faxes, phone calls and letters, activists are telling CNN that if they are looking for a well-known personality to host a political show, they might consider NOW's immediate-past president Patricia Ireland, or any number of people with insightful comments on the issues important to their viewers. CNN's image will forever be tarnished by giving someone like Limbaugh an even bigger microphone.

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