Limbaugh Station WBAP Refuses Ad Using Limbaugh's Own Words; Disney-Owned Dallas Station Rejects Ad 5/20/2004
From: Naomi Seligman of Media Matters for America, 202-544-9177; Web: http://www.mediamatters.org WASHINGTON, May 20 -- Arlington, TX WBAP News/Talk Radio today refused to run a Media Matters for America ad spotlighting Rush Limbaugh's controversial comments on the torture of Iraqi prisoners. WBAP, the only station carrying Limbaugh in the Dallas market, refused to run the ad during the Rush Limbaugh show, or at any other time. Last week, WMAL Radio, an ABC station in the Washington, DC market, refused to air the ad during the Rush Limbaugh show, or at any other time. Rush Limbaugh, the most listened-to political commentator in the U.S, reaches more than 20 million listeners per week. WBAP is part of the ABC Radio Network, which is owned by the Walt Disney Corporation. Disney recently was embroiled in another controversy for barring its Miramax division from distributing Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11." Media Matters for America's 30-second radio ad augments a recent cable television ad launched on May 13th. The ads contrast the Bush Administration's denunciation of Iraqi prisoner torture with Limbaugh's May 4th statements comparing the torture to a college fraternity prank and people "having a good time." VOICEOVER: "SECRETARY RUMSFELD CALLED THE TORTURE OF IRAQIS SADISTIC...CRUEL..." RUMSFELD: "FUNDAMENTALLY UN-AMERICAN." VOICEOVER: "BUT HERE'S WHAT RUSH LIMBAUGH SAID:" LIMBAUGH: "THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HAPPENS AT THE SKULL & BONES INITIATION...I'M TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE HAVING A GOOD TIME. THESE PEOPLE - YOU EVER HEARD OF EMOTIONAL RELEASE? YOU EVER HEARD OF NEEDING TO BLOW SOME STEAM OFF?" VOICEOVER: "THIS IS THE MOST LISTENED-TO POLITICAL COMMENTATOR IN AMERICA?" To view the ad, please visit http://www.mediamatters.org. Media Matters for America's website currently features numerous analytical reports and full transcripts of Rush Limbaugh's Iraqi prisoner torture comments, including: -- May 3, 2004 - Limbaugh likens the photos to "anything you'd see Madonna, or Britney Spears do on stage." -- May 5, 2004 - Limbaugh claims "the reaction to the stupid torture is an example of the feminization of this country." -- May 6, 2004 - Limbaugh calls the torture a "brilliant maneuver" and the photos "good old American pornography." -- May 10, 2004 - Limbaugh mimics barking in describing a photo of a nude Iraqi prisoner terrorized by vicious guard dogs (later announces that he was incorrect in asserting that the prisoner had not actually been attacked). -- May 11, 2004 - Limbaugh equates brutal sodomizing of Iraqi prisoners to the "cigar in the Oval Office." Media Matters for America is a new Web-based, not-for-profit progressive research and information center dedicated to monitoring, analyzing and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media. Launched earlier this month by former conservative media insider David Brock, Media Matters for America puts into place, for the first time, the means to systematically monitor the media for conservative misinformation - every day, in real time - in 2004 and beyond. Media Matters for America's website serves as the principal vehicle for correcting misinformation through a range of initiatives: -- Media Monitoring: Monitor a cross-section of print, broadcast, cable, radio and Internet media to identify conservative misinformation. -- Media Analysis: Rapid-response items analyzing and correcting conservative misinformation - every day, in real time. Longer research and analytic reports, appearing several times per week. Occasional reports of a broader scope, delving deeper than daily and weekly material. -- Inaugural Projects: Democracy Project. Track and swiftly correct conservative misinformation on major current political issues, with the goal of discouraging responsible news outlets from giving it credence. Radio Project. Comprehensively monitor, analyze and correct targeted political talk radio shows. Columnist Project. Monitor to ensure syndicated columnists - and the newspapers that publish them - adhere to fact in their opinion columns. Activism Project. In the planning stages, the Activism Project will spur progressive activism based on standards and accountability in media. Through these initiatives and advanced technology, Media Matters for America will continue to post timely reports of Limbaugh's remarks regarding Iraqi prisoner torture and other significant issues. --- Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media. Media Matters for America is the first organization to systematically monitor the media for conservative misinformation - every day, in real time - in 2004 and beyond. For more information, log on to http://www.mediamatters.org |