KPRL mourns its longest-running talk show host, Rush Limbaugh, dead at 70
Rush Limbaugh. Image from rushlimbaugh.com.
–Local news/talk radio station KPRL, like hundreds of radio stations across the country, is mourning the death of Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh died early Wednesday morning, his wife announced on the radio. He was 70.
Limbaugh had a strong listenership in North County, and he contributed to the success of KPRL. The growth of his talk show paralleled the evolution of KPRL as a news/talk station. KPRL was one of the first thirty affiliates of Limbaugh’s show, starting in 1988. His show was a key element of KPRL’s programming.
Limbaugh developed his talk show in 1984 while working at Sacramento’s KFBK, a news talk radio station. In 1988, he moved to WABC in New York City and started national syndication. His national talk show ultimately grew to 650 stations. The Washington Post called him the “nation’s most popular radio talk-show host.”
“KPRL was one of the first affiliates, and Rush had a great impact for the station”, says KPRL’s Owner/GM Kevin Will. “Rush revitalized hundreds of AM stations with programming that brought listeners back to their audience.”
KPRL went on the air in 1947. For many years, the radio station played music, but as the radio audience migrated to the FM dial, KPRL and other AM stations saw their audience decline. Limbaugh changed that. Listeners returned to AM radio in great numbers to hear his blend of politics, humor, and human interest stories. He became the voice of conservatives and the voice of the common man.
For 33 years, Rush was a key element of KPRL’s programming. Limbaugh’s Excellence in Broadcasting Network (EIB) tells KPRL it will continue mixing guest hosts with highlights from past programs. When EIB makes a decision on a new host, they will inform KPRL and other affiliates.
Limbaugh announced a year ago that he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. Shortly after, President Donald Trump surprised Limbaugh at last year’s State of the Union address by awarding him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
