Why is the Rush Limbaugh Audience Among Most Knowledgeable and Educated in All of American Media?

Question

Rush Limbaugh Audience Among Most
Knowledgeable and Educated in All of American Media




RUSH: I just got this, and I'm not able to study it and really make a whole lot of sense out of it. It's a Pew survey on who watches television and what the partisan political split of various TV show audiences is and all. You get down to what the Pew -- P-e-w -- survey of this stuff, you get down to one section, who's got the smartest, who has the most knowledgeable audience, and on television -- just listen to what this says. "On television, The O'Reilly Factor, has the most knowledgeable audience, 27% of the audience are college grads, which matches the national average," but, but:

Only three audiences in the Pew survey scored higher on high knowledge than O'Reilly at his Factor TV show. Regular readers of The New Yorker and the Atlantic, regular Rush Limbaugh listeners, and regular Weekly Standard and New Republic readers. I don't know if there's anybody above that. I don't have that, because radio and this stuff is not part of the survey, at least from the website that I'm reading this from. But I have always known it. I have always known that you people are among the most knowledgeable, engaged, informed, and educated people listening to any media in the country today. I think I found documented evidence of it here from Pew, but it's just a little aside in a story about television audiences.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: I had some time to dig deep into this Pew survey for People and the Press, and it starts out here by saying, "News audiences vary widely in age, education, and how much they know about what's going on in the nation and the world." Then there's a ranking here of various television programs. At any rate: "Judged by their answers to three knowledge questions, the most informed audiences belong to the political magazines, Rush Limbaugh's radio show, The O'Reilly Factor, news magazines, and online news sources. Close behind are the regular audiences for NPR and The Daily Show."

It doesn't look good for the major broadcast networks. At any rate, education, age, and knowledge. College grads, this program number two, at 37%. The average age of the audience of this program, 51, and the high knowledge score is 48, and its number two. This program, number two in all of American media in education and knowledge. It is preceded only by the Weekly Standard and New Republic readers, 38% college grads, 38 is the average age. The libs are dragging us down a little bit. Eh, the libs may be dragging down the Weekly Standard a bit.



http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?PageID=1068

Answer 1

Glad to know I'm in good company.

I can only tell you why I listen. I listen because I enjoy hearing his take on the issues. Gull-a-bull? That's silly. Only a Michael Moore koolaide drinker whould not want to hear all sides of an issue.

Answer 2

It is amazing to me that those, for the most part who answered your question intelligently and without any anger were the ones who listen. I know there were a couple of liberals who did, but I mean for the most part. I listen to Rush, but I can't always listen and sometimes I have to give my brain a break, but I know some people who actually believe what they hear on Good Morning America and the Today show. It amazes me what they find to talk about on those shows. I don't watch, I just hear what these people say about it. As far as news, I get my news from news channels, and the Internet. And, like someone already said, most of the listeners are already informed - I find Rush entertaining, especially the parodies that he does with Paul Shanklin. Those are great. Of course, I can be sarcastic, so I appreciate sarcasm.

Answer 3

There's an interesting question of cause and effect here. Most commentators assume that Rush gives his audience their marching orders, so he's the cause and the audience's knowledge is the effect.

Rush does give us a lot of good information, but I believe the cause/effect relationship is the reverse of that. The audience is already well-informed politically BEFORE listening to Rush. They bring their talents and knowledge to bear while listening.

Hence, Rush benefits more (I believe) from having a highly educated audience than the audience benefits from having a highly educated host.

Answer 4

This question answers itself - and accurately:
Rush Limbaugh's audience is the most knowledgeable and educated in all media because they are LISTENING TO RUSH!!!

Answer 5

Numbers don't lie. Although I suspect that there will be many libs who will violently disagree, right?
Hey, Janet, not only have I taken Poli Sci classes, I have a degree in Political Science. So, I do know my own mind and views. A blind follower, I am NOT.

Answer 6

Because people who listen to talk radio care about this country. The liberals are too busy watching Good Morning America or Entertainment Tonight.

Answer 7

For the same reason the most highly-educated, intelligent Germans listened to the Hitler propaganda in the late 1930's: it's crap they want to believe because it makes them look smarter, better, and superior. Why do you think some wacko 'artist' can slap paint on a canvas and con rich people into paying millions of dollars for it? You don't have to be smart to be rich...... -RKO- 06/28/07

Answer 8

I find this amusing because I'm an educated liberal who listens to their shows. Kind of like 'keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer.'

I find it important to learn all sides of the story, thank you very much, and the more I listen to them, the more I know they're full of hot air and know nothing more than talking points.

Sorry to say I'm contributing to making it seem as though their "supporters" are all educated.

Answer 9

How many Rush listeners have ever taken a college level political science class to determine their political points of view rather than be yet another victim following the conservative pied piper.

Answer 10

Because Rush speaks the truth and exposes liberal corruption with logic. Also, he speaks in the best interest of the United States.