Leslie Salzillo's great diary breaks down the 'secret story' about the StopRush movement here. Rush Limbaugh Must Be Terrified - He's Releasing Secret 'Facts' About StopRush
She points out all the nonsense in the report. Below I explain why Rush is attacking and how the attack is a gift to the community. They are telling us what they are telling the distributors, radio stations and sales reps. We can use that information to keep pushing.
Keep doing what you are doing. We are winning and they know it.
When I developed my method, I always liked to learn what the sales rep at KSFO was telling advertisers about the letters, calls, and faxes(!) they were getting from me and my friends. They tried multiple ways to discount the work I was doing. They made excuses, told lies, attacked my character and threatened me financially and legally. Then I would incorporate their criticisms into my next round of letters to advertisers.
That is why I want you all to understand this article is a gift. They are telling us the lines they are giving to radio station owners on why Rush isn't bringing in the revenue he used to. They are also telling the station owners and sales reps what to tell the advertisers who are leaving. Things like:
1) These people aren't from your community
2) They aren't your customers
3) There are only a handful of them--it's all robots
4) They are afraid to use their real names for no good reason
5) It's all a big conspiracy, not a grass roots movement.
In sum. they tell the advertisers, "You are hearing from out of state bullies and cowards, paid for by George Soros. Ignore them and keep advertising on the Rush Limbaugh show!"
(Fun Fact: The reason they think this is what is happening is because that is what THEY do. Projection, it's not just in movie theatres these days.)
Another thing this letter tells you is that the distributors have put pressure on Rush to DO something, such as stop saying such offensive things. But he will not. So they attack us.
That is what KSFO, ABC/Disney and the hosts did to me. So instead of the management telling the hosts to stopping spewing violent rhetoric and bigotry, they went after me as a way to stop their financial pain.
Rush will not modify what he says, so he attacks the people who capture the clips: Media Matters and all the activists who use them to point out what he is saying to advertisers.
Putting this movement on the "George Soros funded" Media Matters, and naming them as the leader kills two birds with one stone in their minds. (BTW, am I glad I used a pseudonym? You bet. Who I was would have been the focus instead of the issues of copyright and what the hosts were saying on air. )
The other target for this article are the Rush listeners. They are being educated too. As usual they are given pre-digested talking points to use when questioned about an issue. "Advertisers aren't leaving Rush because of what he says, but because they are being bullied by those mean ol' libs! Rush is the real victim here." Remember, the Right always wants to be The Victim, especially when they are in power.
The Leverage Point for Advertisers Isn't Money, It's Brand
The people whose voices really matter to the distributors and stations are the advertisers. The advertisers have figured out that Rush isn't going to change. But appealing to their desire to make more money by advertising on Rush's show isn't going to work like it used to. Now it is a message about who they are and what their brand is.
One of the things I always did first was go to the advertisers' web page and look at their values statements. I asked them. "Does this host, who you are sponsoring, reflect your values? This is what you say on your page." I also looked at the people who worked there, who are they as people? I found lots of decent folks, just like you and I.
That is also why I contacted not just the person responsible for advertising, but the head of HR, as well as marketing and PR. They all needed to hear what it was that the hosts were saying that they were paying for. The fact that many times the head of PR and HR were women helped. Additionally these people usually helped write those value statements and their 'brand identities."
Sometimes these people care about their brand because it also reflected something about who THEY are. Very few people and companies like to associate themselves or their brand with, sexism, racism, bigotry and violent rhetoric. Today we also can include homophobia.
However some were fine with what Rush was saying. I was always polite as a way of telling them I respected their decisions.
The Advertisers Chooses. Let the Host Taint Your Brand or Walk Away.
The Spocko Method isn't a boycott, I never threaten anyone. It's about education and choice. I ask them. "Do you agree with what he is saying? Is this host for you? Imagine the host wearing your company logo shirt and saying the things he said on air at a company meeting in front of staff, vendors and customers. Do you still want to sponsor him?
Keep doing what you are doing. They are grasping at straws (and straw men!) in order to stop the continuing financial pain.
Keep doing what you are doing. We are winning.
The entire radio industry advertising model for RW radio has been upset. They don't like to talk about it, but the managers and distributors are hoping the money hemorrhage will stop during political advertising season. But that is a temporary reprieve. They have lost thousands of customer facing advertising and they aren't coming back as long as Rush keeps being Rush.
If I allowed my human emotions to show I would be smiling.
LLAP
Spocko