I was enormously proud to receive the 2002 NAB Broadcast Hall Of Fame award, an annual award honoring individuals who have shown leadership in radio and television. I was especially pleased to be inducted into such distinguished company as Edward R. Murrow, Robert Trout, Paul Harvey, Jerry Lewis, Bob Hope, Red Skelton, William S. Paley, Ronald Reagan, just to name a few. Apart from “leadership” recognition, it seemed to me that at the core of the selection criteria was also the essential “humanitarian” character of the chosen inductee.
Rush Limbaugh was inducted into the NAB Broadcast Hall Of Fame in 1998. Although my political views were not in line with his, I agreed with many in broadcasting, including my long time friend, Eric Rhoads of Radio Ink, that the uniqueness of his controversial radio style and performance made Limbaugh an appropriate choice. However, that initial opinion has been gradually eroding over the last few years and has dramatically changed for me recently with the capper coming during the disaster that struck Haiti last week.
In a series of recent broadcasts, Limbaugh has blasted the giving of aid to Haiti, using the tragedy to further exploit his negative political position with regard to President Obama. Limbaugh’s basic position is that the President’s endorsement of 100 Million US dollars in relief to the island nation is simply a cheap political effort to curry favor with the US black community. He later added that the filtering of humanitarian dollars through the White House was, in part, a scam since the White House would be keeping 28% of these charitable contributions as a “handling fee” surcharge – an assertion the White House has denied.
While I agree with a number of bloggers who maintain that Limbaugh still fits the leadership and performance criteria of the NAB award, I am also fully aware that he reveals a reckless insensitivity to one of the most horrific human tragedies of our time. The affect of this most recent Limbaugh calumny is, in my opinion, a clear SOS to mature and caring radio broadcast leaders to finally censure the man or, better yet, remove this dangerous hate-monger from the airwaves where he is increasingly and irresponsibly spreading his demagogic poison to the radical right and the emotionally vulnerable. I am talking about the kind of action taken by the Catholic Church in terminating the racist and anti-Semitic message pedaled by Fr. Coughlin in an earlier shameful era of radio.
Rush Limbaugh isn’t simply exercising his right of free speech, but blatantly appealing to the very worst impulses in his ditto head listeners.
Therefore, if there will be neither censure or removal, then I respectfully ask the NAB to remove my plaque from the Hall of Fame. I am embarrassed that my award, as well as those of others I so highly respect, is in the company of this perfidious human being.
Tags: Broadcast hall of Fame, Haiti, NAB, Russ Limbaugh