The Controversial Legacy of Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh, controversial conservative radio giant, has died at age 70 from stage four lung cancer. Limbaugh was famous for pioneering a new age of conservative radio – one that steers far from traditional journalistic values of fairness and bipartisanship. Throughout his long career as a broadcaster, Limbaugh perpetrated conspiracy theories ranging from lies about Barack Obama’s birthplace to amplifications of Trump’s recent groundless claims of voter fraud, according to the New York Times. He was known for ignoring the boundaries of acceptable political discourse, often vocalizing stereotypes of women and people of color. Love him or hate him – Limbaugh’s impact on AM radio and the broadcasting industry is undeniable. KCSB’s Alexandra Goldberg speaks with radio industry historian Don Barrett to find out more.