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Rush Limbaugh is still hemorrhaging advertisers—and now beginning to lose radio stations as well—in the wake of his "slut' comment. Online tax advice operation Tax Resolution Services yesterday joined AOL in deserting the uber-conservative, bringing to at least nine the number of sponsors who have dumped his program, notes AP. A Massachusetts and Hawaiian radio station have also dropped Limbaugh's show, reports Mediaite. A spokesman for KPUA AM 670 in Hilo said Limbaugh "crossed a line" when he called Sandra Fluke a slut for supporting health insurance coverage for birth control. “We are strong believers in the First Amendment, but it has never been our goal to allow our station to be used for personal attacks and intolerance,” said general manager Chris Leonard. Had the dig been uttered by "one of my disc jockeys, he would have been terminated," he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.
The 96.9 FM station WBEC in Pittsfield has yanked the program because Limbaugh has gone "too far," said a statement. Clear Channel’s Premiere Radio Networks, which hosts Limbaugh’s show, is standing by their man. “In an attempt at absurdist humor to illustrate his political point, Mr. Limbaugh used words that, unfortunately, distracted from the message," said a Clear Channel statement, which praised Limbaugh's "heartfelt" apology. Clear Channel is refusing to say how much Limbaugh's gaffe is costing the company. Tax Resolution was paying some $9 million to advertise on Limbaugh's program.
