He was a “who the hell is that guy” kind of host. I never heard of him until the “Nappy Headed Hoes” comment. This headline is one that actually won’t make news.
Limbaugh's shows don't make enough in advertising to exist. He's funded by a billionaire or 2, or else he wouldn't be on the air at all. As for Imus, I was unaware he still had a show at all that was still on.
if true then why did you even comment? Imus being old and retiring is just a sign of the times. its simple math.... they (conservatives) are an older demographic and we know what happens to older demos. They die off. my dads 70 and he listens to right wing hate radio and his days are numbered... hes 70 bro... its simple math. Fox news target demo is around 70 so their time is running out too. but I respectfully disagree with you and your opinion man. thanks for the insightful conversation. you are a true introspective thinker. Thank you, Michael
Michael Bc you are implying imus is the face of conservative radio. Which he clearly is NOT. Clearly you know nothing about radio ratings of rush, hanity and savage They have more market share of talk radio than any liberal talk radio. Imus was dead in radio back in 90s when stern beat him silly. Get a clue
Radio and TV news have their clock ticking too. Fox is the most watched b/c old ppl watch it and they are dying off. TV news and cable TV in general is losing market share b/c young ppl don't watch them. I know all about savage and rush.... my dads been listening to them for years and I never said that Don Imus was the face of the right wing hate radio menace. Radio is like VHS tapes and cable news is like the DVD. The both of them are on borrowed time. I am 36 years old... I have seen what's been going on in the last 25 years with this. that's why they want to get rid of net neutrality.... the cable and telecom companies are losing their market share to alternative media on the internet and they want to control the internet so that only their programing is seen and they can control the flow of information. Its like 1984 if you ask me but instead of big brother it will be big ISP controlling all the information. The first sites to suffer will be far right wing sites too. NBC owns Comcast and Comcast is the only ISP you can get where I live. NBC will block of throttle Fox news if we let them. I'm against that even if I disagree with fox and their poison. No ISP has the right to block any content just like they cant impede on an individuals right to free speech.
Honestly, the only thing I can think of when I hear the name "Don Imus" is that guy who called those Black, female basketball players "nappy-headed hoes" on air. I didn't think anybody still listened to him.
edgeninja my brother is black and he says shit like this all the time. And even he doesn't understand why he can say things like that and I can't. In his own words " if you get in trouble for saying something bad about black people than so should I and every other black person". He also finds it strange that he's allowed to talk bad about white people, although he doesn't for the most part( just the sjw people)
What a strange thing to say: "My BROTHER is Black". And...you're not? Coupled with your use of the word SJW. Yup, you're just a lying, alt-right troll.
Don Imus has been dead since the late 70's. But his corpse has been reanimated and has continued to broadcast on the radio in a bizarre Creepshow-style nightmare scenario.
I grew up in NYC. Used to listen to Imus and Stern. What has killed radio is the greed. There are about 25 minutes of commercials worked into an hour's show. Also some companies own hundreds of stations. In order to save money they use a generic format with pre-taped content. The wonderful profession of the " radio disc jockey" has been dead for a long time. Also the music sucks!!
no ...commercials didnt kill radio...jeez..maybe you are not aware of it...but kids today can access or carry with them everything they want to hear when not talking on their phone...that is why radio attracts a very old audience...oldsters are not youngsters. THAT is what is causing radio to die
radio announcers provided a service. they introduced new songs , interviewed artists ,gave tickets away. they were part of the community . you don't see that with Pandora or the other streaming services. they are great if you know what you like .
The following is anecdotal, but even so, is worth sharing. As an Australian living in Houston, I was mildly surprised by the media diet of a certain demographic. My mother in law, although a lovely person, had three sources of info. Fox News, KTRH, the station in H-town that carries Limbaugh and worst of all, Pastor John Hagee. There have been two or three occasions in the last few years when I went to Beaumont Tx, about 85 miles east of Houston, to go to the dentist and visit my mom in law's sister, who was recovering from a fall. The facility she was in had maybe 200 in-patients, all with TV's on Fox, or radios set to nutjobs.
Holy moly. Is he still around? As soon as he said, "nappy headed hoes", that was it. Done. Donzo. I remember this happening. I do not remember ever hearing him come back. But then again, I only listen to three radio stations, none of which are satellite.
Cenk Uygur is right about Conservative radio dying. He also neglects to mention that Liberal radio is not doing much better too. Heck, radio in general is dying if not dead already. After all, video killed the Radio Star. Heck, Internet has killed the Video Star although the FCC has the power to kill the internet. Furthermore, I disagree with Cenk Uygur cutting off conservative radio's oxygen (metaphorically speaking) because conservatives as well as liberals still should have their freedom of speech rights. If you think your views are superior to your opponents views, you don't silent the opposition. Instead, you verbally crush them.
I remember watching him on tv briefly about the time he got suspended for something. But never really cared for his views of the world or America. Hope they all go away, they seem to be a bad influence on America.
I agree rare few people are listening to radio stations but this proves nothing. The dude is 77 years old so he simply retired. He would've retired a decade ago in Europe and not because he's conservative but because people retire at that age.
He "retired" because the syndicator unilaterally cancelled his contract and no other company was interested in carrying his show. He would have continued on the air if there were a paycheck in it.
The people that listen to talk shows like this just want to hear someone that shares their own limited view of things. imus was always a weird character and won't be missed by people with an education.
Stink Yogurt(sic)... when you're dead and gone, hardly anyone will remember(or even CARE) who you were. OTOH, guys like Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Grant... their names and legends will live on FOREVER. Bet on it.
I love you, Cenk, and how I wish you were right when you say that conservative talk radio is dying . . . but are you kidding? It ain't dead out here where I live, out in the flyover. I wish it were, I wish it were, but it's not, not by a long shot.
I do agree, though, that we should try to "cut off their oxygen." Question: How does one verify the audience numbers of a radio show? I thought it was through the ratings agencies, just like Nielsen for TV.
Even if it does die out in the cities rural America still loves conservative radio. As long as rural America exist there is gonna be a audience unless you advocate killing off everyone who lives in rural America.
Rush Limbaugh was... actually pretty huge back in the 90s. He lost a lot of his audience after being caught using illegal drugs after years of circular logic rants: "Drugs are illegal because they are AGAINST THE LAW!" Not saying he isn't a has-been at this point. Just disagreeing with the assertion that he wasn't big news a few decades ago.
In my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, everyone seems to be listening to Rush Limbaugh on 740AM KRMG in their cars. My middle brother always listens to him in his car which is annoying. Even people who I wouldn't think were conservatives listen to him. I don't listen to him because he's a nut case. I wish some stations here would have some Progressive talk shows on the radio, but that's not going to happen.
Excellent report. Listened to Imus off and on in years past. I regarded him as a self righteous promoter of the elite class. We may be on the cusp of something here in THESE STATES... I wonder what it is.
I cannot ever understand what this freak Imus ever says anyway. He sounds exactly like Frankensteins monster when he talks. Just a chain of bizarre grunts is all I pick up.
Conservatives somewhere are having an influence, because I live in Michigan and a ton of people believe fox news/conservative radio talking points. And it's not all old people.
No, it's ALL old people. Fox's median age of their audience is 60-70. See, since only 26% of the population voted, and a large proportion of those are the elderly, that means old Evangelicals are the reason Trump won. If EVERYBODY voted, Conservatives would NEVER win. Why do you think they suppress votes, gerrymander districts, and run smear campaigns? They count on stupid people, like yourself, to buy in to the lie that is their platform. Giving more money to the rich. When will you realize that? Rich White people call poor White people "trash". They're not your friend, and they never were.
I would not count conservative talk radio out yet. First of all, it became as popular as it did because conservative talk radio is angry, and anger is more entertaining than fair and balanced arguments. That's why Fox News keeps becoming the #1 cable news station, and why Tomi Lahren became as instant a celebrity as she became. Secondly, liberals also listen to conservative talk radio. It being more entertaining may be part of that reason, but some liberals also want to know their enemy and provide a basis for a valid counter argument.
I have to agree with you. Jerry Springer had a radio show on several years ago. He just wouldn't fight, call people names, or cutoff opposing apposing views. Rush made his mark during the Clinton years before that he was a nothing.
Actually most people are downloading music playlists on their phones or even using youtube playlists and using their cars blue tooth connection or by audio cord to play it on their car speakers. Radio is dying. utterlyviolet: Self driving cars? Um, not yet anyways. Will it become a reality in our lifetime? Maybe, but not yet. Today people are listening to playlists so why you used that on this argument is beyond me.
He was a “who the hell is that guy” kind of host. I never heard of him until the “Nappy Headed Hoes” comment.
This headline is one that actually won’t make news.
Limbaugh's shows don't make enough in advertising to exist. He's funded by a billionaire or 2, or else he wouldn't be on the air at all.
As for Imus, I was unaware he still had a show at all that was still on.
Susan the Turks got 20 million to push their propaganda. It works both ways.
I legit thought that it was an elderly ooompa loompa on the thumbnail
Conservative talk radio is dying b/c the listeners are dying off slowly. They are being propped up my wealthy Republican donors.
Wow... you are clueless...
if true then why did you even comment? Imus being old and retiring is just a sign of the times. its simple math.... they (conservatives) are an older demographic and we know what happens to older demos. They die off. my dads 70 and he listens to right wing hate radio and his days are numbered... hes 70 bro... its simple math. Fox news target demo is around 70 so their time is running out too. but I respectfully disagree with you and your opinion man. thanks for the insightful conversation. you are a true introspective thinker.
Thank you,
Michael
Michael Bc you are implying imus is the face of conservative radio. Which he clearly is NOT. Clearly you know nothing about radio ratings of rush, hanity and savage They have more market share of talk radio than any liberal talk radio. Imus was dead in radio back in 90s when stern beat him silly. Get a clue
Guess you still missed that Fox News is still the most watched cable news channel too. Keep hating all you want but welcome to reality.
Radio and TV news have their clock ticking too. Fox is the most watched b/c old ppl watch it and they are dying off. TV news and cable TV in general is losing market share b/c young ppl don't watch them. I know all about savage and rush.... my dads been listening to them for years and I never said that Don Imus was the face of the right wing hate radio menace. Radio is like VHS tapes and cable news is like the DVD. The both of them are on borrowed time. I am 36 years old... I have seen what's been going on in the last 25 years with this. that's why they want to get rid of net neutrality.... the cable and telecom companies are losing their market share to alternative media on the internet and they want to control the internet so that only their programing is seen and they can control the flow of information. Its like 1984 if you ask me but instead of big brother it will be big ISP controlling all the information. The first sites to suffer will be far right wing sites too. NBC owns Comcast and Comcast is the only ISP you can get where I live. NBC will block of throttle Fox news if we let them. I'm against that even if I disagree with fox and their poison. No ISP has the right to block any content just like they cant impede on an individuals right to free speech.
Imus was never a conservative talk show host. He was a radio disc jockey who played less music as time went on with humor, bits, and interviews.
My dad called him a liberal towards the end.
Well boys this is what an Oompa-Loompa looks like when they're all grown up!
Jonny Comment Jeff Session use his secret weapon to stay current! 6 stack of yellow pages books.
Don Imus is 77yrs old and has a net worth of $35-40 million. He'll be fine for the time that he has left.
Is your pic a hybrid of Obama and 'W'???
Honestly, the only thing I can think of when I hear the name "Don Imus" is that guy who called those Black, female basketball players "nappy-headed hoes" on air. I didn't think anybody still listened to him.
edgeninja my brother is black and he says shit like this all the time. And even he doesn't understand why he can say things like that and I can't. In his own words " if you get in trouble for saying something bad about black people than so should I and every other black person". He also finds it strange that he's allowed to talk bad about white people, although he doesn't for the most part( just the sjw people)
What a strange thing to say: "My BROTHER is Black". And...you're not? Coupled with your use of the word SJW. Yup, you're just a lying, alt-right troll.
No idea that dude was still alive.
To quote anybody under 28: "Who?"
anyone else think the thumbnail was an oompa loompa from Charlie and the chocolate factory?
He was relevant until Howard Stern crushed him in the ratings long ago.
Yeah the feuding between those two was legendary back in the early 90s.
Don Imus, in the thumbnail, looks like Lord Farquaad from Shrek.
Al Paca exactly what I was thinking 😂👌
Howard Stern kicked his ass long ago. hahaha
I thought that was Donald Trump with a terrible wig.
Optimus Prime savage 😂 lol
Honestly from the thumbnail, thought it was going to be about the guy who played the Oompa Loompa in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
*Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. "Charlie" is the new one which had that super weird CGI guy.
Don Imus has been dead since the late 70's. But his corpse has been reanimated and has continued to broadcast on the radio in a bizarre Creepshow-style nightmare scenario.
I grew up in NYC. Used to listen to Imus and Stern. What has killed radio is the greed. There are about 25 minutes of commercials worked into an hour's show.
Also some companies own hundreds of stations. In order to save money they use a generic format with pre-taped content. The wonderful profession of the " radio disc jockey" has been dead for a long time.
Also the music sucks!!
no ...commercials didnt kill radio...jeez..maybe you are not aware of it...but kids today can access or carry with them everything they want to hear when not talking on their phone...that is why radio attracts a very old audience...oldsters are not youngsters.
THAT is what is causing radio to die
radio announcers provided a service. they introduced new songs , interviewed artists ,gave tickets away. they were part of the community . you don't see that with Pandora or the other streaming services. they are great if you know what you like .
Thought it was an oompa loompa from the thumbnail
Ollie Fake I thought it was lord farquaad from Shrek
😂😂😂😂
He looks like one of the umpa loompas from the old willy wonkas
The following is anecdotal, but even so, is worth sharing. As an Australian living in Houston, I was mildly surprised by the media diet of a certain demographic. My mother in law, although a lovely person, had three sources of info. Fox News, KTRH, the station in H-town that carries Limbaugh and worst of all, Pastor John Hagee.
There have been two or three occasions in the last few years when I went to Beaumont Tx, about 85 miles east of Houston, to go to the dentist and visit my mom in law's sister, who was recovering from a fall. The facility she was in had maybe 200 in-patients, all with TV's on Fox, or radios set to nutjobs.
kinda remind me of the scene from 'They Live' where all media was just subliminal programming, that you only noticed when you wore special glasses
Thought that was an oompa loompa at first.
I kept thinking the cover shot of Sin Imus, was an oompah lompah
Imus was DONE 20 years ago
Honestly, I thought Imus was dead. Congrats on being alive :/
the old radio hosts aren't crazy enough for the right wing anymore, they have moved on to more hateful crazy pastures.
In further news... I didn't even know that he was still on the air...
Tyt should do a video on how to go from an escort to first lady in less than 20 years......
Don Imus looks like he can totally pass as Don Trump's brother
rsuriyop LMAO
I saw this title and thought it was from twelve years ago.
TYT lives on and breitbart is dead.
^Lying partisan moron living in 2008
The fact that he was so old he could not put a sentence together may have something to do with him getting the boot.
wake me when it's Limbaugh, Levin or Savage.
You must finally be awake...
I thought the pictures was trumps face on an umpa-lumpa
witherheadstudios I thought it was one of the umpa-lumpas!
witherheadstudios i thought the same thing.
I seriously thought he died years ago...
jacksprat418 He did.
Conservative Hate Radio....A Buh Bye!
Cenk is exactly right here. These guys have no listeners. None whatsoever.
don't get cocky, the right wing shills are moving online, and the audience there is much younger
Holy moly. Is he still around? As soon as he said, "nappy headed hoes", that was it. Done. Donzo. I remember this happening. I do not remember ever hearing him come back. But then again, I only listen to three radio stations, none of which are satellite.
Imus looks like an Oompa Loompa.
Cumulus is cleaning house. They're doing the same with Chicago radio hosts. One of the long-time radio hosts is losing his contract.
LiS Wright Who in Chicago is losing their contract?
From the picture he looks like a Umpa lumpa
"Who cares what Rush Limbaugh has to say?" Cenk, that was beautiful!
He should have been taken off the air in 1971.
I didni't even know he was still alive.
And the funny thing is, that he didn't know you were still alive.
He looks like an umpa lumpa off of the Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Don Imus is Spooderman
Cenk Uygur is right about Conservative radio dying. He also neglects to mention that Liberal radio is not doing much better too. Heck, radio in general is dying if not dead already. After all, video killed the Radio Star. Heck, Internet has killed the Video Star although the FCC has the power to kill the internet. Furthermore, I disagree with Cenk Uygur cutting off conservative radio's oxygen (metaphorically speaking) because conservatives as well as liberals still should have their freedom of speech rights. If you think your views are superior to your opponents views, you don't silent the opposition. Instead, you verbally crush them.
Exactly why Stern left terrestrial radio years ago. He knew it was dying and nobody would eventually be listening
He looks like the leader of the vampires from Underworld!
Carl Taylor or a tall Lord Farquaad 😂😂😂
'Time is not on their side' -can we say the same for Fox News?
Dare to dream, John, dare to dream
Didn't he play one of the oompa loompas in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate factory? Looks like it from the thumbnail photo.
Bruce Hauge ,no the oompa loompas were cloned from him..
Radio is dying, in general. All those guys with big contacts are gonna be clipped...
Contacts? Contracts, you idiot.
America's Imperialist Oh, so you understand what I meant. I guess my work here is done. Lol
Rush Limbaugh is next
Jordan Frazier ...hope so
Limbaugh is as full of SHIT as they get LOL
Jordan Frazier e
Of course conservative radio is dying, because their listeners are getting old and dying.
I'm more interested in hearing Howard Stern feedback cause they hated each other.
He looks like an Oompah-Loompah from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.. 😂😂😂
I have been saying for a long time that the only thing keeping Rush Limbaugh alive is TYTs coverage of his nonsense.
Don Imus has a striking resemblance to the president.
Its not that conservatives are "for" rich people its just conservatives do not hate rich people.
Imus is a legend. You are not. The end.
People know Imus from his fights with Howard Stern
I thought Don Imus was done like a decade ago.
I remember watching him on tv briefly about the time he got suspended for something. But never really cared for his views of the world or America. Hope they all go away, they seem to be a bad influence on America.
I agree rare few people are listening to radio stations but this proves nothing. The dude is 77 years old so he simply retired. He would've retired a decade ago in Europe and not because he's conservative but because people retire at that age.
He "retired" because the syndicator unilaterally cancelled his contract and no other company was interested in carrying his show. He would have continued on the air if there were a paycheck in it.
Is it just me, or does Imus look like an Oompa Loompa?
They have a huge presence on Sirius, so don't count them out. Never underestimate your enemy. It's what people did and still do with Trump.
Let’s be honest - was anyone listening to Imus for the past 10 years? I think not...
The people that listen to talk shows like this just want to hear someone that shares their own limited view of things. imus was always a weird character and won't be missed by people with an education.
William Ridge Sr. ; Or, people with even half a brain cell for that matter?
He looks like a mix of an Oompa Loompa and Trump lmao
TheOfficialSlimber I was thinking more along the lines of an Oompa Loompa and Steve Bannon.
I thought Imus was dead
He sure looks it.
I've never heard of this guy, which I guess supports Cenk's point.
Stink Yogurt(sic)... when you're dead and gone, hardly anyone will remember(or even CARE) who you were. OTOH, guys like Don Imus, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Grant... their names and legends will live on FOREVER.
Bet on it.
Radio in general is dying its not a conservative or liberal thing
I love you, Cenk, and how I wish you were right when you say that conservative talk radio is dying . . . but are you kidding? It ain't dead out here where I live, out in the flyover. I wish it were, I wish it were, but it's not, not by a long shot.
I do agree, though, that we should try to "cut off their oxygen." Question: How does one verify the audience numbers of a radio show? I thought it was through the ratings agencies, just like Nielsen for TV.
i think it's dying in the cities. some places can't get the internet very well and i would imagine these people still listen to talk radio.
Even if it does die out in the cities rural America still loves conservative radio. As long as rural America exist there is gonna be a audience unless you advocate killing off everyone who lives in rural America.
Imus was never conservative.
Rush Limbaugh was... actually pretty huge back in the 90s. He lost a lot of his audience after being caught using illegal drugs after years of circular logic rants: "Drugs are illegal because they are AGAINST THE LAW!"
Not saying he isn't a has-been at this point. Just disagreeing with the assertion that he wasn't big news a few decades ago.
yeah but it was probably old people in 1992 who listened to him, not anyone in their teens and 20s during the 90s
Conservative radio is dying??? Progressive and liberal talk shows are painfully dull and unfunny. Even Al Frankin couldn't make it.
In my hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, everyone seems to be listening to Rush Limbaugh on 740AM KRMG in their cars. My middle brother always listens to him in his car which is annoying. Even people who I wouldn't think were conservatives listen to him. I don't listen to him because he's a nut case. I wish some stations here would have some Progressive talk shows on the radio, but that's not going to happen.
Robert Gaines
Why not listen to music? Or an actual news station?
Excellent report.
Listened to Imus off and on in years past.
I regarded him as a self righteous promoter of the elite class.
We may be on the cusp of something here in THESE STATES...
I wonder what it is.
Young Turks still around, talk about a BS this guy is full of it.
I cannot ever understand what this freak Imus ever says anyway. He sounds exactly like Frankensteins monster when he talks. Just a chain of bizarre grunts is all I pick up.
So long, sucka!
Stern said Imus uses his charity basically for child labor at his Ranch.
Don imus looks like some kind of creepy bad guy from a scifi movie or something 😐👎
I didn't know he was still alive, let alone on the air. Time to retire, politics or not.
I thought I was looking at an umpa lumpa lol
Am talk radio will never die. Because people always drive and listen to work.
Believe me. Sirius is worth the subscription (for commuters).
podcasts
hassan palomo well how do you know what people are listening too in the morning? They could be listening to anything!
I didn't even know he was still alive!
In the thumbnail, Don Imus looked like Farquaad from Shrek
Conservatives somewhere are having an influence, because I live in Michigan and a ton of people believe fox news/conservative radio talking points. And it's not all old people.
"Conservatives somewhere are having an influence"
Internet.
No, it's ALL old people.
Fox's median age of their audience is 60-70.
See, since only 26% of the population voted, and a large proportion of those are the elderly, that means old Evangelicals are the reason Trump won.
If EVERYBODY voted, Conservatives would NEVER win. Why do you think they suppress votes, gerrymander districts, and run smear campaigns?
They count on stupid people, like yourself, to buy in to the lie that is their platform. Giving more money to the rich.
When will you realize that? Rich White people call poor White people "trash". They're not your friend, and they never were.
I agree with most of that. However, there are still plenty of trolls and down thumbs on TYT vids. I'm guessing they're not pensioners.
I would not count conservative talk radio out yet. First of all, it became as popular as it did because conservative talk radio is angry, and anger is more entertaining than fair and balanced arguments. That's why Fox News keeps becoming the #1 cable news station, and why Tomi Lahren became as instant a celebrity as she became.
Secondly, liberals also listen to conservative talk radio. It being more entertaining may be part of that reason, but some liberals also want to know their enemy and provide a basis for a valid counter argument.
I have to agree with you. Jerry Springer had a radio show on several years ago. He just wouldn't fight, call people names, or cutoff opposing apposing views. Rush made his mark during the Clinton years before that he was a nothing.
That guy has a face for radio... I thought the thumbnail was a graphic of him meshed w/ an Oompa Loompa, honest.
Sean Hayes - I thought it was a picture of someone made up to look like they were from the 1700s.
I think Imus had a huge following.
He looks like a full grown Oompa Loompa.
He did not have a continuous presence since 1971. He was off NYC radio for 2 years, due to substance abuse problems.
He literally said "except for a 2 year hiatus" lol
He looks like an Oompa Loompa in the thumbnail.
Why does Lord Farquaad have a radio show anyway?
Don imus lòoks like Bruce jenners big sister
dameatiz long ...if she was an oompa loompa.
*Say something InTeLLigent!*
Thank goodness!
Same goes for the TYT trolls in the comments. If we, myself included, ignore them they will go away.
jarjon76 yep! I hate it when people respond , that includes myself lol
You're wrong Cenk. Radio is not dead. Can't watch videos sitting in traffic....and there's a whole lot of sitting in traffic!!
Oh, and you won't watch videos in your self driving car?
utterlyviolet gonna be a fair while ...if ever...before I can afford that
Actually most people are downloading music playlists on their phones or even using youtube playlists and using their cars blue tooth connection or by audio cord to play it on their car speakers.
Radio is dying.
utterlyviolet: Self driving cars? Um, not yet anyways. Will it become a reality in our lifetime? Maybe, but not yet. Today people are listening to playlists so why you used that on this argument is beyond me.
Someone else came up with it first.
Besides, books on tape means no commercials.