# Kathryn Limbaugh Born Kathryn Adams, she married [[Rush Limbaugh]] in 2010 — his fourth wife — and assumed management responsibilities for his media empire following his death from lung cancer on February 17, 2021. She is the executor of his estate and has been involved in decisions about the future of the Rush Limbaugh brand and assets. ## Rush Limbaugh's Empire Rush Limbaugh built the largest talk radio operation in American history: - **The Rush Limbaugh Show**: Aired for 33 years (1988–2021), syndicated nationally by Premiere Networks (a subsidiary of iHeartMedia). At peak, reached 15+ million listeners weekly — the #1 radio show in America for decades. - **EIB Network** (Excellence in Broadcasting): The brand umbrella for all Limbaugh radio operations - **Books and Publishing**: Multiple bestselling books including *The Way Things Ought to Be* and *See, I Told You So* - **Rush Limbaugh Institute for Advanced Conservative Studies**: His self-styled identity as the intellectual center of conservative media - **Presidential Medal of Freedom**: Awarded by [[Donald Trump]] in 2020 during the State of the Union address — a significant legitimization by the Republican mainstream Limbaugh's influence on conservative media is foundational: he pioneered the format (partisan opinion as entertainment, delivered with outrage and humor), built the audience, and established the business model that [[Fox News]], Breitbart, and the entire subsequent ecosystem followed. ## Post-Death Media Management Following Rush Limbaugh's death, Kathryn assumed responsibility for managing his estate and media legacy. The Rush Limbaugh Show continued briefly with guest hosts before formally ending its run. Decisions about archival content, brand licensing, book royalties, and related assets fall under estate management. The extent of Kathryn's active involvement in ongoing media operations versus estate stewardship is not fully public. This entry will be updated as more information becomes available. ## Note This is a relatively sparse entry because Kathryn Limbaugh's public footprint is limited — she was not a public figure before her marriage and has not become one since Rush's death. Her significance to this KB is primarily as the steward of a foundational conservative media asset.