Limbaugh Defends Role as Juice Salesman : Media: Radio talk show host assails liberals and press for the flap over his promotions. He denounces what he calls the ‘angry, bitter women’ of NOW.

Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh has defended his record as a salesman for Florida orange juice while charging that the controversy over his role has been fomented by longtime critics he described as “liberals, both in government, in special interest groups like the militant National Organization for Women, and the press.”

With two months to go on his contract to sell orange juice, Limbaugh devoted about 20 minutes of his nationally syndicated program last Friday to a ringing denunciation of what he called the left-leaning news media and the “angry, bitter women” of NOW.

A boycott of Florida orange juice called by NOW to protest the use of Limbaugh in advertising has drawn support from several national groups, including Greenpeace, the American Assn. of University Women and the National Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs.

Limbaugh began touting Florida orange juice in February as part of a six-month, $17-million national advertising campaign. The New York firm that syndicates Limbaugh’s top-rated program, EFM Media Inc., was paid $1 million for Limbaugh to read advertising copy promoting the health benefits of orange juice.

The state’s Department of Citrus, funded by a special excise tax collected from growers and shippers, also bought air time with radio hosts Larry King and Dr. Dean Edell. But no one has generated as much publicity as Limbaugh, who is known for his slashing attacks on gays, Democrats, environmentalists and feminists.

“There is no way anyone can say that orange juice sales have been harmed by advertising on this show,” Limbaugh said. He called the advertising campaign “a resounding success” that is “causing orange juice sales to skyrocket.”

According to figures from A. C. Neilsen’s Scantrack survey released by the Department of Citrus, sales of Florida orange juice actually declined by 4.4% between mid-February through May 14 compared to the same period the previous year. But 1993 was a year of record sales, so the decline was not unexpected, a department spokesperson said.

The decline could not necessarily be linked to Limbaugh, the boycott or any one aspect of the advertising campaign, the spokesperson added, noting that price, brand names and local promotions also affect total orange juice sales.

The questions of whether to renew the state’s contract with Limbaugh’s syndicate is expected to come up at the next meeting of the 12-member citrus commission, scheduled for July 20 in Lakeland.

Only one of the 12 commissioners--William E. Owens--has declared publicly his opposition to rehiring Limbaugh to promote orange juice. But at least two others have expressed surprise at the flap. “I was astounded,” Talmadge G. Rice said this week.

Added Rex V. McPherson: “I don’t think controversy is good. But I’m not going to tell you how I’m going to vote. I want to hear the thoughts of the DOC economist.”

Plans discussed earlier this year call for the Department of Citrus to shift the promotional focus from national advertising to local retail promotions beginning this fall. But, the spokesperson added, there is money available to buy more national radio time and renewing Limbaugh’s contract is an option.

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Limbaugh declined to be interviewed for this story. But in remarks on the air last week, he commented on the possibility that his contract would not be renewed. “Nothing lasts forever,” he said. “But this contract goes through August, and our intention is to continue advertising with them. It’s a great product, it tastes great, this is a program of great taste. We think it’s a good marriage, and it clearly has been beneficial to the Department of Citrus.”

The Department of Citrus has reported receiving more than 26,500 telephone calls, letters and faxes on the issue, which are running 4 to 1 in opposition to Limbaugh. But, the DOC spokesperson emphasized, Limbaugh has urged his listeners not to call or write in.

“The temptation is great to give you the number and have you call,” Limbaugh said Friday. But, he added, “the objective is not generating phone calls; we know we can do that . . . the single best thing you can do is to buy orange juice.”