No, there was always a market for talk radio, but during the 60s and 70s it was stifled by the fairness doctrine. It was the law of the land that said that for each opinion, an opposing opinion had to be aired at the same time, same bat channel. Its an oversimplication but it meant the destruction of the free exchange of ideas. Ideas are like everything, for sale. If they don’t sell, they should go out of business and businesses shouldnt be for forced to sell them. That means radio stations shouldnt have to air opinions that don’t sell to their listening audience. Listen if you think I am wrong, tell me why ABC, CBS, and NBC aren’t held to the same standard?
My comment below:
“Obviously you did not grow up with the ‘FAIRNESS DOCTRINE’, which was ended during the Reagan Administration.
The equality and fairness is that for all a conservative says, a liberal may take equal time....what is not realized is that the liberal may be the dull, uninteresting blowhard, who takes up the same amount of time droning on and on. It’s too late as you have already changed channels or turned it off. Young people end up avoiding the show all together.”
****Maybe you should think about my first comments above... about the Fairness Doctrine, since it is basically what you said.
The only difference is that the Fairness Doctrine went away during Ronald Reagan’s Administration....
Now Obama wants “Net Neutrality” which is similar but worse.