[pollyannaish]

My mind may be completely abandoning me, but I recall that recently there was a story posted talking about changing strategy from talk show hosts due to the change in what their listeners wanted. You know, the riled up base.

I haven't been able to find it. But I believe you are absolutely accurate. When what happens here is so different than what is happening out in the "real world" I trust this less.

Anyway, I'll keep looking for that thread. Do you remember it?

[Miss Marple]

No, I'm sorry, but I don't. I had about three weeks where I was out of the loop last month with flu and the sudden illness and death of my mother, so I missed a lot.

It wouldn't surprise me. Certain hosts seem to follow the trends on here like lemmings. They are NOT the first to express those opinions, but rather start talking about them a day or two after they have popped up here.

Frankly, I would be interested in knowing the Arbitron ratings for some of these folks, to see if there has been a DROP in listeners in the last month or two. I no longer listen to most of them, and have switched to listening to Catholic radio and EWTN. I read FR and check some local newssites, but I just can't take all of the ridiculous hyperbole any more. (HANNITY, ARE YOU PAYING ATTENTION??)

[Peach]

Vaguely. As well, although I've hardly had FNC on with the exception of Brit Hume, one morning this week or last week, in the morning, the hosts were asking people to call in to vote on which of 3 stories they wanted to hear more about. And I thought, that's what's going on on the web too -- we're driving the media. And given what FR has become, that is NOT a good thing.