Posted on 06/25/2006 6:07:54 PM PDT by RDTF
Conservative pundit Hugh Hewitt marries the power of talk radio with the reach of the 'netroots.' Watch out, Kos.
July 3-10, 2006 issue - Hugh Hewitt is a master of multitasking. Week after week, the sanguine, persistent pundit hosts his "center-right" talk radio show from a nondescript office in Orange County, Calif.—and more than a million people tune in. Two computers flank his mike. While on the air, Hewitt uses the first to surf news sites, then swivels to the second during breaks to update his well-trafficked blog. "Both spoken words and written words are powerful," he says. "Acting in harmony, the effect is exponential." Just ask Rick Santorum. In May, he urged Hewitt's listeners to fork over campaign funds, and the host, ever eager, posted a link. Donations shot up 500 percent.
Chances are Santorum won't be the last candidate between now and November to benefit from Hewitt's brand of blog-broadcast synergy. On July 4, Salem Communications, one of the country's largest radio-station owners, will relaunch an old Web war horse called Townhall.com as a hub for its stable of stars (including Bill Bennett, Michael Medved and Hewitt himself). The hope? That "Web 2.0" wherewithal can transform what was once an op-ed clearinghouse into a single nerve center serving the separate conservative communities of talk radio and the Internet. To Hewitt, a valuable White House ally, the math is simple: add 6 million Salem fans to Townhall's 1.4 million unique monthly visitors and you've got an audience six or seven times the size of liberal site Daily Kos, the Web's biggest political blog. "We will overwhelm them," he says.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
I just recently stumbled across Hugh's webcast and find it to be excellent.
Don't know much about him but he consistently has good people on [like Steyn & Lileks] that I appreciate.
Hewitt is tops in my book, one of the most underated radio hosts.
I discovered Hugh Hewitt on Election Night 2004. Hewitt's broadcast was the most calm, rational and accurate coverage of the elections; it was the perfect complement to the web, and I ignored the TV. I've listened to Hugh ever since.
"To date, conservative sites have attempted little in the way of activism"...
Dumbarses never heard of FR???
First saw Hugh on a nightly PBS show where he held off the other two liberal hosts. Turned me on to reading the best book about the run up to WWI.
Someone's gotta write a letter to the editor.
Don't give Kos any ideas, he might add Air America listeners to his blog. Think how many people that would add, umm, never mind
Sounds good to me! I find a lot of good columns on Townhall.com and Hugh Hewitt's show is one of the best, so this should be some good.....uh..... 'synergy' (OK, I hate that word!!).
Hewitt is way too uncritical of the GOP for my taste. Good resource for the GOP's PR campaign, but bad for long-term party health.
Hewitt is erudite, fair and intelligent. Always a great show!
The Right: The Next Big Thing?
Conservative pundit Hugh Hewitt marries the power of talk radio with the reach of the 'netroots.' Watch out, Kos.
Talk Radio: 'Both spoken words and written words
are powerful,' says Hewitt"
photo by Ben Clark for Newsweek
See also, from hughhewitt.com:
Newsweek Discovers the Future: Kosputin and Me
by Hugh HewittThe building in the picture is Chapman University's School of Law.
The new Townhall.com launches July 4.
In a companion piece on Kosputin is the phrase " Moulitsas went berserk, folowed by this summary:
By the weekend, Moulitsas's allies were sending each other e-mails infected with the paranoia of revolutionaries who've gained power too fast: How should they deal with traitors? How much openness could they handle? Which fellow travelers could they really trust?Quite accurate, that, but not exactly a gnet for the broad middle of American politics.UPDATE:
TalkLeft sees a conspiracy. Evidently Newsweek has joined The New Republic as part of Rove's machine...
Alright, Hugh! Thanks for the ping. Good to see you again, Dog.
I've been a Hugh-bot since 2000, back when he was the alternative to teeth-rattling Morning Drive. Tarzana Joe wasn't exactly Get Out of Bed Radio, but his current formula hasn't really changed that much since then, to his credit. He appeals to a distinct niche of listener who laughs and rails with Rush, then, come afternoon, tries to think their way through issues and pragmatics.
What's nice about this venture is that I'll eventually be able to podcast Hugh and Mark Levin, not having to except either.
Why does he not go with FR instead of Townhall. FR is much more up to date and informative than Townhall which is more a weekly site than daily. I read Townhall on Friday's. I read FR everyday. I think he would accomplish much more with FR than townhall.
I agree wholeheartedly. Hewitt's show is a thoughtful oasis amidst the shouting that makes up most of talk radio. I especially like his "smart guys" segments, in which he and his guests discuss legal issues that are too complex for most radio shows. I come away from those segments with a better understanding of the issue, not just an understanding of what the host wants me to think.
He was also the first syndicated radio personality to take blogging seriously -- not to treat a blog like a one-way column, but to link to other blogs, solicit feedback and actually read it. I've e-mailed him a couple of times, and both times received a prompt, thoughtful and specific reply. No form letters.
Not exactly sure what happened, or why, but he stopped plugging FR after taking a lot of grief over Harriet Miers. I'm sure the truth is more complex than that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
