Why the Right Rules the Radio Waves

New York Times ^ | 12-08-2002 | John Leland

[pepsionice]

Its safe to say that most folks really don't want to hear a far left-wing Calfornia talking liberal on the radio. And thats the problem. If democrats understood this and simply found some 'John-boy' type from Virginia, who was middle of the road democrat...who had a simple environmental talk...who was pro-union but also understood the relationship of the economy to good business...who was supportive of families and communities...who didn't constantly push for pro-homosexual stances...who could talk sports or current events on occassion...and actually was intelligent...then they could take on Rush and the current crowd. But they haven't found this kinda person. The person exists...and there are probably 100s like him out there...but the left simply doesn't want that type of Democrat to be the speaker of the party...too centralist...too family-oriented...weak environmental double-talk...etc. So...for the time being...Rush is it. And you can't play in the major leagues unless you have the firepower to do it.

[sinkspur]

They seem to be financially successful.

The only way that NPR can be said to be "financially successful" is that it is subsidized by the taxpayers.

Isn't that interesting? The only way liberals can maintain a nationwide syndication for their views is to ride the backs of American taxpayers!

[litehaus]

How bout this?

Liberals need pictures(TV,Natl Enq etc)

Conservatives can understand words(radio,books w/o pics)

Need I say more..has something 2 do with IQ maybe?

[orfisher]

Radio is entertainment, pure and simple. Conservative radio speaks to the choir. I have been conservative for as long as I can remember and personally I find Rush a bore.

[The Old Hoosier]

Well, I first identified with conservatism by listening to Rush. I think it's mostly because I'd never thought about those issues before, but a knowledgeable voice can do a lot of good in solidifying what's already there.

[irv]

Every analysis on this thread overlooks one point: Liberals listen to Rush (and others Conservatives) too.

I have a friend who is quite liberal. She listens to Rush. He drives her crazy - she disagrees strongly with almost everything he believes (and everything I believe) but she listens.

I believe one reason his opinions don't drive her away is that he is polite even to people who disagree with him. Liberals, OTOH, tend to insult those who disagree with them (and their humor tends to be either crude or mean). They drive away everyone who doesn't agree, and wind up with lower ratings.

[Kerberos]

"Radio is entertainment, pure and simple. Conservative radio speaks to the choir. I have been conservative for as long as I can remember and personally I find Rush a bore."

And to each his own, that's the great thing about living in a country that tries to practice the principles of freedom. If you don't like Rush, then you don't have to listen to him.

Radio does have a certain amount of entertainment value to it but it is also a media that can convey useful information. One of the reasons I listen to Rush is because I like the entertainment value that he has to offer. I particularly like the environmental update theme song that has a blues band with a chainsaw doing the lead. I've got to get a copy of that to send to an old high school friend who since high school has moved to Oregon and adopted many environmental views. I'm sure she will not appreciate it.

The name of the game in radio, and or TV for that matter is numbers. So yes, to a certain degree Rush probably does preach to the choir as you say, in that his how he keeps his numbers up. But at the same time he has consistently exhibited a very well defined set of critical analysis skills that I find interesting. Although I might not always agree with his conclusions, he does have a logical and reasoned approached as to how he arrives at them. Not an emotional tirade that usually tends to be void of reason that many commentators have.

That is why I listen, to be both entertained and informed and find different ways to think about various issues.

[Eric Esot]

Why the Right Rules the Radio Waves

It’s not about conservative or liberal – it’s about the message and how successfully debated the message can be in it’s chosen media outlet.

As an example - If one where to say that it is more important to save the hump back whale than it is to protect the American people from terror; on television or in print, that message would go unchallenged; but on radio, where the public has access, that message would be challenged and commonsense would beat out the rhetoric.

[Anticommie]

As Mr. Clinton said in a speech last week, referring to a range of conservative media: "They have a destruction machine. We don't have a destruction machine."

You ARE (IS) a destruction machine, also you are a PERSONAL DESTRUCTION machine.

[45semi]

Sean, Neal, & Rush...

[Chemnitz]

I have been on the receiving end of liberal tolerance for years. To date I have been called: right-winger, red neck, Fundamentalist, John Bircher (not a member), Right to Lifer (not a member), and a moral crusader, to name a few. That is what I have heard directly. One minister gave a sermon where he glared at me and said that I was putting lesbians in Hell. Later I said that was really up to God and not me. That made him furious.

I think most Americans are fairly conservative, even after years of Left-wing propaganda. The trouble with radio is that it is all talk, so it is revelatory of the speaker. Al Colmes had a radio show. Why didn't he keep at it? Now he is on TV with Hannity, but Hannity is clearly the winner in terms of charm, humor, and ideas.

[Dan Day]

The answers may inhere in the nature of liberalism, said Robert Thompson, a professor of media and popular culture at Syracuse University. Where radio conservatives have thrived by drawing hard distinctions between right and wrong, he said, "the liberal tradition as we understand it acknowledges a diversity of people and values."

I see... Has this guy actually ever *listened* to liberals?

"A vote against impeachment is not a vote for Bill Clinton. It is a vote against bigotry. It's a vote against fundamentalism. It's a vote against anti-environmentalism. It's a vote against the right-to-life movement. It's a vote against the radical right. This is truly the first battle in a great culture war. And if this president is impeached, it will be a great victory for the forces of evil, evil! Genuine evil. People like Congressman Barr, Sen. Trent Lott, Sen. Jesse Helms, who support white supremacist organizations, will claim victory over decency and decent people. And I hope that moderates out there realize, even if they don't like Bill Clinton, to vote for impeachment is to vote to give their party over to the mad dogs of radicalism."
-- Alan Dershowitz, on "Rivera Live", December 1998

[Dan Day]

New or newly syndicated programs featuring the conservative television talk show hosts Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity made their debut on 200 to 300 stations in the last year. Dr. Laura Schlessinger, G. Gordon Liddy and other conservative hosts are still going strong.

Why do these stories usually leave out Laura Ingraham?

[Political Junkie Too]

If the noise level about the fairness doctrine ( like the SUV chorus has ) goes up, expect it to be on the agenda the next time Dims get an opportunity.

This will die down once the Right turns talk of the "Fairness Doctrine" away from conservative talk radio towards how it would also affect outlets such as NPR, ABC News, Meet The Press, etc.

The "Fairness Doctrine" will work both ways. I believe that, in the end, restoring the Fairness Doctrine will hurt the Left more than the Right. The Right is already comfortable discussing all sides of an issue. It's the Left that can't hold up to scrutiny, and allowing opposing opinion to intrude into their previously "safe zones" will undercut their single-threaded messages to their base.

-PJ

[Kevin Curry]

The liberal Landrieu won in Louisiana by pretending to be a conservative.

Bill Clinton won by pretending to be a conservative. The lesson ought to be obvious: swing voters are generally repulsed by the liberal aganda.

So what do the Dems do? Put the Bay Area Marxist Pelosi in charge of their House delegation.

[YoungKentuckyConservative]

They always forget the much loved and heralded Michael Savage. He's as conservative and straight forward as one can get.

[Publius6961]

Meanwhile, one of the few longrunning liberal hosts, Gloria Allred, was sacrificed to poor ratings in October after 14 years in Los Angeles, joining Jim Hightower, Mario M. Cuomo and Alan M. Dershowitz.

Forgot "Jabba the Hutt" Bernie Ward...

His "nationwide" radio show lasted 2 weeks!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Name calling and making stuff up gets old really fast...

[Publius6961]

Which to me is another way of saying that conservatives don't know what to think until they listen to Rush. The liberal Rushbot idea.

Nice try troll.

It is also another way to say that Rush gives articulation to gut feelings that the "progressives" are mostly slime.

[Publius6961]

Yeah but somehow I don't think that is what is being promoted here.

Try www.morons'R'us.com for your great "ideas" to fit in...