Why Talk Radio Runs to the Right

Fort WorthLESS Startlegram ^ | 12/22/02 | Thom Hartman

[ApesForEvolution]

When individuals are allowed to listen and think, the lack of logic rings true and condemns the listener to the fact that leftism (or communism by any other name) is not an attractive group proposition.

The bottom line: Lefties can not link...

[VRW Conspirator]

Wahhhh! those extreme, hard-right, fringe, sexist-homophobic-euro-male-hating-killerofbabyharpseals are dominating the radio waves. Wahhhhh!

Its called free market. And the audience is mainstream America. This is what this bozo is really complaining about.

[Paulus Invictus]

And "rational political discourse" is something the RATS do well? When did that ever happen? If you want examples of the "politics of personal destruction" Lott comes to mind as the latest RAT example of trashing and ultimately destroying the careers of their opponents.

RATS use PPD daily and make the most outrageously false statements to the lamestream media. All of this trash political talk is immediately published or broadcast by the RAT media ad nauseum. (Patty Murray's extremism, for example)

[x]

This is an incredibly ill-informed and rambling rant. It's hard to imagine any editor would have published it without cuts or rewrite.

The Coughlin-Limbaugh parallel is particularly weak and offensive. The differences between the two are far greater than the similarities. A more informed writer would have looked at the real development of talk radio in the 1960s and 1970s, rather than rely on dubious politically-driven innuendos. Looking at what happened to drive-time AM radio starting 30 years ago or so would have made a more interesting and substantial article, but that would have required doing some homework, so our author doesn't do it.

The contrast between stations that program everything and those that have a narrower focus is something that might have had some validity in 1960, but it identifies the author as willfully ignorant or a dinosaur. Narrowcasting of various genres has been a reality for a generation.

It is the case that some stations are all talk and some may be all conservative talk, but that doesn't exclude the possibility of all liberal talk or of mixed talk formats. One thing that has worked locally are shows with paired conservative and liberal hosts, so long as they get together well. Rather than complain, it's something the author could have explored.

I don't know how things are in the rest of the country, but from as far as I can tell talk radio peaked in the late 1990s. Rush may still have many listeners, but he's not the force or novelty that he was under Clinton. And I can't hear North or Liddy where I am any more. Local talkmasters and new, less identifiable personalities have replaced them. Gone from local airwaves too are Bernie Ward, Michael Jackson, and Mario Cuomo. So too with Barry Farber. Chuck Harder is still on the dial somewhere, but why bother?

Left-wing talk radio does make a mark for itself in college towns and minority communities. It would undoubtedly make a comeback in bad economic times. But in general, left-wing talk radio fails because there's no wider audience for it.

PC outrages help fuel right-wing talk radio. The fact that political correctness never ceases to come up with crazy new ideas provides endless topics of conversation. Liberal or left-wing talk radio is inevitably more boring. Its topics and outrages are more predictable. It's the one-note of race and class over and over again. There are only so many ways you can say "Bush is white and rich." Ironically, flamboyant left-wing abuses make right-wing talk radio more interesting, and comparatively dull right-wing politics make left-wing talk radio stale and predictable.

[Cyclops08]

Rush made a very pointed remark that this artcle mentions as well. Tom dashel's remarks are a talking point. The Dems want to REINSTATE the fairness doctrine! In this case, as a means of censoring conservative speech.

[bribriagain]

This author is living proof that the dead walk among us.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

< I>But that response doesn't mean -- as conservatives in the radio industry suggest -- that there is no market for progressive talk radio.

What it means is that there's not yet an awakening in the broadcast industry to the reality that they're missing a huge, unserved market. But, as with right-wing talk, for balanced or progressive talk radio to succeed it must be programmed consistently throughout the day (and with talent as outrageous and interesting as Rush and his most successful clones).

Liberalism is superficial negativity towards (slander of) the people/institutions upon which this country depends. The trouble facing "liberal" talk show hosts is that the audience wants to hear all sides of an issue, debated fairly--and no liberal can withstand consistent logical scrutiny for hours on end. It becomes too obvious that you are copping out, screening one side out.

[bribriagain]

The writer has chosen to ignore the fiasco that is the Phil Donahue show. So much for a market for liberal ideas.

[Calamari]

What the H_ll do you call NPR?

[TC Rider]

Check out this bozo's website.

He's a pyscho babblist specializing in ADHD and other liberal disorders.

He's got problems with never getting his own radio show.

[Let's Roll]

A Michael Medved caller late last week said that for some reason sponsors don't want to pay for liberal talk radio.

I guess it's a waste of time to ask if "market forces" and "ratings" are at all familiar to a caller like that.

[Let's Roll]

No problem. If Rush's formula - giving away free shows etc. is so successful, all lefties have to do is copy it. I'm sure listeners will flock to their offerings in droves.

[Bob]

The writer has chosen to ignore the fiasco that is the Phil Donahue show. So much for a market for liberal ideas.

Didn't Mario Cuomo fail spectacularly in talk radio as well?

[riversarewet]

Average Americans across the nation are wondering how could it be that a small fringe of the extreme right has so captured the nation's airwaves. And done it in such an effective fashion that when they attack folks like Tom Daschle, he and his family actually get increased numbers of death threats.

---

If true, prove it.

This is typical, make a wild statement, and then others liberals pick it up as truth.

I stopped reading at this point.

[EGPWS]

And, given the domination of talk radio by the fringe hard right that represents the political views of only a small segment of America, why is it that the vast majority of talk radio stations across the nation never run even an occasional centrist or progressive show in the midst of their all-right, all-the-time programming day?

REALLY? I didn't know! I guess I'll have to tune into CNN or NPR to get some fair and balanced reproduction of the current issuses.(sarcasm)

[Calvin Locke]

It's in the American psyche to give a fair listen to people challenging the party in power.

I'd say yes, if they have valid and logical viewpoints. For instance, I really don't want to hear people extolling the
"values" of Islamic law, and oh, by the way, we are going to kill you if you disagree.

Nor do I want to hear you say you're going to tax my @ss off to pay for your presidential library, abortions, sex changes, condoms, illegal aliens, whatever.

It's time to revitalize democracy and rational political discourse by returning balance to our nation's airwaves, and the profits to be made in this huge unfilled niche may be just the catalyst to bring it about.

Let's start by cutting off funding to NPR. Obviously, well, maybe not to a leftwinger, but bear with me on this, if your
alleged "unfilled niche" wasn't able to get your views from NPR [for "free"], then they'd be clamoring for a
talk-radio provider that they'd want to hear. And the sponsors would follow.

Besides, look at all that "talent" the gub'mint is keeping out of the private sector! Vast resources would be freed to
compete with Rush Limbaugh! As a matter of fact, I hear the Phil Donahoe might just be available for a liberal talk- radio show.

[EGPWS]

Besides, look at all that "talent" the gub'mint is keeping out of the private sector!

Now, Now don't go thinking that the gub'mint is holding back ALL the talent...JIM HYTOWER is a smash hit in talk radio! By the way, what ever happened to ol' Jim? I haven't heard him in quite some time! He must have been a far to the right extremist that totally turned off his audiance for not being middle of the road! sarcasm..again

[Calvin Locke]

You can hear him today on "American Viewpoint", 6PM Eastern on shortwave, 7.415Mhz. He just does a spot commentary
picking some recent incident like a guy falling/jumping off a bridge, and proceeding to expound on why bridges should be banned, why its the Repulicans fault, etc.

The show is produced by the misnamed (aren't they all?) Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting organization.
Quite frankly, I'm usually unable to get beyond 10 minutes of the broadcast. Commonsense and the desire for mental self-preservation take hold.

Note to Thom: Please note that I am not clamoring for FAIR to be taken off the air. I change the station. Or turn the radio off.

(Hmmm, do you think that might be the reason "liberal" "viewpoints" do not attract sponsors?)

[EGPWS]

You can hear him today on "American Viewpoint", 6PM Eastern on shortwave, 7.415Mhz. He just does a spot commentary picking some recent incident like a guy falling/jumping off a bridge, and proceeding to expound on why bridges should be banned, why its the Repulicans fault, etc. The show is produced by the misnamed (aren't they all?) Fairness and Accuracy In Reporting organization. Quite frankly, I'm usually unable to get beyond 10 minutes of the broadcast. Commonsense and the desire for mental self-preservation take hold. Note to Thom: Please note that I am not clamoring for FAIR to be taken off the air. I change the station. Or turn the radio off. (Hmmm, do you think that might be the reason "liberal" "viewpoints" do not attract sponsors?)

Mmm, so he's gone HF huh? That doesn't appear to me like he is moving up in the world of media. Well I've been to busy lately as to fire up the ol' HF so I can work above and beyond to pay my taxes and then feel good about doing so when our life taking bridges are taken care of. Too bad we didn't have a Hytower bridge agenda earlier for if we did the name "Chappaquitic"(pardon my spelling) wouldn't be so well known!

[Calvin Locke]

Didn't Mario Cuomo fail spectacularly...

and

The writer has chosen to ignore the fact that "All Democrats are fat, lazy, and stupid,"

Well, in Mario's case, the scuttlebutt was that he really didn't like doing the show. I think it was on Saturdays, and it messed up his desired lifestyle.

If true, then it probably came across as such. Liberals are generally an intolerant bunch to begin with. Add the
possiblity that the [liberal] seminar callers are worn out from trying to flood Limbaugh and CSPAN during the week, and the only
ones left are conservatives, or call-in show gadflys.

Just what a former top-of-the-heap politician wants. Not being able to give a prepared speech to a bunch of mindless
democrats without challenge. He actually had to debate on his toes, defending failed programs and ideas.

Yep. Just what he looked forward to every Saturday when he could have been out fishing.