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Conservatives may have talk radio...
Tribune papers ^ | January 7, 2003 | Dennis Prager

Posted on 02/02/2003 8:36:42 PM PST by Madcelt

The New York Times just published one of its most revealing articles in memory: "Outflanked Democrats Wonder How to Catch Up in Media Wars." Apparently, the Democratic Party is gravely concerned that its liberal message is not being heard. And the reason Democrats give is that conservatives dominate talk radio, Fox News, and the editorial pages of The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Times. Because of talk radio, two editorial pages and one cable news channel, liberals just cannot get their message across to Americans. Full disclosure demands that I acknowledge a vested interest here. I have been a radio talk show host for 20 years -- 16 in Los Angeles and the last four in national syndication (through the Salem Radio Network). So I read with a big smile how influential my profession is perceived to be. But all this begs two questions: why is talk radio so powerful, and why is it dominated by conservatives? The first question is particularly fascinating. That Democrats chafe at conservative dominance in talk radio is almost incredible -- because liberals dominate everything else. Liberals dominate television: Aside from some Fox News shows (remember the conservative Sean Hannity is paired with the liberal Alan Colmes), the liberals dominate everything on TV (with the exception of John Stossel's specials on ABC). They dominate CBS, NBC, ABC, MSNBC and CNN news broadcasts, and they dominate all television entertainment.

Liberals dominate the education of our young: The ratio of Democrats to Republicans among liberal arts professors at universities is routinely 20 to one. And the deans, the presidents, the curricula, the speech codes and the campus newspapers are all liberal. Liberals also run the schools of education, the law schools, the high schools and the elementary schools. Liberals dominate Hollywood: Are the Democrats unfamiliar with Barbra Streisand, Sean Penn, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, Julia Roberts, and almost every other star who speaks out on political issues? Do Democrats not attend movies, which with almost no exception are liberal, if not radical, in their messages? Have you seen any movies recently with a businessman hero?

Any with an affirmation of Judaism or Christianity? Liberals dominate the public airwaves: National Public Radio has been dubbed National Palestinian Radio for good reason. And PBS has just produced and aired what even The New York Times called "an Islamic infomercial" in its special on Islam. Juxtapose that with its skeptical inquiries into the beliefs of Christian or Jewish believers. Liberals dominate the biggest foundations: such as the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations.

Liberals dominate almost every major newspaper both in news coverage and editorial page positions: The Wall Street Journal editorial page is conservative as are the editorial and news pages of The Washington Times. But the liberals have the rest, including The Boston Globe, The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Miami Herald, and the Chicago Tribune. Liberals dominate virtually every professional organization: the American Bar Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Library Association, American Nurses Association, National Education Association, American Political Science Association, the Trial Lawyers Association, and, of course, every big labor union.

Liberals dominate much of organized religion: the mainstream Protestant churches and Reform and Conservative Judaism; while the liberal social message (with the exception of abortion rights) dominates much of the Roman Catholic Church. Liberals dominate activist groups: the feminist, civil rights and civil liberties organizations as well as black, Hispanic, gay and Jewish organizations. But according to Democrats, this domination of virtually all of American public life is not enough to get their message to the American people. Something must be done about the one TV news network, the two editorial pages and the radio shows they do not control. Which raises the question -- why is it that liberals cannot dominate talk radio as they do virtually everything else? I will answer this at length in a subsequent column, but the answer can be easily summarized -- liberals dominate where they cannot be intellectually challenged.

It is effortless for a college professor to spout leftist rhetoric to naive young people who just graduated from high school. Let them have to defend their radical views in public and they wilt. That is why many leftist professors refuse to come on my radio show -- they are unused to intellectual debate. They live with, work among, and relate to, fellow leftists. They almost never have to engage conservative ideas. We in talk radio, on the other hand, immerse ourselves in liberal newspapers, debate liberal guests and take liberal callers. In short, the reason the liberal message is not being heard, despite liberal control of almost all public organs of communication, is that it is incoherent. The message, not a lack of messengers, is the contemporary liberal problem.


TOPICS: Editorial
KEYWORDS: cheesewiththatwine; conservatives; liberalcrybaby; talkradio
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To: Madcelt
"liberals dominate where they cannot be intellectually challenged."

Case in point D.U. (DO NOT GO THERE! JUST DON'T!)

21 posted on 02/02/2003 9:18:52 PM PST by right way right ( (Liberals with intellect and other legends))
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To: Sans-Culotte
Liberal bias??? Surely you jest.
22 posted on 02/02/2003 9:19:10 PM PST by Madcelt ("A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn't own.")
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To: Pan_Yans Wife
Silence.
23 posted on 02/02/2003 9:20:29 PM PST by Madcelt ("A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn't own.")
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To: Madcelt
The majority of Mr. Prager's assertions are actually correct, notably the assertion of Liberal dominance on college and univerisity campuses. While a (part-time Active Duty Navy) student at Chapman University, I encountered the bias head on. I wrote a term paper on the fallicy of Hate Crimes legislation, and received a B minus for my effort, when I should have gotten a A. This is only because the proffessor did not agree with my viewpoint, which of course was (and still is) the conservative view. This is known to be a common occurance; many youngsters who hail from Republican/conservative households are often browbeaten this way. Talk about intolerance!

Perhaps with the exception of a few reruns on PAX, television is indeed a Liberal fantasy land, where the likes of Kenneth Starr (on an old Law & Order episode) are made out to be sexual busibodies, and Dr. Laura (an intolerant Radio Talk Show host lambasted by the 'President'-Josiah Bartlett) trashed on The West Wing. Michael Medved aired clips from that episode on his show. Fair and balanced...oh yeah.

I could go on, but I'll just cut right to the chase: Leftist Liberals want nothing more than TOTAL dominance, controlling everything they get their grubby mitts on.

...And of course, unlike Talk Radio, there are no 'Feedback' or 'E-Mail' Mr. Rather, Mr. Brokaw or Mr. Jennings buttons on any of the major network websites-at least none that I've seen.

-Regards, T.
24 posted on 02/02/2003 9:22:26 PM PST by T Lady (.Freed From the Dimocratic Shackles since 1992)
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To: Madcelt
Great article. Thanks!
25 posted on 02/02/2003 9:22:48 PM PST by Reagan is King ("Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions - it only guarantees equality of opportunity.")
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To: Pan_Yans Wife
I turn the radio off. The donaldson types come on at the same time. So the silence is preferable.
26 posted on 02/02/2003 9:27:19 PM PST by Madcelt ("A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn't own.")
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To: Madcelt
Good for you. No sense in filling your brain with their liberal nonsense. Unless you enjoy screaming at the radio! Ha!
27 posted on 02/02/2003 9:29:52 PM PST by Pan_Yans Wife (Lurking since 2000.)
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To: Madcelt
I dont know if I agree with all of his assertions

Oh?

28 posted on 02/02/2003 9:29:58 PM PST by Clint N. Suhks
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To: Madcelt
The message, not a lack of messengers, is the contemporary liberal problem.

That's exactly right. Liberls bring a message of "do what we tell you, because you are incompetent and we know what is best for you... or else." It's a message of belittling and hate disguised as compassion. Their compassion for people is the same as it is for dogs (believe that neither can think for themselves).

29 posted on 02/02/2003 9:32:25 PM PST by 69ConvertibleFirebird
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To: Madcelt
Apparently, the Democratic Party is gravely concerned that its liberal message is not being heard.

When liberals complain about something they are lying. After all, their lips are moving. They never tell the truth! But their lies are informative.

What liberal lies tell us is always one of two things; the exact opposite of their statement, or, projection of what they would do in the same situation.

This is one of the "opposite" cases. They are not worried about the liberal message being heard. They are scared spitless that the Conservative message is being heard!

30 posted on 02/02/2003 9:33:24 PM PST by DakotaGator
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To: Clint N. Suhks
I mean I've seen some really conservative religious "leaders". I don't think liberals dominate all religious organizations "completely". If they did they would love Billy Graham and his son Franklin.
31 posted on 02/02/2003 9:35:44 PM PST by Madcelt ("A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn't own.")
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To: DakotaGator
And it worries them as it should.
32 posted on 02/02/2003 9:41:39 PM PST by Madcelt ("A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn't own.")
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To: Madcelt
I don't think liberals dominate all religious organizations "completely".

”Liberals dominate much of organized religion”

33 posted on 02/02/2003 9:42:00 PM PST by Clint N. Suhks
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To: Jhoffa_
Free Speech trumps the Fairness Doctrine.
34 posted on 02/02/2003 9:45:12 PM PST by Tax Government
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To: All; T Lady
Night all. Got to be at work in a few hours. T lady - Give'em hell!
35 posted on 02/02/2003 9:46:56 PM PST by Madcelt ("A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn't own.")
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To: Clint N. Suhks
True. Very true. Night, will try to get back soon.
36 posted on 02/02/2003 9:48:49 PM PST by Madcelt ("A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn't own.")
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To: Madcelt
People had no idea what they were getting into but obviously liked what they heard after they were forced to turn to talk radio because music radio is so sh!tty.
37 posted on 02/02/2003 9:50:31 PM PST by lewislynn (Vindicated once again.)
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To: Madcelt
Want a liberal to STOP talking....tell them you listen to Rush. It's ended "friendships" in my life. Or shall I say, it's clarified who were and were not my friends.
38 posted on 02/02/2003 9:54:06 PM PST by goodnesswins (Thank the Military for your freedom and security....and thank a Rich person for jobs.)
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To: Madcelt
Bravo, Dennis. I haven't called Dennis in probably a year. During the Clinton years he dubbed me his most frequent caller. Dennis is absolutely brilliant when he debates those on the left.
39 posted on 02/02/2003 9:55:50 PM PST by doug from upland (May the Clintons live their remaining days in orange jumpsuits)
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To: lewislynn
You said a mouthful! Especially with the Top 40 stations; they replay certain songs every hour on the hour.

It's enough to give you a major-league headache. Just like listening to a Liberal whine for three hours. Sheesh!!!!

-Regards, T.
40 posted on 02/02/2003 9:57:40 PM PST by T Lady (.Freed From the Dimocratic Shackles since 1992)
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