The Structural Imbalance of Political Talk Radio

[madmusic]

Abstract:

This report documents in detail the fact that conservative talk radio undeniably dominates the Radio broadcast format. Our conclusion is that the gap between conservative and progressive talk radio is the result of multiple structural problems in the U.S. regulatory system, particularly the complete breakdown of the public trustee concept of broadcast, the elimination of clear public interest requirements for broadcasting, and the relaxation of ownership rules including the requirement of local participation in management.

https://www.policyarchive.org/handle/10207/8019

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Can I give this

a 'well duh' ?

[DFW]

2. It seems to be the case that National Hate Radio sells a LOT of ads

I don't listen, so I don't know. I'd be interested in knowing if a lot of fast
food outlets etc. advertise there. Ads for hummers, SUVs? What kind of business
DOES advertise on shows with the likes of Hannity, Limbaugh, Savage, etc etc.?

[Kutjara]

3. As Orwell knew so well, people love to hate.

It is arguably our favorite emotion. Governments know this. Authoritarian governments use it. In "1984," the regime used the "Two Minute Hate" to mobilize public opinion against designated "enemies" on a visceral level, while reinforcing the authority and hegemony of the State.

In modern America, talk radio is our "Two Minute Hate." Except it's more of a "24/7 Hate." It feeds the public need to hate and the State's need to control. Consequently, it's very popular and where popularity goes, advertisers follow.

[DFW]

6. Which in turn makes the world ask itself.........

What has become of America that such radio stations are so successful?

This hasn't happened since nineteen thirty-something......uh-oh.

[Kutjara]

9. It goes hand in hand with all that...

"USA! USA!" and "We're Number One!" exceptionalism that permeates so much of American life. The only other countries that spend so much time shouting about how great they are are tinpot dictatorships, but nobody in the US seems to get the irony.

It's really disturbing the way otherwise sane and rational people (many of them in public life) have this knee-jerk tendency to regularly say "America is the greatest country in the world," as if such a statement is somehow laudable, instead of being just embarrassingly stupid. I want to grab them gently around the throat and ask "By what criteria? Who was on the awards committee? Were the other countries told there was a competition? What do we win?"

Regardless of how infantile and insecure such pronouncements of national superiority are, they also feed the "us vs. them" mentality that is one of our most dangerous traits as a species. If you regard yourself as above and apart from others, it becomes very easy to hate and despise them. Hate Radio feeds on this by simultaneously crowing "We're Number One" and "Everyone Else is Shit." Our poorly educated, poorly traveled, and poorly informed populace just sucks it up like mother's milk.

[DFW]

11. That's pretty much it in a nutshell

Living in Germany, married to a German, I get to see first-hand a society that has,
for the most part, been there, experienced the ruin, learned, and (again, for the
most part) moved on. I keep hoping that we don't need to experience similar ruin
before we outgrow the mentality. The parallels are not exactly comforting. Our
Constitution only protects us so long as it is respected. Otherwise, it becomes
nothing more than a yellowing old document that will bring a fortune at Sotheby's
or Heritage when it gets auctioned off to some rich collector of historical artifacts.

[madmusic]

8. Is Bill O'Reilly Big Brother?

Or is it Sean Hannity?

Maybe it's just a machine.

[Kutjara]

10. No, they're just functionaries.

Like the inquisitor in "Room 101," they merely perform their designated function. They are the Voices of Hate who provide a "sanctioned" conduit for strong negative emotions, and help to shape that conduit in ways favorable to the State.

It would be nice if there was some identifiable Big Brother who controls everything from behind the curtain (excuse badly mixed metaphor), because it would be comething tangible to fight against, but I suspect the real evil, the real malevolent entity is ourselves: the human race. We have, through our individually selfish actions, created the very emergent phenomenon that enslaves us. If there is a "Big Brother," he is us.

[Usrename]

14. I've heard that argument many times from the right wingnuts.

Is it true? I'm starting to doubt it, especially seeing how easy it is for nutcases like Savage to lose their sponsors.

I think this crap radio is bought and paid for by the corporate oligarchy as sort of a tithe they pay to remain on top.

I don't think the country really wants this crap, I think people by and large are just sick of it.

[jmowreader]

16. Hearing aids and dick pills, in the case of our favorite junkie's show

"Friends, let me tell you all about the Miracle Otopenile Hearital Aid. When you travel the world in great pain like I do, your ears and dick quit working at the same time. I thought my life was over until I learned about Miracle Otopenile. This simple, affordable device sharpens your hearing and makes your pecker hard as a steel rod at the press of a button. If you, like I, wish your crank would get as hard as your hearing, you'll want Miracle Otopenile too. Dial 1-877-EAR-DICK now for a free brochure explaining how Miracle Otopenile can give you your life back for only pennies a day. That's 1-877-EAR-DICK...1-877-EAR-DICK."

[Flying Dream Blues]

4. Kick..I hope the new administration addresses this as a high priority. nt

[bulloney]

5. There's also a MENTAL imbalance in political talk radio.

[Canuckistanian]

7. Winner of the 2008 "No Shit, Sherlock" Award

Like this is news.

[judasdisney]

12. "Don't worry about Limbaugh, he's not taken seriously" was the message

of major Democrats back in 1991. When anybody tried to warn about the dangers of fascist hate radio back then, before FOX, before Hannity, before O'Reilly, we were ridiculed and suppressed.

Whoops, dumbfucks. Maybe you should've listened.

[gratuitous]

13. How odd

Do you remember being asked to give up your public airwaves like this? Me neither.

[Judi Lynn]

15. Wingers explain it's all fine they control radio, as it's their way of balancing against the fact

the "liberals" own television news and print journalism.

Since WHEN did liberals control the content of the news?

Apparently if one word EVER is broadcast or printed which reveals ANYTHING uncomplementary about any Republican they perceive it as an attack on them without realizing their tv networks and their newspapers consolidated long ago, and are all controlled by corporations who have corporate interests at heart, and whatever it takes to maintain their interests AT ANY PRICE.

I've NEVER seen, heard, or read liberal media, and that includes tax-payer supported public radio and tv after the Republican Congress took a hatchet to them decades ago.