Hannity's a great example of how hard work and massive exposure trumps raw talent and intellect. I try to catch the first segment of his first hour, because he does sometimes deal with stories or angles not found elsewhere. But after a few minutes, the yelling fatigues me.
Hannity also forfeits most arguments with opposing callers, by yelling over them or launching into some non-sequitur as a distraction tactic when he's called out for his situational application of principles.
I also can't figure out why, on both radio and TV, he gets three or four guests yelling over each other and nobody gets potted down. Is there even anyone paying attention to the audio?
There is a local guy here in Salt Lake on Clear Channel's KNRS, Rod Arquette, who does a very good, fair, caller-based show, and a funny thing happens...when he works at helping callers better articulate their own thoughts rather than subverting them to his own, lots of smart, articulate people call the show. It's a real breath of fresh air.
I know prevailing wisdom holds that the host is supposed to be the star, and the callers are theatrical props in making that happen. I've heard Sandy and Bauerle, and that seems to be their MO. I haven't heard Shredd & Ragan. If WECK could find a host who knew Buffalo and approached the show like Arquette does here, it would at least provide an alternative to business as usual.
