Thank God for those conservatives. If it wasn't for them, not only would the terrorists be hiding behind the dumpster at the CVS, but talkradio would be soooo uninteresting!
Enough with the misleading rhetoric.
Contrary to what has grown into urban legend at this point, Rush Limbaugh took off because of the personality that he is, not because of the conservative that he is. Talk programmers (like most radio programmers) in their infinite wisdom and lack of creativity, decided it was Rush's conservatism that was the reason for his success, and just like the programmers of JACK and every other boilerplate format, they couldn't get those Rush copycats on fast enough.
Over the last 18 years, programmers have steadily built the conservative talkradio field---and boy oh boy have the conservatives come. Now the impression is that talkradio is just a conservative format, rejecting any and all who dare be less than a "Great American".
While liberal talk is just as nauseating as conservative talk in it's agenda driven espousing of specious propaganda, let's stop this silly criticism of libtalk's failure as having resulted from nobody agreeing with what they say. The majority of citizens in this country DO NOT agree with the Bush supporters you find up and down the dial.
Fact is, libtalk failed in it's infancy due to horrible affiliates and non-pros on the air. Had conservative talk been handled in the same manner, you wouldn't have the talk landscape looking the way it does today.
Unfortuantely, politics is now the dividing line in a format that has the potential to entertain people of all walks.
Talk is not a format full of exclusive listeners. And while there may be some of those, most people sample it as an addition to their other radio choices, whether they be Country, AC, classic rock, etc. MOST people are capable of being entertained by conversation. MOST people would enjoy a laugh or two courtesy of someone who talks about life and picks and chooses their opinions based on the variables of a situation---not a preordained agenda they're trying to live up to.
The sad truth is that talkradio's reputation preceeds it and most people just assume talkradio is about politics, more specifically conservative politics. And if they bother to tune over to *AM* they have their suspicions confirmed, and they flip right back to FM---or sports(!).
Such a self limiting group we are. So self-destructive as we face growing challenges from other audio sources.
If you believe that the best way for talk to proceed is in this niche oriented fashion, you are incredibly shortsighted and are contributing to the hamstringing of what could be a much more interesting and much less predicatable format.
Enough with the misleading rhetoric.
Contrary to what has grown into urban legend at this point, Rush Limbaugh took off because of the personality that he is, not because of the conservative that he is. Talk programmers (like most radio programmers) in their infinite wisdom and lack of creativity, decided it was Rush's conservatism that was the reason for his success, and just like the programmers of JACK and every other boilerplate format, they couldn't get those Rush copycats on fast enough.
Over the last 18 years, programmers have steadily built the conservative talkradio field---and boy oh boy have the conservatives come. Now the impression is that talkradio is just a conservative format, rejecting any and all who dare be less than a "Great American".
While liberal talk is just as nauseating as conservative talk in it's agenda driven espousing of specious propaganda, let's stop this silly criticism of libtalk's failure as having resulted from nobody agreeing with what they say. The majority of citizens in this country DO NOT agree with the Bush supporters you find up and down the dial.
Fact is, libtalk failed in it's infancy due to horrible affiliates and non-pros on the air. Had conservative talk been handled in the same manner, you wouldn't have the talk landscape looking the way it does today.
Unfortuantely, politics is now the dividing line in a format that has the potential to entertain people of all walks.
Talk is not a format full of exclusive listeners. And while there may be some of those, most people sample it as an addition to their other radio choices, whether they be Country, AC, classic rock, etc. MOST people are capable of being entertained by conversation. MOST people would enjoy a laugh or two courtesy of someone who talks about life and picks and chooses their opinions based on the variables of a situation---not a preordained agenda they're trying to live up to.
The sad truth is that talkradio's reputation preceeds it and most people just assume talkradio is about politics, more specifically conservative politics. And if they bother to tune over to *AM* they have their suspicions confirmed, and they flip right back to FM---or sports(!).
Such a self limiting group we are. So self-destructive as we face growing challenges from other audio sources.
If you believe that the best way for talk to proceed is in this niche oriented fashion, you are incredibly shortsighted and are contributing to the hamstringing of what could be a much more interesting and much less predicatable format.
