Re: Talk Radio Hosts

Dear Emilio,

I disagree that all talk radio hosts are right-wing "normatives" (as described by Silvan Tomkins in his Polarity Scale theory).

Before moving to CNN, Larry King was the "king of the radio talk show hosts" (pun intended). King is defintely not right-wing.

The dominant medium in our world is TV, not radio. TV talk show hosts (morning, prime time, and cable) are almost uniformly "left of center" (if not definitely left-wing). Conservative talk sho hosts have been relegated to the less powerful medium of radio. They have found a niche there.

But the power of radio talk show hosts is a great deal les than their TV counterparts.

There are still left of center radio personalities, but many have chosen not to bother with radio.

Radio does little to shift public opinion. The hosts are "preaching to the faithful." TV has a great deal more power to set the normative expecations of the public--and much of that influence has been geared to the humanist position.

Truly balanced voices are often not given airtime--it takes a strong, polarizing position to get a response from a largely apathetic public. At least on Sunday mornings (in the U.S.) there are a few balanced voices to be heard. Not surprising that that is also the time when TV and radio give away airtime for public service spots--it is the time of the week when there are the fewest viewers and listeners and few sponsors want to put their ads there.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Replies:

Re: Talk Radio Hosts, by The Infamous John, 12/21/02 Re: The Danger of the Myth of the Liberal Media, by John's Soul Brother, 01/03/03

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