Talk radio

Talk radio is a radio format which features discussion of topical issues. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually broadcasting conversations with listeners who have placed telephone calls to speak with the program's host. Generally, the shows are organized into segments, a program segment followed by a commercial segment. In public (non-commercial) radio, sometimes music is played in place of commercials to separate the program segments. Listener contributions are usually screened by a show's producer(s) in order to maximize audience interest and, in the case of commercial talk radio, attract advertisers.

U.S. politically-oriented talk radio

The United States saw dramatic growth in the popularity of talk radio during the 1990s. The repeal of the FCC "fairness doctrine" in 1987?which had required that stations provide free air time for responses to any controversial opinions that were broadcast?provided an opportunity for a kind of flatly partisan (and often intentionally inflammatory) programming that had not previously existed. (There had been some precursors for this, such as the Los Angeles-area controversialist Joe Pyne, who would attack callers on his program in the early 1960s – one of his famous insults was "gargle with razor blades!" – as well as the similar Bob Grant in New York City.) The most successful pioneer in the 1990s talk radio movement was the politically conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh's success demonstrated that there was a market for passionately delivered conservative (and in most cases, partisan Republican) commentary on contemporary events, and many nationally-syndicated hosts have followed Limbaugh's lead in recent years, including Sean Hannity, G. Gordon Liddy, Laura Ingraham, Michael Savage, Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck, Larry Elder,Michael Reagan,and The Weekend Warriors. The Salem Radio Network syndicates a group of religiously-oriented Republican activists, including evangelical Christian Hugh Hewitt and Jewish conservatives Dennis Prager and Michael Medved. Libertarians such as Neal Boortz and Gary Nolan have also achieved some success. Many of these hosts also publish books, appear on television, and give public lectures (Limbaugh, again, was a pioneer of this model of multi-media punditry).

Related Topics:
United States - 1990s - FCC - Fairness doctrine - Los Angeles - Joe Pyne - Bob Grant - New York City - Politically conservative - Rush Limbaugh - Sean Hannity - G. Gordon Liddy - Laura Ingraham - Michael Savage - Bill O'Reilly - Glenn Beck - Larry Elder - Michael Reagan - Weekend Warriors - Salem Radio Network - Evangelical - Hugh Hewitt - Dennis Prager - Michael Medved - Libertarian - Neal Boortz - Gary Nolan - Pundit

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Politically liberal talk radio aimed at a national audience has also emerged, although an organized attempt to provide liberal/Democratic commentary to counter the dominance of conservative/Republican politics in talk radio is largely a fledgling enterprise. Air America Radio, a network featuring The Al Franken Show that was founded in 2004 as a "progressive alternative" to right-wing talk, is a prominent example of liberal talk on commercial radio, and there are syndicated liberal talk programs of recent vintage as well, such as The Ed Schultz Show. In some markets, local liberal hosts have existed for years, such as Bernie Ward in San Francisco, Alan Colmes in New York, and Mr. KABC in Los Angeles. A few earlier syndicated programs were hosted by prominent Democrats who were not experienced broadcasters, such as Jim Hightower, Jerry Brown, Mario Cuomo and Alan Dershowitz; these met with limited success. As of August, 2005, Air America Radio is mired in a financial ethics allegations involving money "lent" to Air America by the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Clubs of the Bronx (on whose board Air America's first CEO, Evan Cohen, served), as well as lawsuits against the network by Multicultural Broadcasting, Incorporated and former network star Lizz Winstead.

Related Topics:
Air America Radio - The Al Franken Show - The Ed Schultz Show - Bernie Ward - San Francisco - Alan Colmes - Mr. KABC - Jim Hightower - Jerry Brown - Mario Cuomo - Alan Dershowitz - Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Clubs - Bronx - CEO - Evan Cohen - Multicultural Broadcasting, Incorporated - Lizz Winstead

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Left-wing opinion radio has long existed on the Pacifica network, though only available in a small number of cities, and in formats that more often act as a volunteer-run community forum than as a platform for charismatic hosts who would be likely to attract a large audience. Some conservatives argue that the long-format news programming on National Public Radio serves as a platform for liberal commentary on radio, although the network denies any partisan agenda, and FAIR recently identified NPR's disproportionate reliance on Republican sources http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=1180.

Related Topics:
Pacifica - National Public Radio - FAIR

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~