Is "talk radio" disliked because it discusses REAL issues and encourages people to think for themselves?

Question

And is this the reason liberal radio failed?
(You know, aside from not having anything interesting to say, no audience to listen, and no sponsors to fund it?)

Answer 1

By liberal radio, I will assume you are referring to "Air America".
Al Frankin and Air America were a study in visciousness and absurdity. It did not educate or provide learned views.
Of course it failed. It's audience was that very small minority that only HATES.
It would be like having a "Right Wing" show produced by the K.K.K. It would fail also. No adequate audience for that type of hate either.
In today's world, network news programs are biased to the left. That is a given when reviewed by independent observers. FOX, being on cable, is slanted to the right., and is the most popular news channel on cable. All the other news programs must compete with each other for a share of the left leaning audience.
We now find ourselves spending more time commuting in our cars and listening to the radio is just about the only thing you CAN do for a diversion while driving. The liberal audience may like to listen to music or "rap". Again, competition for that audience.
Finally, there is the factor that Rush Limbaugh likes to point out: Conservatives like to have adequate information (data) to THINK through problems. Liberals on the other hand use FEELINGS. No thought required, just base your decisions on how you FEEL. No TIME commitment or involvement required.
Therein lies the key to the success of talk radio for the conservative view.
Feelings are created by EMOTIONS. Emotions are created by chemical or hormonal secretions generated by reaction to external stimulants.
If you want to make a CORRECT decision on important matters, THOUGHT based on adequate data are key.
Liberals know their audience. They can only use verbal pictures designed to stimulate emotions. As a result, their audience is better off listening to music.
When it comes to valid, thought-provoking information, Conservatives win hands down!
Facts are hard for Liberals to deal with, because when ALL the facts are known. They generally LOOSE.
That is NOT to say there are no deceptions being perpetraited by those on the Right, but the more facts you have available, the better you can decide for yourself.
Use FACTS, not EMOTIONS.

Answer 2

Talk radio is disliked by the left because it represents a crack in the solid wall of liberal control of the media. Until Rush came along the electronic media consisted of the big three tv networks, all solidly liberal, radio for entertainment, and puble tv and radio (NPR) all solidly liberal. With the success of Rush many imitators came on board, ideas that differed from the leftist agenda got air time and the left has been angry ever sence. The reason liberal talk radio failed is simple. Leftist thought requires feelings not thought. Just how many time can a person hear Bush lied people died on the airwaves without turning the dial. Conservitive ideas almost exclusivley reside on talk radio, while liberal talk radio is just another outlet for tired liberal pablem. A person can get the liberal point of view from the networks, the major dailey newspapers and most cable stations(FOX excluded) so why bother to hear the same sound bites on liberal talk radio. Conservitive radio is the balance that intellegent people seek. It is not that intellegent people take marching orders from guys like Rush, it is that guys like Rush validate the superiour common sense conservitives practice evertday. I tried listening to Air America. On the first day of that experiment a woman named Rhodes held the micophone, she was a one trick pony (Bush is an Idiot, republicans are hateful, America is bad and in trouble) Day two got me an unfunny male, (I think at one time he had a gig on SNL and was unfunny there as well and now has delutions of being a US senator) Rather than being uplifting and inspiring he constantly critized the AMerican public, our way of life, and the country in general. No wonder liberal talk radio failed, but not to worry if your a liberal, there is always the chance that the facists elected in 06 will be able to bring back the fairness doctrine and shut down the only opposition to there stalinist press

Answer 3

Liberal talk radio has failed, due mostly to the fact that they
will not allow real conservatives on their shows, as a example
Michale Savage has asked to appear on several liberal
talk radio (and TV) shows but they refuse to have him. On the
flip side Savage has invited sevaral liberals on to his show
to talk about the issues and every single one has failed to
appear, you would think that wiht his audience of more than
10 million listeners the liberals would welcome the chance
to sway a few votes their way.

The so called fairness act (HR-3302) is an attempt by the
left to end talk radio, yet they claim to support free speech,
I suppose that means they support it if they control it.

The left is afraid of people like Michael Savage, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Riley and John Hannity because the expose
the left for what they are. Those who have never listened
to Savagae should listen in, he favors neither party, I hear
him complain about the current administration as much
as the liberal left. If you are looking for the truth, this would
be a good place to start.

For the record, I listen to Savage and do not agree with
everthing he says, but most of it is right on the mark.

Answer 4

HAHA. I love this question. My theory is that conservative radio is more popular because the rest of the media/press etc is so incredibly liberal that half the country (the right half) welcomes an acceptance of their view points.

Liberals have media backing 24-7, so they can waste time talking amongst themselves about things like how much pot they smoked last week or how many trees they have hugged in their lifetime. They don't need talk radio (though NPR is pretty liberal...bleck).

Liberals are very often unrealistic and so when confronted with real issues and real solutions, they roll up into a ball and start to cry. Liberalism is fine in an idealistic world, but the same can be said for communism. In practice, neither work very well.

Answer 5

No. Talk Radio is nothing more than a radio show to start arguments, and not constructive ones. It pokes people into becoming angry and then broadcasts people who are stuck in morning traffic ranting about issues that are presented in a half-assed manner. Any dissenting opinion from the Host is shouted down until you cannot even hear the person...only those who swear allegiance to the "host" are allowed a full say.

Now I have never seen an indication that "liberal" radio has failed since radio in of itself is a liberal media. The majority of population today has a liberal bent so it behooves radio to put on conservative hosts to provoke more arguments which mean ratings and money....it has nothing to do with being interesting or an audience (since conservatives are equally as boring and vapid as liberals).

Answer 6

Excellent question! I read most of the answers here and this is what I see. Many of those condemning conservative talk radio indicate they never listen to talk radio. Hence, it leads me to believe they are listening and following some group, namely liberal democrats and liberal media. The evidence is clear. Air America went bankrupt because they could not get sponsors or support from the public who was supposedly listening to their rhetoric. This leads to another conclusion that is contrary to those condemning conservative talk radio. Maybe there are less liberals in this country than people care to admit, or conversely, maybe there are more conservatives than is reported.

For my own personal experiences, I listen to WWL 870 talk radio every day most of the day. Does it cause me to think? You betcha! Example, the former school board president of Orleans parish who was elected to watch all the money has pleaded guilty in accepting $100k in bribes from Representative William Jefferson's brother Mose. Then when you look at all the schools in Orleans parish, you have to ask why did these people not want to take care of the poor black kids who live in Orleans parish?

Makes ME think!

Answer 7

Well, I don't know why you think talk radio is "disliked" because it is one of the fastest growing media outlets in US.

If you are asking why most people don't listen to talk radio and why they go "oh please change it" when your turn it to a talk show, the reason is simply because most Americans would rather be entertained by music than listen to people drone on about something they don't understand. As much as I hate to say it, most Americans are pretty ignorant when it comes to currents events and the "REAL issues." They get all there news and all of their perspective by what they see on the front page of the paper and what they happen to hear on the 20 seconds of CNN they watch before they switch to American Idol, again to be entertained some more.

As for me, I like talk radio, especially when it involves politics and current events. I find it academically stimulating and often more entertaining than traditional radio. My only gripe about it is that its not on FM bands and I have to deal with all the damn static of AM stations. The reason talk radio lives on the AM bands is the same as above: It would fail in the FM market because it isnt embraced by the "mainstream" who would rather listen to Kelly Clarkson and T Pain than hear about the whats going on in the corridors of American democracy.

Why do you think they have FM tuners but not AM tuners on MP3 players nowadays?

Answer 8

I'm going to try to keep my political bais out of this (you should try it sometimes). I believe that talk radio is really just entertainment. Somebody with strong oppinions starts talking and people without the ability to form their own oppinions (with any grounds I mean) start listening. This is true for all radio, not just conservative, hate-screaming, talk radio such as Lars Larson or Rush Limbaugh. As a side note, the reason that "liberal radio" no longer exists on the air is that the liberal side rarely needs to scream propaganda to make their point solidified. Instead more open-minded radio stations simply broadcast the news and let people make their own decisions. Check out the website you might like it.

Answer 9

Liberals tend to seek out information from learned sources, so, a radio host jabbering on just can't cut it. Limbaugh and Hannity reinforce, even lead, their listeners to believe that media, government, and, the schools are under some kind of "liberal plot" to undermine America. In this way, it is VERY similar to the McCarthy era. How in the world is such demagogery representative of thinking for oneself? Unless, of course, you really DO think everything around you is "liberal" and only Limbaugh can set you free! SICK.

Answer 10

The left feels threatened for the reason, they have your kids in school spewing the hold hands sing Kum Ba Ya and light candles crap.

Now the Right has a venue that disagrees with all the left teachings. They are afraid very afraid, that people will see the difference and see the light.

That is why they say we hate. Mean while the left keeps telling the poor in this country OHHHH do not worry we will keep you on welfare and give you the rich mans money.

When they should be telling them stay in school, get a good job, and do not drop kids out while your in school.