If right-wing talk radio succeeds, right-wing politics will fail, and ... vice versa

 (photo: "P-1 listeners")

Talk radio hosts “are fighting for an ever-smaller pie- you’ve got to be even louder about it because you’re trying to get the attention of an ever-smaller niche,” Michael Medved (KTTH m-f, 12-3p) told New Majority's Tim Mak. 

All the conservative side has at the moment are the maddern-hell listeners of Rush and those in the right-wing broadcast media who imitate him.

You can partake daily of the poisonous fruits of talk radio's growing ferocity and extremism: the crazy, YouTubed shout-downs of Democratic representatives at town hall meetings; the 58% of Republicans who buy into the "birther" theories; the acceptance as fair comment talk radio accusations that the President is a) Hitler b) Lenin c) a racist who hates whites.

It's pretty noisy and has given the Obama and the Democrats some heartburn- but It's not, howsomever, so much ideological as it is about money, the mother's milk of talk radio, and the dry teat it's been left to suckle.

In the end, though, right-wing broadcast entertainment and the conservative movement must part ways: they're on divergent paths. The politicos need to broaden their base to get more votes; radio hosts competing amongst themselves for the shrunken pie, must become louder, more negative and extreme.  

In two years, talk radio has lost 30-40% of its ad revenues. “If you’re not the most extreme person on the radio or making the most outrageous headlines,” Scott Fybush, of Northeast Radio Watch told Mak , “there is going to be some portion of the base that is going to ignore you and move onto someone who is more extreme.”

Medved:

“In this [economic] environment, you have something of a push to be outrageous, to be on the fringe, because what you’re desperately competing for is… P-1 listeners [those who tune in most frequently]. The percentage of people on the fringe who are P-1s is quite high,” he explained. As a result, talk radio hosts are feeling more pressure than usual to yell harder, scream louder, and insult further."

(We've got to commend the situationally thoughtful Medved. Even though he did warn listeners about the alleged sex change mandates in the Obamacare plan, he's been out in front of the few conservatives calling wackadoo on the "birthers." We liked that he said today on MSNBC's The Ed Show that Sarah Palin's fear-mongering of the "Obama death panels" was "shameful.")

(photo: Michael Medved in the pre-Obama era)

Mak quotes Talker's magazine's Michael Harrison: “... news talk radio has traditionally been a street medium… [that employs] the language and emotions and attitudes that one would hear on the street, by the fence.

" Of course," " Mak adds, schoolyard emotions evoke schoolyard results: a downwards descent into name-calling and fringe politics, "Talk radio’s fascination with the 'birther' movement is the logical end point."

As conservative politics attempts to reach out and rebuild, the incentives for conservative radio hosts point in exactly the opposite direction. The fact of the matter is that the survival of news talk radio “depends on ratings and revenue, not on getting people elected, or even on bring right,” says Harrison. If the economy worsens, expect more venom on your AM dial.

Comments

[yawn]

Why does MH periodically "bold" portions of his speeches?

Is that so that folks who only want to skim it can just skip to the bold paragraph and leave the other 70 pages alone?

I've always wondered this. Wonder, wonder, what a world of wonder!

[mrogi]

Outrage is extremely effective both in politics and in talk radio. Outrage got Hitler elected, got Obama elected, got big ratings for Limbaugh, Savage, Hannity, Beck, and Dori Munson. Outrage will defeat the Obama health care bill, and defeat Democrats in 2010 mid term elections.

[Billy Bob]

Medved's analogy of having to scream louder to make an impact is interesting (even though he does plenty of absurd bloviating on his own).

But I would prefer the turd analogy.

You know, when you've eaten too much fiber and then you top it off with a strong cup of coffee.

You get the sudden cramps and head to the bathroom. And out comes a very satisfying and relieving long, fat turd. It's perfectly tapered and you feel so much lighter and better.

That giant turd is Limbaugh.

Then you realize there is something clinging to your, um, butt hairs. You wiggle as best you can while still seated, and off drops a small dingleberry which floats and bobs near the Limbaugh turd.

That dingleberry is most of the other right-wing wannabees.

To be fair, occassionally, you'll have mud-but and will deposit a stinky and messy glob. That's Hannity and O'Reilly.

[nevets]

Billy Bob, better watch your back. Coiler just might report you to [email protected] and report you for putting out some smelly information. Because here at the BW, the giant turd has always been your Neo-Com comrade Coiler.

[chucks]

Coiler-Limbaugh
Interesting analogy Billy Bob.
It is nice to learn that Coiler is more than just a bigot. Thanks nevets.

[Mark C.]

Obama is kicking ass on healthcare in New Hampshire. About time. We'll get a bill, it'depends on how scared the wusses in Congress are... they'll pay a price if they let the hysteria of the ramped up old men stop them from getting it done.

[Brian]

Curious Mark, have you read any of the House bill? I spent a couple of hours going through parts last night and have never seen anything scarier in my life. There's a reason the town hall meetings are falling apart, the plan is indefensible. I suggest you read as much of it as possible, I bet you would change your tune.

[sparky]

What is Tyranty?

[Coiler]

It is Hannity's new name

[nevets]

Has President Obama read the HealthCare Reform(or is it Health Insurance Reform) bill? If you ask the man responsible for the "death panel" part he would say HELL NO he didn't.

[nevets]

Speaking of boogeymen. How about that Wall Street one President Obama used to pass the Recovery Act. And incase you have not been watching, since the Recovery Act that boogeyman Wall Street has grown in size almost 50% while Main Street has shrunk to the tune of 2 million jobs.

[sparky]

Which bill do you want him to read Steven...they are working on 5 of them in the House, and the Senate has not even written one..they left off at recess with several committees working on their own versions. Max Baucus is working on one, Ron Wyden from Oregon has his version...even when both sides eventually pass their own version, then they will have to reach a compromise bill.

[David M]

I've been a listener of right-wing radio pretty avidly until about a week ago. Much to the chagrin of my wife, friends and family, I couldn't get enough of KVI, KTTH and sometimes KKOL. It was amusing for a very long time but now these latest episodes have become so filled with complete irrationality that I can't take it anymore. I've moved on to 1090 just so I can hear normal people who actually exchange ideas. It's very refreshing and much better for my brain.

[nevets]

I know you think I probably just linked a WND or Drudge article above, but sometimes Sparky, you need to click, look, and read something else besides your e-mail to learn something.

[nevets]

David, after a week of 1090 you'll be brain dead. I hope you have good mental health insurance.

[Ex-con]

David M, I was in the same situation as you years ago. It was Kirby in the morning until Brian “Baloney” Maloney finished his split show at nine o’clock at night. KTTH was welcome after KVI fired Medved. As time progressed, I could no longer tolerate the one sided view of right wing radio, especially after commencement of the Iraq War. It was no longer conservative as the trailer trash element took over the movement and appealed to the uneducated masses. Many of them will argue with me when I tell them that President Reagan had no problems listening to those with an opposing point of view and got along with Tip O’Neill. Instead, they point to the moron of last eight years as the type of persona a conservative should be. Bush was a death knell for intellectual conservatism.

[Ex-con]

Then you must be a regular listener Nevets.

[nevets]

What was I thinking Sparky. You dont even read your e-mail. You just read the subject matter, click, copy, and paste at the nearest neo-com website in your favorites folder. So go one further step before you push that delete button, read them.

And sorry excon, I dont listen to 1090. I switched to 100.7 THE WOLF. I never really appreciated country music like I do now.

[sparky]

If you say so, steven, it must be true. I bow to your superior intellect.

[Doug Parris]

“In two years, talk radio has lost 30-40% of its ad revenues,” a fact directly attributable to John McCain and the insiders who engineered his “nomination,” Michael Medved among the foremost. The Conservative movement was disenfranchised by the RNC, itself, reaching out to the illusory “middle.” McCain represents their ultimate triumph and is emblematic of their future success.

“the 58% of Republicans who buy into the "birther" theories”
This demonstrates the genius in the Obama camp that is so underestimated by conservatives. By refusing to release his actual birth certificate, by putting a substitute on the internet, by continual stonewalling on the legal questions, refusing to respond in court, relying on liberal judges who rule that American voters have “no standing” to contest the issue and by simply ridiculing a significance that relies wholly on the Constitution, the Obama camp has lured the unsuspecting Right into an ambush, into believing that where there is smoke there is fire. They should have learned a different proverb: where there is Obama there is smoke. He is a citizen. It is his procedural obfuscation and unprincipled legal relativism that convinced them otherwise. Brilliant!

“…there is going to be some portion of the base that is going to ignore you and move onto someone who is more extreme.”
Right, Michael. And Michael. Freedom is extreme. Socialism is moderate. Right.

Michael Medved continues, deservedly, as liberals’ favorite “conservative” talk show host.

[sparky]

He is?? Im liberal and I think he is a goof.

[Ex-con]

Medved a liberal's favorite conservative? He hardly deserves that title as Alan Colmes is the conservatives favorite liberal. Colmes had his show on KVI for a while. Can't say I heard Medved on 1090.

[nevets]

Oh I know its true Sparky. One just has to look at your past posts here on BW to figure it out. Anyone with a mind not infected by Randi's neo-com wisdom that is.

[Tommy008]

what will be wee little man Monson's take on Michael Vick getting signed by the Eagles? i believe he should not have been signed by any NFL team. period.

[Duffman]

Why not? He served his time; don't you believe in giving someone a 2nd chance. How GOD'ly of you.

[Tommy008]

it's a priviledge not a right to play in the NFL. Vick has served his time, yes. All that entitles him to is the right not to be harrassed, as long as he keeps his nose clean, and the freedom to find an employer willing to hire him, at whatever salary level he can obtain. He is not entitled to get the old job back.

[Duffman]

Agreed! He obviously didn't get 'his old job' (Falcons) back, but he deserves the opportunity to shop for ANY job (that he might qualify for) and ANY employer can opt to hire him (obviously weighing what the down-side might be...i.e. picketing animal-rights folks).
Obviously the 'Eagles' have considered the down-side.

[Tommy008]

A drunk driver is a guy with a problem, who is capable of reform and redemption, even if he's killed people in a car accident. A person who hangs, electrocutes, bodyslams and drowns dogs to death, personally, for his own pleasure, with his bare hands, is a sociopath. Sociopaths cannot be reformed. Vick is simply a caught rat who is now doing what he has to do( contrite speeches, Humane Society appearances etc.), because it's a route to get back to the big bucks and glory of the NFL, not because he feels one iota of remorse.A sleazebag in Philly has chosen to hire him- i can't do anything about that. I can and will root against him and hope that he fails.

[Duffman]

Apparently you're a psycho-analyst who has the ability to judge even though you've never met the man.
I can see you're a real 'glass is half-full' type of person.
Hope the Eagles go to the Super Bowl and that Vick leads them and that through his leadership and spokesmanship manages to reduce animal cruelty in this Country.
But you're certainly entitled to your expert opinion.