Talk radio shows in the United States have always been an interesting object of study. In its simplest definition, talk radio is a format that is centered around discussions on topical issues. Most talk radio shows feature a single host interviewing several guests on the shows. More often than not, the “talk” in talk radio is also supplanted by the numerous calls coming in from listeners either in the form of a question or a voiced opinion on the issue being talked about. In between segments, talk radio jocks often play music or advertisements, depending on the thrust of the station. Topics range from serious topics such as politics and current events, all the way to lighter subjects such as showbiz and sports.
There is a common misconception that talk radio is limited to the AM radio frequency band, due to the notion that AM broadcasts are generally centered on public information while FM broadcasts focus on entertainment. However, the talk radio format is also common in FM stations, although the range of topics can be very different. For one, talk radio shows on commercial stations (mostly found on the FM band) focus on using conversation and discussion for entertainment purposes. Other topics that US talk shows discuss are astrology, health, finance, and romantic advice.
Talk shows on the radio in the United States have undergone major paradigm shifts over the decades. The format reached the peak of its popularity in the United States in the 1990s. This was sparked by the repeal of the FCC’s (Federal Communications Commission) “fairness doctrine” that happened in 1987. This doctrine states that the stations must provide free airtime for (often controversial and off-color) opinions and responses to topics that were being broadcast. The revoking of this mandate now allowed broadcasters to engage in programming that leaned towards being partisan. Moreover, this event helped talk radio’s popularity because radio jocks such as Howard Stern could now utilize their “shock jock” routines for entertainment.
In terms of the listening populace, researchers found that 17% of the public listen to talk radio shows regularly, and it was discovered that most of this group are conservative, middle-aged males. Political leanings were also reflected in the studies on talk radio: among its listeners, 41% are Republicans while 28% are Democrats; 45% believed that they were conservatives, while 18% said they were liberal.
The top five U.S. talk radio shows are hosted by: Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, Howard Stern, and Michael Savage. Limbaugh calls himself “America’s Truth Detector” and “The Doctor of Democracy.” Limbaugh, Hannity and Savage are conservative political commentators. Dr. Laura Schlessinger is a conservative who often discusses pre-marital cohabitation, permissive parenting, and other practices in modern American culture that she considers immoral. Howard Stern is known for his non-political topics and his provocative, often offensive sense of humor.
New technologies such as the internet have also made the broadcasting of talk shows cost effective and wide-reaching. Podcasting technologies even allow amateur jocks to publish and “webcast” their shows online and make them available for download for those who missed the time slot. The global accessibility of these broadcasts has also widened the audience of talk show broadcasters in the United States.
Generally speaking, the popularity of radio in general has waned over the years, particularly because of newer media, but the format of the radio talk show continues to successfully integrate itself into the new media culture.
More news about talk radio:
- Former US Vice President Dick Cheney says he backs Rush Limbaugh over Colin Powell over Republican Party leadership.
- Michael Savage is banned from entering the UK.
- Laura Schlessinger talks about her new book In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms