Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck, Stern, and Dr. Drew are familiar names among Americans that listen to talk radio. It seems nowadays that anyone can host a show on talk radio you just need to have interesting material to keep the audience’s attention. And there is a variety of formats to choose from, sports talk to news. And just who are the people that listen to talk radio?
Most talk radio host lean towards the right, but it is not necessarily true about those that listen and call into the shows. According to Talkers magazine, “the listeners are far more diverse in terms of philosophy and party affiliation (2011)”. For a short period the left had an answer to the more conservative dominated air time by creating Air America radio network. Due to some financial and ownership issues the network how to shut down. Talkers magazine determined in its report that “the continuing expansion of the ideological menu now being offered in the form of liberal (or “progressive”) hosts appearing locally and nationally is far more likely to increase the total listenership of news/talk radio than dilute it (2011)”.
Is it not diversity that makes America great? And can it be said that diversity also makes talk radio what it is to its audience? If you are a frequent listener to news/talk radio programs it seems like every third or fourth caller disagrees with the radio host. But that’s the beauty of talk radio is the difference of opinion across America. The myth that news/talk radio is dominated by conservative ideology is not necessarily true. Listenership is a mixture of ideas and opinions about the past and current events of our nation.
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