Right-Wing Talk Radio Host: We're Killing The GOP

Right-wing talk radio host Michael Medved says right-wing talk radio is killing the Republican party:

The multibillion-dollar talk radio industry faces existential challenges and dramatic opportunities in the upcoming Age of Obama. Depending on responses from leading conservative talkers, this rude, raucous indispensable medium will either rise to new heights of mainstream influence, profit and credibility, or else collapse as a declining vehicle for an increasingly angry and alienated fringe.

For more than a decade, I've hosted a nationally syndicated political talk show. Like all radio veterans, I cherish the notion that the last time a young Democrat took over the White House with gauzy visions of change, it produced a "Golden Age" for right-wing talk.

...

Today's titans of talk naturally dream of repeating this revival, but even if Obamatrons offer targets for ridicule every bit as juicy as Clintonistas, it won't be easy to recapture the potent magic of the 1990s. Most obviously, the rapid development of cable TV and the Internet has given the public innumerable new options for debate and information. During Clinton's era, conservative talk radio offered the inevitable destination for political junkies who cared deeply about the fate of the new administration. Today, many leading TV comics and commentators lean unabashedly to the left, while progressive websites rival popular right-wing sources online.

This fragmentation of the mass audience has led many talk shows to cultivate a niche audience rather than the Republican mainstream. In the aftermath of stinging GOP defeat in November, radio crackles with blame-game arguments intended to divide "real conservatives" from unworthy moderate imposters -- as if the GOP could become the first party in history to expand an already shrunken base by purging its membership.

...

Increasingly, interests of commercial talk radio in a fractured market diverge from the needs of a viable national movement. A radio show (locally or nationally) that draws just 5% of the available audience can achieve notable success in ratings and revenue, but a conservatism that connects with only a disgruntled, paranoid 5% of the public will wither and die.

Read the whole thing.

Comments

[cjk002]

The one thing I think Medved missed is the fact that the popularity of radio is a generational phenomenon. An entire generation of voters like myself has come of age since Bill Clinton was elected, and most of them grew up comparing George W. Bush's unsuccessful conservative presidency to Bill Clinton's successful left-of-center presidency. Our experience with talk radio is of hearing nothing but negativity and divisiveness toward Clinton, and unwarranted support for Bush. That experience probably did more to make me into a life-long liberal voter than anything else.

These new voters don't listen to radio, and most of them voted for the Democrats in the last 3 or 4 elections, which makes it likely that they will continue to vote for left-of-center candidates in the future. My prediction is that talk radio will continue to preach to the fringe and turn off younger audiences. They'll still be successful because there are plenty of older and conservative people out there, but I think their influence will continue to wane.

[truthglow]

I'm older and used to listen to radio in the good old days. I had to stop when these idiots took it over. What a shame. I would gladly listen, if I could hear something good, but right now, there's nothing. Air America's signal is too weak for me, so I watch MSNBC all day. That' s what I'll do until it changes.

[rejoiceinit]

Wow... what a master of the obvious.

[copernikus]

Obvious to you and me, but I've heard many right wing pundits saying that the Republicans are losing because they're not conservative enough.

[Kindheart]

If that is the case, then keep talking. The GOP has singlehandedly ruined our country. And the saddest part of that is that they won't even take any responsibility for their actions and they don't show any remorse. They still want to hold onto the tenets of Reaganomics, which has contributed to our downfall.

[sim]

The B I G L I E can only be sustained if the liars NEVER try to back off their lies or if reality comes to town. The latter has occurred. I suspect, however, that once we are into the Obama presidency a few hours or so, AM righties will be calling for Obama's impeachment and so forth. There's little doubt that the racism displayed and used by many of these fascists will have to be softened.

Also, remember that Mussolini drew big crowds, but once the lie collapsed, none so big as the one that hanged him.

[mohawk79]

O.k. Can we stop blaming one side or the other for the destruction of America.

The simple fact is both sides contributed. Anyone who claims otherwise, is just not looking at all the facts.

Hopefully, the man that has been elected will be able to rationally look at the problems we have and get everyone on board to work toward fixing them.

[jOke]

i concur. however.. i still believe the GOP is more to blame...

[starlady7]

The REPUBLICAN platforms of "Reganomic­s...trickl­e down economics", Deregulation, "your on your own" philosophy, tax cuts for the filthy rich, war without justification and without end, spoiling our land in favor of "corporate profit and expansion", CEO's before workers, trashing the Constitution!!!, abuse of Power, weaseling cronies into governemental posts to carry out your criminal agendas, and the list goes on!!!!!!! Don't even try to evade the facts!!!!!!!

[Bettysdad]

And the GOP has murdered America.

That makes you, Mr. Medved, guilty of treason.

I'm sure you know what needs to be done with you and your whackjob friends.

[Blue in NH]

I can't BEAR to listen to these nutcases.

[Roxanna]

I am looking forward to these guys drying up somewhat and going away. They make a lot of money off of hate.

There dominance is only when there is enough ignorance to support it.

People can no longer turn a blind eye to Economics which trumps religious zealots.

[glaze]

Mike- you order of a case of flea powder?

[cloudmaker]

The ever sanctimonious Medved is a true representation of Right Wing hosts. While he talks Christianity,
he is anything but — he is constantly reviling those who do not share his uptight
puritanical visions and judgemental attitudes—which Mr. Christ would abhor.
Conservative talk show radio will not go away but will look increasingly archaic to those who are not filled with hate and bigotry.

[tweedy54]

So True!!

[johnnyjust]

Medved is Jewish.

And I didn't know having moral standards is akin to "hate and bigotry." We all have moral standards, doncha' know? Some are just lower than others.

[glaze]

This condition and comment reminds me in one way of the old joke:
The proud matronly mother watching the graduating parade at a military prep school- "Oh, LOOK! They're all out of step... except for my boy Georgie!"
And...
Overheard at a Stink-Bug Convention: "Damn, Lester! Start using deodorant and breath mints or you're out of the frat!"

[soupson52]

giggle. THANKS! Laughing is good.

[glaze]

And I F these these numbskulls actually, finally, microscopically get rid of the worst of these dreck-masters*,
(therefore causing the extreme right side of the Centrist Meter scale to naturally adjust more towards the left of center,)
they will S T I L L claim the glorious "Right-Centrist Majority". And they'd S T I L L be delusional, but microscopically less so. It's a start.
*C'mon, Mike. Name some names. Oh, that's right! You can't, because then they'd call YOU a (choose one or more-)
Commie, Hippie, Lefty, Homosexual, Atheist, Terrorist, Traitor, Weenieburger, Ex- Movie Critic, Elitist, etc.

[FR]

If right-wing talk radio pundits want to push the Repubs into gutting the party mainstream in favor of "an already shrunken" and extremist "base" ... I say let them have their fun. The poor dears deserve some consolation prize after this nasty mean election.

[Matt7]

The problem is that it's not JUST the Repubs that suffer. All of America does. It's like being in a marriage where one partner screws up the finances; or being in a swimming pool where some idiot "over there" decides to use it for a toilet. The results are just as disgusting and inclusive.

While I'm all for their come-uppance, and hope they'll feed on each other and burn themselves out; there's just so much muck-raking that can be done before everyone finds themselves hip-deep in crap. Then EVERYONE's clean-up job will be bigger. So while Dems (and the rest of the sane world) might be breaking out the popcorn and smores NOW, just get ready to roll up your sleeves for a big workday down the line.

[9liberal]

exactly!!

[metatron1970]

I used to think Medved had a sense of humor and some intelligence, from his "Golden Turkey Awards" books on bad movies, but then around '92 he wrote that incredibly dumb book "Hollywood Vs. America", turned into a conservative pundit, and I've not given him a second thought since then. He seems perceptive enough to be aware of just how much disarray reactionaries are in after the complete multi-level failure of the Bush administration, when these conservatives should have been happy that they were fulfilling every stupid dream they ever wanted. If anything the conservative pundits advocated had been proven through experience to be good for the country and not just divisive ranting about the "the liberals", they wouldn't be in a position of finding themselves faced with a shrinking but still shrill and angry "base". I have absolutely no sympathy for them, and to see the crash-and-burn of the GOP and right wing radio/Fox News is quite a vindication after all the polarization that these outlets have been guilty of for the past 20 years or so. I have a suspicion that despite the fact they may attempt to lick their wounds and regroup and try to vilify Obama as they successfully villified Clinton, Obama is going to be major disappointment for them and won't prove to be easy fodder for the right like Clinton had been.

[SteveDenver]

Now that the economy has introduced REAL fear and REAL disaster into the lives of Americans, it's easy to discern the pale and idiotic rantings of the screaming boys. Their poor reasoning and insane flapping doesn't hold a candle to fears over job security, skyrocketing unemployment and foreclosures, and big business failures all around.

[Academic]

I agree wholeheartedly. Another explanation could be that even the lunatics - or some of them at least -are beginning to see the necessity - personal survival I call it - to vacate the madhouse.

Professor Dr. Stanley Collymore.