Political talk radio in the 2000s
Political talk radio emerged as a significant force in the United States during the 2000s, primarily fueled by the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 and the deregulation encouraged by the Telecommunications Act of 1996. These changes allowed for a surge in politically-themed programming, leading to a dramatic increase in the number of stations airing such content—from approximately 400 in 1990 to over 3,500 by 2009. The format typically involved a host discussing current political events and inviting listener engagement through calls, aiming to influence public opinion. Prominent conservative figures like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck dominated the airwaves, while liberal talk radio faced challenges despite the launch of platforms like Air America in 2004, which struggled to gain significant traction. The introduction of podcasts and satellite radio also transformed how audiences consumed political talk, making content more accessible. Overall, political talk radio not only entertained but also played a critical role in shaping political discourse during the decade, with influential commentators impacting major elections and party strategies.
Political talk radio in the 2000s
A radio talk show format that is political in nature
The rise of political talk radio in the 2000s was attributed to two major events: the abolishment of the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 and the adoption of deregulation guidelines from the Telecommunications Act of 1996. The format also received a boost in the mid-2000s with the introduction of podcasts and satellite radio.
In addition to entertaining its listening audience, a primary goal of political talk radio during the 2000s was to sway public opinion. All political talk radio shows followed the same format. A host talked about current political events and voiced his or her opinions, usually sparking criticism or approval from listeners who would then call to the program and speak to the host to voice their reactions and opinions on the subject.
Political talk radio’s popularity surged in the 1980s and the 1990s largely due to the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine, which stated that all sides of an issue or debate must be represented. Under the Fairness Doctrine, many radio stations stayed away from airing political talk radio shows, which typically were conservative. In 1987 the doctrine was abolished, paving the way for radio broadcasters to air potentially one-sided and/or politically themed shows.
In the late 1990s, political talk radio benefited from the passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which changed the rules on owning various media outlets. Because of this, many political radio programs became nationally syndicated, or aired throughout various national outlets, further popularizing the genre.
Polarizing Talk
The number of stations across the United States that carried talk radio surged from 400 in 1990 to more than 1,400 in 2006, according to Inside Radio. By 2009 this number swelled to more than 3,500 stations, according to the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. Most of these stations carried political shows, which remained the most popular genre of talk radio through the end of the 2000s. The number of listeners of political talk radio kept growing as well. The Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism estimated that more than forty million people listened to political talk radio by the end of 2009.
Rush Limbaugh quickly became one of the most listened to political commentators following the legislative changes. By 2006 he was broadcast on hundreds of stations and had 13.5 million listeners, according to Talkers Magazine. While the majority of political commentators and political talk radio shows were conservative throughout the 2000s, liberal (also referred to as “progressive”) talk radio did exist. Founded in 2003, Democracy Radio was founded in 2003 and helped launch the career of liberal commentator Ed Schultz. Other popular liberal hosts during the 2000s were Stephanie Miller and Randi Rhodes.
In 2004 the station Air America Radio debuted to compete with conservative programming. The station featured liberal commentators such as comedians Al Franken and Janeane Garofalo and author Rachel Maddow. Although it had many well-known commentators, it never captured a significant audience, and with mounting debts and a financial scandal in 2005, the station filed for bankruptcy in October of 2006. Democracy Radio later became a part of Air America. Air America’s last full year of operation was in 2009. A few of Democracy Radio’s shows still ran in syndication on other stations as of 2009.
Podcasts and Satellite Radio
Around 2004, podcasting, a new type of medium for distributing audio content, became widely used to listen to audio files. Listeners typically used computers or portable media devices, such as MP3 players or iPods, to listen to podcasts. This new type of medium changed the way people listened to political talk radio. Instead of missing programs aired at inconvenient times, audiences were able to download their favorite podcasts and listen to them at their convenience.
The introduction of satellite radio in 2001 also encouraged the growth of talk radio. These types of radio signals allowed stations to reach a larger geographical area than local radio stations could. The two major satellite radio companies were Sirius and XM Radio, which as of 2006 had almost fourteen million subscribers. The shows of many political commentators, such as Glenn Beck, Laura Ingraham, Stephanie Miller, and Ed Schultz, were aired through syndication on satellite radio during the 2000s.
Impact
The impact of political talk radio was to sway public opinion. Throughout the 2000s, political talk radio influenced politics, and some of the most influential political commentators included Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, and Glenn Beck. Newt Gingrich’s former press secretary, Tony Blankley, argued that Limbaugh had clout when it came to the 2000 election of President George W. Bush. In the Huffington Post, President Bill Clinton cited talk radio as one of the key influences in the GOP’s 2002 congressional wins. During the 2008 election cycle, Limbaugh launched what he called Operation Chaos, his plan to defeat Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama in the primary elections, by urging Republicans to vote for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton to keep her in the race, believing that any votes for Clinton would take votes away from Obama. While crossover voting existed in the primary, it could not be proven that it was due to Operation Chaos.
Bibliography
Alterman, Eric, and Danny Goldberg. “Think Again: Listen Up, Progressives: Talk Radio Matters.” Center for American Progress. Center for American Progress, 11 Mar. 2010. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. A look at the popularity of conservative talk radio.
Berry, Jeffrey M., and Sarah Sobieraj. “Understanding the Rise of Talk Radio.” Cambridge Journals Online. Cambridge UP, Oct. 2011. Web. 4 Dec. 2012. An article about the popularity of talk radio through the years.
Goodman, Sandy. “Limbaugh Flap Is Latest Proof of Talk Radio’s Political Influence.” Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc., 20 Mar. 2012. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. A report about talk radio.
Mills, Ken. “Talk Radio History.” KMA Talk Radio Initiative. Ken Mills, 2004. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. An overview of the early days of talk radio.
Parker, Jennifer. “Is Limbaugh’s Operation Chaos Working?” Political Punch. ABC News Network, 6 May 2008. Web. 5 Dec. 2012.
Voices.com. “History of Podcasting.” Voices.com. Interactive Voices Inc., 2003–2012. Web. 5 Dec. 2012. Provides the history and benefits of podcasting and well as the impact podcasting has on consumers and various media.