Talk Radio Made Today’s Republican Party

[mystery-ak]

Talk Radio Made Today’s Republican Party

AM stations just wanted to keep listeners entertained—but ended up remaking the Republican Party.
6:15 AM ET
Brian Rosenwald
Author of Talk Radio’s America

No one set out to turn the airwaves into a political weapon—much less deputize talk-radio hosts as the ideological enforcers of a major American political party. Instead the story of how the GOP establishment lost its power over the Republican message—and eventually the party itself—begins with frantic AM radio executives and a former Top 40 disc jockey, Rush Limbaugh.

In the late 1980s, AM radio was desperate for new content. Listeners had migrated to FM because music sounded better on there, and advertising dollars had followed. Talk-radio formats offered a lifeline—unique programming that FM didn’t have. And on August 1, 1988, Limbaugh debuted nationally. At the outset, Limbaugh wasn’t angling to become a political force—he was there to entertain and make money. Limbaugh’s show departed from the staid, largely nonpartisan, interview and caller-based programs that were the norm in earlier talk radio. Instead, Limbaugh was a consummate showman who excited listeners by being zany and fun and obliterating boundaries, offering up something the likes of which many Americans had never heard before.

more
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/08/talk-radio-made-todays-republican-party/596380/

[Absalom]

Malarkey!
The Republicrat Party was the spawn of the Northern Mercantile Class
and had absolutely nothing to do w/Principled Conservatism. EVER!!!
Talk radio is a platform for guys peddling assorted junk !!!

[PeteS in CA]

And on August 1, 1988, Limbaugh debuted nationally. At the outset, Limbaugh wasn’t angling to become a political force—he was there to entertain and make money1. Limbaugh’s show departed from the staid, largely nonpartisan, interview and caller-based programs2 that were the norm in earlier talk radio.

1 That Rush's program is profitable and entertaining is obvious ... unlike the late Anti-Rush network, Err America. BUT Rush was always about informing.

2 I guess The Atlantic's article author is unaware that Rush's national show was essentially what Rush had done for several years prior at KFBK, Sacramento. I guess he also never heard KGO's (SF) ultra-lefty talkshow host Bernie Ward. I guess he also never heard KGO's loony-lefty talkshow host Ray Taliaferro. I guess he also never heard KGO's very conservative talkshow hosts Jim Eason, Bill Wattenberg, and Lee Rodgers. Those were just KGO's more strongly conservative-libertarian talkshow hosts - by no means were Owen Spann or Ronn Owens anything like conservative.