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Skipper04 said 06/03, 03:01 AM
Forgive me, if i take this in a direction that you didn't want it to go, but i saw that no one was taking the face-off so i figured you'd atleast like to have a discussion. I agree that it pisses people off (no one would disagree), but i don't think it's a bad thing. In fact, I think it is almost an achievement that they were able to get people to care so deeply about a political issue. Mostly people seem to be uncaring and ignorant when it comes to politics. Talk radio atleast stirs up interest in important issues from time to time. It might even get them mad enough to actually take action.
Yeah, it's often more emotional than logical, but it atleast serves as an introduction to the issue at hand. It does encourage people to think about the issue, if it makes them mad, then they try to formulate an effective counter-argument. They start to formulate their own political philosophy. This is healthy
I prefer it to those that just don't care at all. As tough as it is to progress with a polarized demographic, it is just as tough to democratically govern an ignorant community that won't speak up or just doesn't care enough to.
Most of their listeners are political junkies,too

Skipper04 said 06/07, 05:25 PM
Haha, well i can agree with the angry motorists argument.
It does often result in an angry, emotional response at first. However, I believe, that after most people have gotten over the initial outburst, their reason begins to return. When Rush Limbaugh gets on his pulpit and blurts out his conservative ideology, it has a much greater affect than just the initial angry responses and brainwashing of an ignorant listeners. It also, often mobilizes both supporting and opposing force, once the ignorant statement makes its way in to mainstream airwaves. The debate on CNN and the local evening news often spills out into the public at large. I do believe that illegal immigration would be debated less in the public if it was not for talk radio hosts that take such a strong stance on the issue and shares it with the listeners.
For the most part,i also believe, the public has the capability to overcome their initial anger and give the issue brought up further contemplation. There are a lot of blowhorns out there just looking for a leader like these talk radio hosts. But when they begin spouting their mouths off to others they also motivate reasonable people to form intelligent responses.

Skipper04 said 06/08, 01:33 PM
well, i disagree with your opinion about the listeners, but i meant to indicate that a broader group of the public is affected by talk radio than just its immediate listeners. Living on a college campus, there have been a few times as a political science major that i have heard a comment from Limbaugh repeated in the cafeteria or school halls. If he says something radical enough, and he often does, it gets heard on the more traditional media outlets. From there, it reaches the ears of those that don't traditionally listen to his show.
Perhaps, I wasn't paying enough attention (which I admit is a possibility), but i don't remember the illegal immigration debate really gaining traction with the American public before some of the more conservative talk radio hosts started railing against it. By the way, Lou Dobbs is not much higher on the totem pole of respect for me. At any rate, it seems to be accepted that the media plays a vital role in producing public interest in political debates, and talk radio is one of its most popular outlets.s