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Saturday, September 14, 2019
History of Talk Radio Essay
What do we know about the history of talk radio? Has talk radio been successful in helping Americans deal with cultural changes?            Throughout history, radio has been a major source of communication where we were able to hear the latest news and current events of the time period. Through wars, depression, Presidential debates and changing times we were able to turn on the radio and listen to a radio talk show that panned in on these events.            We were able to hear discussions that offered opinions in which we could either agree or disagree and radio talk shows provided a means by which we could be informed on the latest news and events, even before television existed.             [1]â€Å"Can We Talk: The Power and Influence of Talk Showsâ€Å" by Gini Graham Scott†, offers that â€Å"both radio and TV have grown up at a time when America and the whole world have been going through an unprecedented period of turmoil and technologic upheaval.†           Radio, came of age after World War I during the 1920’s and 1930’s, when America was transformed from an isolationist power focused on material growth to a member of a world community which experienced major growth to a member of a world community which experienced major cultural changes and a worldwide depression.            Political forums continue to be a part of talk radio programming in the past and present. In the past, before telephones were invented there was no easy way to communicated with radio personalities, but when telephones emerged, call-in talk radio shows evolved and offered a means to communicated with the radio personalities which made talk radio so much more interesting than before, especially where politics was concerned.            We were able to listen to the opinions of the public on political issues, not just the ones from radio personalities on the talk radio programs. [2] David Barker, Author of the book, â€Å"Rushed to Judgment: Talk Radio Persuasion, and American Political Behavior,† talks about call-in talk radio shows and delves into the question, â€Å"is political talk radio a thing of the past.†Barker says â€Å"some have asked whether this new medium can serve as an agent of deliberative democracy, spurring Americans to form pseudo-communities, where policy choices are debated in an open forum, thus bringing American politics closer to a democratic ideal.             We often wondered if talk radio programs would fade in popularity and just become a thing of the past times. More than ever talk radio has boomed since Howard Stern came on the scene with his outrageous behavior, with comments that were so bold that his personality grabbed the attention of America. He talks about everything from women to politics and doesn’t stifle his views on either.            Now is a good time to evaluate the effects of political talk radio because the medium is no longer a fad and shows no signs of fading. Talk radio offers a setting for new media to be discussed, while people can listen from the convenience of their homes or automobiles.            Given the prominent place of talk radio stations in most markets we have now had the time to critically evaluate the effects of a medium that is not disappearing.            Are news trends changing on talk radio? [3]The website, that answers this question is www.pbs.org/now/politics/talkradio.html. It shows that â€Å"News trends are changing.†            A recent poll showed than an increasing percentage of younger Americans get their news from late night television, and a December 2002 Gallup Poll showed the percentage of Americans who got their news from talk radio has nearly doubled since 1995, from 12 percent to 22 percent.            Was AM talk radio popular by the 1980’s? [4] â€Å"By the 1980’s, AM radio was close to death.† Most listeners had tossed it on the trash heap of technology in favor of FM’s clarity for music. It was Rush Limbaugh who reinvigorated AM radio and gave it a new purpose, paving the way for many talk show hosts who collectively resurrected a bandwidth most were all too happy to ignore.             Religious stations have always been around, in talk radio history?  [5]Soul Talk is a weekly one-hour radio show that has been broadcasting continuously since February of 1996 on Koop 91.7 FM, in Austin Texas. This is just one of many of the religious programs that have broadcasted since radio first arrived on the scene and strong religious beliefs have maintained its stance with Americans.            Soul Talk articulated spiritually from a pluralistic, universal perspective with relevance to current and social and moral issues. The show offers a venue for listeners to share their sacred and ethical beliefs at the radio table, to be encouraged and spurred to action through positive expressions of faith, in a playful setting.         â€Å"What’s Cookin’ with Soul Talk Radio? A Spiritual Feast to leaven the world Soul†can be located at www.soultalkradio.com/.            How much do we know about early talk radio? [6] Early radio news was usually nothing more dramatized documentary of events. Live recordings were unheard of and technology difficult if not impossible. Rather than simply report events, radio producers felt dramatizing the events would bring the news home more effectively.            By 1928, Roy Edward Larsen was the General Manager of Time Magazine. It was Larsen, who, as Circulation Manager, increased sales of the magazine from 25,000 to 200,00 in a few short years. Media theorist, Marshall McLuhan, referred to Larsen as an electric man, sensitive to the latest modes of communication and its impact on society. Larsen involved Time in radio as early as 1924 with a sustaining quiz program called Pop Question. Then in 1928, in cooperation with Time’s Radio Executive, Fred Smith, he began issuing throughout the country over 33 stations daily release of ten minute news briefs drawn from the pages of Time, Larsen called News Casts. The following year they supplemented these News Casts with electrical transcription dramas, ten minutes in length, called News Acting which featured professional actors and sound effects of current news.            What was one of the first talk radio programs? In the year, 1931, â€Å"The University of Chicago Roundtable†broadcast by NBC, where University scholars engaged in intellectual discussion and the show slightly resembled the late phenomenon of talk radio.            Archives, provide talk radio shows from the past.[7] The archives are back! Thanks to the technical wizards of World Talk Radio, all previous shows are once again available for your listening.            World Talk Radio brings you the most renowned Civil War experts and entertaining enthusiasts ever assembled. Check the archives each week for a new and captivating exploration of politics, personalities, and military campaigns.            Civil War Talk Radio is provided to listeners by World Talk Radio and the show host and guests. There is no charge to listen or download, but all contributions and donations are said to be welcomed. You can make contributions at, Contribute to Civil War Talk Radio, Civil War Talk Radio, World Talk Radio, www.worldtalkradio.com/show.asp?sid=150            Talk radio has come a long way in history to finally being capable of displaying and discussing photography.            [8] Photo Talk Radio â€Å"Where you can really see photos on the radio†, the dynamic internet talk show for everyone interested in photography hosted by Howard Lipin and Michael A. Garcia Cr. Photographer, providing you the best information and ideas anywhere to help you make your photography more enjoyable and better than ever.            With nearly 60 years of day-to-day photography experience between them, Howard and Michael bring Photo Talk Radio alive with practical hands-on, simple to understand, â€Å"How Do I Do That? tips and in depth interviews with photo industry leaders and photographers.            Their mission is to keep you informed, inspired and coming back for more. In the ever-changing world of photography, Photo Talk Radio, †The Worldwide Voice of Photography†, and the place â€Å"Where You Really Can See Photos On Radio†is the go-to resource for everyone interested in photography from the enthusiast to the pro.            Photo Talk Radio, World Talk Radio, www.worldtalkradio            Talk Radio shows have been a part of a stage for political opinions, not excluding the war with Iraq.            [9] This week should be remembered for beginning the fifth year of the war in Iraq and for the halting efforts of one chamber of Congress to make Year 5 the last. But, right now, Washington is delighted to be distracted by a new crisis in full boil.            It’s not the controversy over health care for veterans. That one blew up in late February and grew rapidly to national proportions before receding. It will be back, but for the moment it has to become a subject of multiple investigations and editorial hand-wringing.            [10] Many books feature information on talk radio such as a book written by Eric Bogosian, â€Å"The Essential Bogosian : Talk Radio, Drinking, in America, Funhouse and Men Inside.†           The Author writes, â€Å"Reading Talk Radio today is confusing. First of all, there are two Talk Radios: The play and the film.†           Eric Bogosian also says, â€Å"Talk Radio was not based originally on any radio personality.†           Despite its title, Talk Radio is not an in-depth, researched, generic documentary. There is no radio station set up like the one in the play. Instead, he wanted to use the format, one few people had any sense of in 1987, as a launching pad to talk about egos and the mass media in general. He loved the notion of this vast landscape of people, the callers.            He goes on to say, â€Å"I had listened to numerous talk-jocks, particularly Bob Grant and Gary Dee and drew from my pre-teen experience of the legendary Alan Burke and Joe Pyne, two TV talk guys from the sixties with razor blades for tongues. But, when the movie came out, the strangest thing happened, a new guy had showed up and was making big waves soon after the movie came out; his name, of course; Howard Stern.            Radio talk shows have provided entertainment for ourselves and our ancestors and I couldn’t imagine not being able to turn on my radio to listen to a group of people discussing the latest issues or simply just an off-the-wall subject, for the sheer thrill of entertainment purposes.            Talk radio will always be around and with satellites on the scene, radio is becoming even more popular than ever with more and more money being spent on new and updated radio systems and monthly and yearly subscriptions. Scott, Gini Graham, 1996, â€Å"Can We Talk?, The Power and Influence of Talk Shows†Insight Books, Inc. Barker, David, 2002,â€Å"Rushed To Judgment: Talk Radio Persuasion and American Political Behavior†Columbia University Press 2007, Now, Talk Radio, Politics and Economy, www.pbs.org/now/politics/talkradio.html Deitz, Corey, 2004, Right Wing Conservative Talk Show Hosts, Bashing AM And FM What’s Cookin’ With Soul Talk Radio? A Spiritual Feast To Leaven the World Soul, www.soultalkradio.com/ March of Time, www.otr.com/march.html Contribute to Civil War Talk Radio, Civil War Talk Radio, World Talk Radio, www.worldtalkradio.com/show.asp?sid=150 Photo Talk Radio, World Talk Radio, www.worldtalkradio Elving, Ron, 2007, Gonzales: A Timely Distraction For aAll Sides? NPR, Watching Washington, www.npr.org/templates/story/story/php?storyId=9030022 Bogosian, Eric, 1994, â€Å"The Essential Bogosian: Talk Radio, Drinking in America, Funhouse and Men Inside†, Theatre Communications Group, From Author’s Notes, p.3 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
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