CHAPTER SIX
THE RISE OF CONSERVATIVE TALK RADIO

A "perfect storm" of factors combined in the late 1980s and 1990s to create the multi-billion dollar commercial talk radio industry.

Companies with high-partisan political and social agendas such as Salem Broadcasting began acquiring radio stations. Virtually all programming on these stations adhere to narrow corporate ideology.

Salem Broadcasting's Christian talk station in Minneapolis

Rush Limbaugh's rise to national prominence began in 1988 when he was hosting a local talk show in Sacramento. Limbaugh attracted attention with his vigorous and spirited defense of Oliver North during the Iran-Contra hearings. (North later became a talk show host himself.)

ABC Radio brought Limbaugh to New York City for a one-month on-air "try out" at WABC-AM. ABC took Limbaugh's show into national syndication. Limbaugh then formed his own media company, Excellence in Broadcasting ("the EIB radio network"), in 1990. His program is now represented by Premier Radio Networks, a division of Clear Channel Worldwide, the nation's largest radio company.

In his early years of national distribution, Limbaugh was generally considered to be another in a continuing series of talk radio oddballs. But his influence and credibility caught on with conservative listeners and his message became part of the rising tide of a new generation of conservative Republican politicians.

Limbaugh's national clout was demonstrated in the 1994 mid-term elections. He rallied around candidates supporting Newt Gingrich's "Contract with America" and was credited with helping to elect a Republican majority in the House of Representatives. A group of Republicans held a ceremony in honor of Limbaugh, naming him "an honorary member of Congress" and "the Majority Maker."

As of fall 2003, Limbaugh had an estimated weekly audience of 14,500,000 listeners on about 600 stations.

Around the same time Limbaugh was becoming the nation's most listened-to radio personality, conservative and religious leaders began building national networks and radio stations that broadcast partisan political and social views 24 hours a day, seven day a week.

"The Patriot" Salem Broadcasting's right wing talk station in Minneapolis

The leader in this effort has been Salem Communications Corporation, headquartered in Camarillo, California, a publicly traded company with annual revenue approaching $200,000,000.

Dr. James Dobson hosts Focus on the Family	Salem owns and operates almost 100 radio stations that focus on three primary program formats: 1.) Christian talk and commentary such as James Dobson's "Focus on the Family." 2.) Politically conservative talk shows such as those hosted by Michael Savage and Oliver North. 3.) Contemporary Christian music featuring evangelical messages.
Michael Savage is known for his anti-gay views	Salem also owns the Salem Radio Network which syndicates talk programs hosted by Bill Bennett, Mike Gallagher, Michael Medved and Dennis Prager. In 2004, liberals made their first attempt to compete with companies like Salem with the debut of the "liberal" Air America Network led by comedian and commentator Al Franken.

According to the MIT database, as of May 2004 there are approximately 1,100 commercial talk radio stations in the US. Talker's Magazine reports there are around 4,000 talk show hosts. Arbitron data published by Radio & Records estimates that as of fall 2003 commercial radio news/talk stations had an 11.4 national share.

Despite talk radio's impressive audience and revenue impact, the negative image of the talk show host has changed little from the Joe Pyne era. Extreme and goofy hosts such as Art Bell, Michael Savage and Howard Stern get considerable media attention. Distasteful stunts by New York talk hosts Opie & Anthony and Tampa personality Bubba the Love Sponge have further reinforced the notion that commercial talk radio is a circus sideshow.

Michael Medved hosts a Christian conservative lifestyle program on the Salem Radio Network

Bubba the Love Sponge

Next Chapter