Big Guns Focus on GOP

Talk radio has been under considerable external pressure to change its format; restructuring towards a "kinder, gentler, more diverse and inclusive" radio vibration. If you're a regular listener, the talk radio format realignment has been hard to miss; formerly outspoken radio programs have been tamed to the degree of being almost unrecognizable. The theory of coordinated push-back against the various forces – Progressive and Progressive Marxist alike – working to diminish overall effectiveness of old school, fire and brimstone talk radio is that listeners tap into and follow politically thematic memes and schemes of the big guns, and will rebel against local stations unwilling to reflect the new style and content – aggressively exposing the GOP – through their supplementary talk radio programming. Relative continuity in programing is good for ratings, and good for the radio business; the same is true with music radio formatting. The bottom line is profit; the big guns are the ones making the big bucks, and their format successes trickle down through other programs filling time around the slots when they aren't "on the air."

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and the most predictable when advertising revenue is on the line. Radio stations are having their own struggles, as advertising budget dollars are scaled back by local businesses to reduce operating costs during a continuing wretched economy. If the big guns are going to hit hard with truth about the GOP, talk radio programs orbiting around them need to embrace the message. If not, they will sound ill-informed and irrelevant; a waste of listeners' time if their content does not mirror – in a general sense – truth being revealed by the big guns. Listeners will tend to become dissatisfied, and Arbitron ratings could plummet as demand for better programing amps up. If talk radio stations are going to stay profitable, they'll heed the listeners and copy the big guns: that's where the money is, and they know it. Listeners equal advertising dollars. Glenn Beck discussed his new, more openly critical attitude towards the GOP recently on his radio program. Erica Ritz at The Blaze reported the following:

Glenn Beck on Friday predicted massive changes in talk radio over the coming years, saying that as far as he knows, the titans of the industry have all “had it” with the excuses of the GOP.

The fiery segment was a response to a caller on Beck’s radio program Thursday, who said Beck needs to stop “poisoning the well” for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie because conservatives may have to vote for him in 2016. “Anyone else who feels this way, I want you to listen carefully,” Beck told his audience. “This isn’t the show for you. Let me tell you what we do on this show. We tell the truth as we know it. It’s not our job to make sure the Republicans get elected at just any cost. We will tell you what we truly believe.” © Copyright Sandy Stringfellow/2014