Us against Them The Political Culture of Talk Radio

Why do people choose to listen to political talk instead of music on the radio? Do they listen to get objective information on both sides of political issues in order to help them make their own voting decisions, or do they seek out the hosts and content that simply validate their own beliefs? In Us against Them: The Political Culture of Talk Radio, Randy Bobbitt addresses these and other crucial questions as he closely examines the phenomenon of talk radio and the role that it plays in the American political process and popular culture. After considering the history of talk radio, as well as where the industry stands today in terms of audience demographics and advertiser support, Babbitt takes a theoretical look at how talk radio may or may not have impacted political issues and campaigns from the 1950s through the 2006 midterm election, as well as the real impact of talk radio on the 2008 presidential campaign. In the end, Bobbitt raises questions about the future of political talk radio in light of the newest threat to the First Amendment: the possible return of the Fairness Doctrine, a twentieth-century law that once required broadcasters to provide politically balanced programming. Lucid and thought provoking, Us against Them provides important insights into the world of talk radio. Book jacket.

Randy Bobbitt is assistant professor in the department of communication arts at the University of West Florida and author of Lottery Wars: Case Studies in Bible Belt Politics, 1986-2005.