Posted on 09/17/2006 2:07:58 PM PDT by DuxFan4ever
In 2001, ABC Radio Networks gave its brash, young WABC/New York afternoon host a shot at the brass ring by launching him into national syndication. Sean Hannity grabbed that ring and a few more over the next five years. Today, he’s heard by millions on more than 420 radio stations nationwide. n It came as no surprise to industry observers that Hannity was called up to radio’s big leagues. At WABC, he racked up stellar ratings for the ABC Radio news/talker since 1997 while also gaining national attention from his nightly role as co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Hannity & Colmes,” and from frequent fill-in stints for Rush Limbaugh.
In short, the unabashed conservative with boyish good looks and Irish charm seemed primed to take on the challenge of anchoring a daily national talk radio show. Little did Hannity or ABC realize at the time how a history-changing event would shape the future of the show and its host when the network debuted “The Sean Hannity Show” on Sept. 10, 2001.
I recently caught up with the seemingly always-on-the-run Hannity to talk about how his show, his life, the country and our world have changed since he first began hosting his syndicated program five years ago.
R&R: Are you surprised it’s been five years already? SH: I personally cannot believe this period of time has gone by as quickly as it has. In many ways it seems like yesterday that it all began. It has been the greatest time of my life, and I can say honestly that I love what I am doing more than ever. I’m fortunate to be doing a job every single day that I love, and I try hard never to forget that. It never becomes routine to me.
R&R: How do you think you and the show have changed in the past five years? SH: I’d hope that we’re a little smarter, a little more mature and a little bit better than when we started, but those are really little changes. The biggest change came on our second day in syndication—Sept. 11, 2001—because our world, what we do and what we talk about all changed that day. In late summer of 2001 the big story was Gary Condit and the Chandra Levy incident. Sort of seems superfluous when you look back at it now, doesn’t it?
Since the show launched in 2001, we’ve gone through war and all the politics that surround that, Katrina, the 2004 elections, the Terry Schiavo case, immigration and so much more. It’s been an unprecedented news cycle. We’re living in really transformative and consequential times, and from that sense, there is nothing I would rather do than be on the radio every day talking to people about the events and issues that impact our lives.
Another big change has been access to information. When I started out at WVNN in Huntsville, Ala., my only sources of information were the local newspaper and all the magazines I could read. Looking back, I don’t know how it was even possible to do a talk show. Today, I spend hours every night and each morning going through every imaginable Web site and reading every obscure newspaper looking for stories that listeners will relate to. I firmly believe that in the age of the Internet a host should never have a slow news day.
R&R: How have you managed to avoid the pitfall of losing your local success in the transition to national host? SH: I didn’t really change the show at all when we went nationwide. I was already doing a show that was more focused on national issues to begin with because that’s where my natural area of interest lies. I’ve always talked about national politics and issues, so I don’t think listeners in New York are hearing a show that’s really any different than what they were used to.
R&R: You frequently credit ABC Radio VP of news and talk Phil Boyce for some of the success you and the show have experienced. What kind of a role has he played? SH: I have always had the good fortune in my career to work for people who believed in me and supported me. It was Phil who really wanted to syndicate the show more than I did. I didn’t really have a great desire to do it at the time, but Phil had a vision and he believed in the program. He overcame my own fears and doubts about syndicating it, and he has been a rock-solid supporter since day one. I really give him as much credit for the success of the show as anything we’ve done.
R&R: How do you respond to critics that say you and other conservative talk hosts simply parrot so-called Republican talking points? SH: I’d say people who would make that assertion haven’t listened to the show. I don’t do my show for critics, program directors or anyone except the audience. The reason I think I’ve been able to connect with and build an audience is because they know I am going to be honest with them and true to what I believe.
I don’t consider myself a Republican. I’m a Reagan-type conservative. Did I want George W. Bush to win the last election? Absolutely. Do I think he was the right man for the job? Definitely. Am I proud I voted for him? I think he’s had a backbone of steel, and he’s never wavered on the most important issue of our time, and I’m proud I voted for him.
With that said, I have been openly critical—even more harsh on Republicans than Democrats—on issues like immigration, spending, the growth of government, the Dubai ports deal, Harriet Miers and other issues where I’ve found myself having an honest, intellectual disagreement. Frankly, I think the biggest vulnerability to Republicans today is that too many have abandoned their Reagan-conservative principles.
R&R: Whenever there’s a lull in ratings for news/talk, pundits are quick to suggest that listeners are tired of political talk. I take it you’d disagree? SH: What’s always amazed me is that there are people in this business that don’t really understand what our business is. Our business is the news and talking about the news. If the news just happens to be in a slower cycle, then the format may not have the highs it gets during an intense election year or a major crisis. There is always a natural ebb and flow to news/talk’s ratings.
Sure, after five years on a war footing in this country, I think there is probably some day-to-day fatigue by listeners on the issues surrounding that, but there will be other events—probably sooner than later—that will capture the entire nation’s attention and news/talk’s ratings will reflect that. I think, for example, we are heading into the Super Bowl of all elections in 2008. It will be an election where who we elect will probably be more important than at almost any other time in our lives.
R&R: Are you optimistic about talk radio’s future? SH: I am more optimistic about this format’s future than ever. I think we can say that phase one of talk radio’s success is what we would all call the Rush revolution—the period from about 1988 when he went on the air until now—when Rush, rightfully so, is credited with saving AM radio.
I think we can probably also say that phase two is beginning right now as talk begins to replace music on the FM band with many different forms of personality radio. I really think the format is headed for another major growth spurt, and the future of personality talk radio looks very bright to me.
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Kind of like the WWF or all those folks who keep the National Enquirer in business.
No problem Alec. Say hello to the rest of the Baldwin clan for me.
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I'd like to see someone get through and ask cubby something about the Morales government or how he thinks we should handle the tri-border region's problems or the PRC/Noranda issue or how World Bank environmental policies effectively shut middle-tier economies out of the process and cause them to cancel or downsize projects needed to grow or any one of a hundred issues that impact us a hell of a lot more than some poor murdered girl in the Caribbean.
Hannity plays to the room temperature IQs in the country. If you're impressed I'm sorry.
Not at all. Your attempts to sound well read and intellectually superior are what I'm used to hearing from the Dems as they proclaim their membership in the mensa club.
Personally I don't care and I doubt Hannity much cares that many people on hear think they should have his spot because they are smarter than him. I don't get into resume/my diploma-is-bigger-than-yours on the internet because frankly, no one gives a rats butt. You may have your opinion of Hannity and those who like him, it doesn't mean you are right.
It's the WWE now.
Obviously you haven't listened to the show lately. Sean only uses, "You're a great American" when someone says it to him. And no, if you don't like Sean Hannity, then it doesn't make you a lesser American. BTW, that phrase wasn't started by Hannity, but by Greg from Cincinnati.
I disagree with your assessments that he is a blow-hard, and like Mort Downey.
It's a shared core value system that makes his show so successful, which is why Air America tanked...no core values.
Bwahahahaha!
Bwahahaha! I was going to make a similar comment, but use "NASCAR" instead.
No substance? No originality? No charisma? You really do have a appropo name...Lunatic Fringe. The numbers don't lie for both his show and the Freedom Concerts. But thanks for the laugh.
Great pic! That concert was fantastic!
Howard and Oprah are entertainers. O'Reilly, Hannity, Levin, Gallegher, Elder, etc are pundits.
You got that right! And thanks for giving me the intel on where they get their kool-aid. Now, let's get the coordinates and smoke that thing! Can you imagine anyone thinking that Garofalo could win any argument? Well, it made for a great laugh!
Thank you for your service! You are a great American!
Numbers mean nothing. Stern pulled in 20 million listeners at his peak in terrestrial radio, and he had no substance, originality, or charisma. OK, maybe a little originality. All Hannity has going for him is that on most stations he's squeezed in between Rush and some other decent host. In the afternoons, I only flip over to WBAP to get Dallas traffic.
And judging from the other posts, I'm not alone in thinking of Hannity as a no-talent, former construction worker hack!
What are you keeping in business?
When? A Baldwin got something right? Maybe Billy, but his brother...not a chance.
Seriously, this is FR. There are thousands of posters on here who think every GOP politician not named Tancredo is a RINO. That there are many envious Freepers on here who trash Hannity is no surprise.
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Most folks I know who are interested in global politics and how they impact on the world we are leaving for our children could talk easily about the issues I mentioned, and much more. Hannity couldn't and you seem to think that even mentioning them means that I'm posturing as intellectually superior.
Thank you for making my point about his core audience.
Weren't you the one that made the case for the WWF? I guess you and your WWF fan friends are the ones bashing Hannity, while his employers give him a raise based on numbers AND feedback. Someone in power saw talent and put him on the air, and it wasn't to be a filler. But there is a big question. If you don't like him so much, why are you wasting your time posting on someone you dislike so much? Why don't you find another thread and be more "productive", hmmm?
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