Conservatives may have talk radio...

Tribune papers ^ | January 7, 2003 | Dennis Prager

[Madcelt]

The New York Times just published one of its most revealing articles in memory: "Outflanked Democrats Wonder How to Catch Up in Media Wars." Apparently, the Democratic Party is gravely concerned that its liberal message is not being heard. And the reason Democrats give is that conservatives dominate talk radio, Fox News, and the editorial pages of The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Times. Because of talk radio, two editorial pages and one cable news channel, liberals just cannot get their message across to Americans. Full disclosure demands that I acknowledge a vested interest here. I have been a radio talk show host for 20 years -- 16 in Los Angeles and the last four in national syndication (through the Salem Radio Network). So I read with a big smile how influential my profession is perceived to be. But all this begs two questions: why is talk radio so powerful, and why is it dominated by conservatives? The first question is particularly fascinating. That Democrats chafe at conservative dominance in talk radio is almost incredible -- because liberals dominate everything else. Liberals dominate television: Aside from some Fox News shows (remember the conservative Sean Hannity is paired with the liberal Alan Colmes), the liberals dominate everything on TV (with the exception of John Stossel's specials on ABC). They dominate CBS, NBC, ABC, MSNBC and CNN news broadcasts, and they dominate all television entertainment.

Liberals dominate the education of our young: The ratio of Democrats to Republicans among liberal arts professors at universities is routinely 20 to one. And the deans, the presidents, the curricula, the speech codes and the campus newspapers are all liberal. Liberals also run the schools of education, the law schools, the high schools and the elementary schools. Liberals dominate Hollywood: Are the Democrats unfamiliar with Barbra Streisand, Sean Penn, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford, Julia Roberts, and almost every other star who speaks out on political issues? Do Democrats not attend movies, which with almost no exception are liberal, if not radical, in their messages? Have you seen any movies recently with a businessman hero?

Any with an affirmation of Judaism or Christianity? Liberals dominate the public airwaves: National Public Radio has been dubbed National Palestinian Radio for good reason. And PBS has just produced and aired what even The New York Times called "an Islamic infomercial" in its special on Islam. Juxtapose that with its skeptical inquiries into the beliefs of Christian or Jewish believers. Liberals dominate the biggest foundations: such as the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations.

Liberals dominate almost every major newspaper both in news coverage and editorial page positions: The Wall Street Journal editorial page is conservative as are the editorial and news pages of The Washington Times. But the liberals have the rest, including The Boston Globe, The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Miami Herald, and the Chicago Tribune. Liberals dominate virtually every professional organization: the American Bar Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Library Association, American Nurses Association, National Education Association, American Political Science Association, the Trial Lawyers Association, and, of course, every big labor union.

Liberals dominate much of organized religion: the mainstream Protestant churches and Reform and Conservative Judaism; while the liberal social message (with the exception of abortion rights) dominates much of the Roman Catholic Church. Liberals dominate activist groups: the feminist, civil rights and civil liberties organizations as well as black, Hispanic, gay and Jewish organizations. But according to Democrats, this domination of virtually all of American public life is not enough to get their message to the American people. Something must be done about the one TV news network, the two editorial pages and the radio shows they do not control. Which raises the question -- why is it that liberals cannot dominate talk radio as they do virtually everything else? I will answer this at length in a subsequent column, but the answer can be easily summarized -- liberals dominate where they cannot be intellectually challenged.

It is effortless for a college professor to spout leftist rhetoric to naive young people who just graduated from high school. Let them have to defend their radical views in public and they wilt. That is why many leftist professors refuse to come on my radio show -- they are unused to intellectual debate. They live with, work among, and relate to, fellow leftists. They almost never have to engage conservative ideas. We in talk radio, on the other hand, immerse ourselves in liberal newspapers, debate liberal guests and take liberal callers. In short, the reason the liberal message is not being heard, despite liberal control of almost all public organs of communication, is that it is incoherent. The message, not a lack of messengers, is the contemporary liberal problem.

[Madcelt]

"---- liberals dominate where they cannot be intellectually challenged. It is effortless for a college professor to spout leftist rhetoric to naive young people who just graduated from high school. Let them have to defend their radical views in public and they wilt."

It was an interesting article.( I dont know if I agree with all of his assertions but it overall is a good analysis.) So I decided to post it,especially after hearing the liberals "whine" about Rush!(again) I look forward to the subsequent column.

[Jean S]

Good article, thanks.

[ladyinred]

liberals just cannot get their message across to Americans.

Except on CNN, NBC,CBS, MSNBC, the entire TV industry, most major newspapers, the movie industry, the school system, etc. etc. etc. How sad for them that their socialist message isn't getting across to America!

[Jhoffa_]

He's right, they do hate Talk Radio.. It's their universal scapegoat for everything under the sun if you hear them tell it.

If they ever return to power, no matter how briefly.. watch for them to try to muzzle or nullify talk radio with the "fairness" doctrine or something similar.

It's not enough for them to own 99% of the media, they are hungry for what's left and they will surely stifle the likes of Rush before they admit their policies & politics are actually the problem.

[Madcelt]

The message, not a lack of messengers, is the contemporary liberal problem.

Pretty much sums it up. But do you think liberals will get the message?

[Rockyrich]

One of the things we hear from Rush and understand ourselves is:
THEY (THE LIBERALS/SOCIALISTS) ARE GETTING THEIR MESSAGE OUT - It's just that more of America isn't buying the socialist scare tactics and anti-American rhetoric that they've sold in the past. It ain't washing any more and they're scared and lost. Thank God!

[thinktwice]

Nothing speaks louder than the truth.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Conservatives monopolizing talk radio is a god-send. Because the liberals control the print and television media, they control a large portion of America's world view. Conservatives, therefore, seek out a different point of view. And, liberals will not be able to take over talk radio, because their viewpoint is filled with bitterness and animosity... it isn't entertaining. To be effective in talk radio, you have to have interesting things to say, to keep people's attention. Talk radio listeners have to LISTEN, not just hear what is said. The same cannot be said for television.

[Plutarch]

...liberals dominate where they cannot be intellectually challenged.

This is quite evident on KPFA, a Leftist radio station from Berkeley. They never take callers, and their dialogue consists of a lefist interviewee and a leftist interviewer. As a result, they do not even register in Arbitron ratings, even in the Left stronghold of the Bay Area.

[Ken H]

The problem the liberals are having is the fact that their message is being heard.

[Madcelt]

I agree. They will try to stifle free speech with a "fairness" doctrine. But they surely must keep in mind that there are "other" groups and opinions that will demand their "time". Lady Justice carries a double edged sword for a reason.(hee hee)

[Slyfox]

Before Rush came along liberals thought radio was inconsequential. They made no effort to do anything until he became successful. Now it's too late. We own talk.

What is marvelous about radio is that it is so dern easy to spot a lie. That is the only reason liberals will never succeed in it.

[Madcelt]

ROFLMAO!! :)

[Rocky]

Great column. Spot on. It's amazing how conservatives have carried the day in so many elections in recent years, considering how dominant liberals are in the media. The truth does manage to work its way out, no matter how tight the controls are. Even in totalitarian societies, people find ways to spread the truth, although they may be powerless to act on it.

The liberals have tried over and over again to get a successful liberal talk show on the radio. They flop every time.

[Madcelt]

Conservatives monopolizing talk radio is a god-send. No monopoly on it. Believe me, I have to wait for 3 hours for Sam Donaldson to get off the air. And that wait is agony! Thats one reason I cant understand their grip.

[GOPJ]

Thanks. Great post.

[Ken H]

A good case can be made that conservatives dominate the internet as well.

And why shouldn't they?

The only thing liberals have to offer the internet is an online version of liberalism.

[Madcelt]

The only thing liberals have to offer the internet is an online version of liberalism.

Those sites eventually fade away, which should tell them something.

[Sans-Culotte]

I always enjouy Dennis Prager's columns, and this one was no exception.

An example of the more subtle, "hidden" network TV bias: my wife was watching the CBS comedy Becker, and Becker (ultra-leftie Ted Danson) was treating a dumb teenager who feared he had a sexually transmitted dissease. The kid never used condoms (this was their "AIDS awareness: episode, BTW), and thought that "if he did get AIDS, they could cure it with one of those cocktails, right". Becker later said only a Republican could've been dumber than that kid, which got a big laugh from the audience/laugh track.

Liberal ideas constantly are slipped into sitcom scripts, and with the exception of Drew Carey (is he even on anymore?), damned few conservative jokes ever get "slipped into" TV scripts.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

My apologies... I couldn't imagine the torture of listening to Donaldson. I listen to Beck and then Rush. Beck is good, but he can go on about religious rants, because he is LDS. So, beware. Who do you listen to if you aren't listening to Donaldson?

[right way right]

"liberals dominate where they cannot be intellectually challenged."

Case in point D.U. (DO NOT GO THERE! JUST DON'T!)

[Madcelt]

Liberal bias??? Surely you jest.

[Madcelt]

Silence.

[T Lady]

The majority of Mr. Prager's assertions are actually correct, notably the assertion of Liberal dominance on college and univerisity campuses. While a (part-time Active Duty Navy) student at Chapman University, I encountered the bias head on. I wrote a term paper on the fallicy of Hate Crimes legislation, and received a B minus for my effort, when I should have gotten a A. This is only because the proffessor did not agree with my viewpoint, which of course was (and still is) the conservative view. This is known to be a common occurance; many youngsters who hail from Republican/conservative households are often browbeaten this way. Talk about intolerance!

Perhaps with the exception of a few reruns on PAX, television is indeed a Liberal fantasy land, where the likes of Kenneth Starr (on an old Law & Order episode) are made out to be sexual busibodies, and Dr. Laura (an intolerant Radio Talk Show host lambasted by the 'President'-Josiah Bartlett) trashed on The West Wing. Michael Medved aired clips from that episode on his show. Fair and balanced...oh yeah.

I could go on, but I'll just cut right to the chase: Leftist Liberals want nothing more than TOTAL dominance, controlling everything they get their grubby mitts on.

...And of course, unlike Talk Radio, there are no 'Feedback' or 'E-Mail' Mr. Rather, Mr. Brokaw or Mr. Jennings buttons on any of the major network websites-at least none that I've seen.

-Regards, T.

[Reagan is King]

Great article. Thanks!

[Madcelt]

I turn the radio off. The donaldson types come on at the same time. So the silence is preferable.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Good for you. No sense in filling your brain with their liberal nonsense. Unless you enjoy screaming at the radio! Ha!

[Clint N. Suhks]

I dont know if I agree with all of his assertions

Oh?

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

The message, not a lack of messengers, is the contemporary liberal problem.

That's exactly right. Liberls bring a message of "do what we tell you, because you are incompetent and we know what is best for you... or else." It's a message of belittling and hate disguised as compassion. Their compassion for people is the same as it is for dogs (believe that neither can think for themselves).

[DakotaGator]

Apparently, the Democratic Party is gravely concerned that its liberal message is not being heard.

When liberals complain about something they are lying. After all, their lips are moving. They never tell the truth! But their lies are informative.

What liberal lies tell us is always one of two things; the exact opposite of their statement, or, projection of what they would do in the same situation.

This is one of the "opposite" cases. They are not worried about the liberal message being heard. They are scared spitless that the Conservative message is being heard!

[Madcelt]

I mean I've seen some really conservative religious "leaders". I don't think liberals dominate all religious organizations "completely". If they did they would love Billy Graham and his son Franklin.

[Madcelt]

And it worries them as it should.

[Clint N. Suhks]

I don't think liberals dominate all religious organizations "completely".

”Liberals dominate much of organized religion”

[Tax Government]

Free Speech trumps the Fairness Doctrine.

[Madcelt]

Night all. Got to be at work in a few hours. T lady - Give'em hell!

[Madcelt]

True. Very true. Night, will try to get back soon.

[lewislynn]

People had no idea what they were getting into but obviously liked what they heard after they were forced to turn to talk radio because music radio is so sh!tty.

[goodnesswins]

Want a liberal to STOP talking....tell them you listen to Rush. It's ended "friendships" in my life. Or shall I say, it's clarified who were and were not my friends.

[doug from upland]

Bravo, Dennis. I haven't called Dennis in probably a year. During the Clinton years he dubbed me his most frequent caller. Dennis is absolutely brilliant when he debates those on the left.

[T Lady]

You said a mouthful! Especially with the Top 40 stations; they replay certain songs every hour on the hour.

It's enough to give you a major-league headache. Just like listening to a Liberal whine for three hours. Sheesh!!!!

-Regards, T.

[T Lady]

I can definitely relate to that. I nearly ended fellowship with a Liberal friend of mine at church over the issues of Reparations and being Black and conservative.

...Truth is like krytonite to a Lefty.

-Regards, T.

[Tamzee]

Yep, the bias I detest the most is what you see on campuses. And I am petrified personally!! I am taking online classes from Penn State working toward a higher degree and one of the required classes is called "The Mass Media and Society"... I start it this week :( I checked it out with someone who already took it, the Professor is not only an intellectual snob, but he is extremely liberal... or is that redundant?? LOL Plus, I find that one of the required materials is a 12 week subscription to the "New York Times" as the world's "newspaper of record" as he calls it....

I am scared to death! Here we are going to be using the NYT to discuss how newspapers effect public opinion and if I breathe a word of how I feel I lose the 4.0 GPA I've maintained for years...

Help, anyone??
Tammy

[T Lady]

I rest my case.

...My heart goes out to you, especially having to actually PAY for the SLIMES-even for twelve weeks.

Hopefully the Prof will go easy on you. I'll keep you in my prayers.

-Regards, T.

[Spirited]

"The problem the liberals are having is the fact that their message is being heard."

Yes, and a great deal of the message that is coming through at last is contained in the fine appendage which friend "Madcelt" uses, "A liberal is a man who will give away everything he doesn't own."

Perhaps after all this time the so-called "little guy" can understand that it is what he earns that is at risk if he and his wife can both work and put together as much as an income of $90,000 a year. According to tax happy Demopublicans that dumps him into the "rich" column and makes him live prey.

If we didn't have all the hidden taxes the nation would revolt.

[Savage Beast]

The Democrat Party's "Liberal" message has been heard. That's the problem.

[sweetliberty]

"Apparently, the Democratic Party is gravely concerned that its liberal message is not being heard"

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!! Hey morons! Your message is being heard loud and clear. Did you ever think that maybe AMERICANS don't like your message? Did you ever think that maybe we're sick of all your lies. Did you consider the possibility that we don't want to slaves of socialism under the wicked witch of Chappaqua?? Instead of taking all that campaign money and dumping it into sleazy, lying ads to "get your worthless message out" why don't you buy yourselves a clue? A one way ticket to the marxist paradise of your choice would be a good idea too! You people have become a cancer and a curse upon this country.

[sweetliberty]

They aren't mad because their message isn't being heard. They are mad because ours IS.

[Clint N. Suhks]

Great post BTW, Thanks.

[sweetliberty]

I am reminded of the scripture that says "the light came into the world and men preferred the darkness because their deeds were evil." The liberal "message" is dependent on darkness...the darkness of lies and deception and ignorance, and though darkness may cover all the land, all it takes to dispel darkness is the light of a single flame. That is why they hate Rush and Fox and the editorial pages. That is why they hate Free Republic. We are flames of light and those who seek truth are drawn to it, abandoning the darkness and those who dwell in it.

[Clint N. Suhks]

Dennis is absolutely brilliant when he debates those on the left.

I’ve never heard him but we have so very few conservatives that can keep up with the Forehead, Serpenthead, Estridge, et al, and their demoguogery. The Great one, Walter E. Williams, Bill Bennett, Ann Coulter are the very few that can. I love Rush but he, Sean, G. Gordon are not really in the same league. IMHO

Tucker Carlson is an absolute embarrassment.