Thu, Nov 13, 2008 10:46am ET

Send to a friend Print Version

Radioactive smears: Local conservative radio contributes to the echo chamber of conservative talking points and falsehoods

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REPORT

CLICK HERE FOR AN EARLIER REPORT

CLICK HERE FOR AN AUDIO MONTAGE OF RIGHT-WING RADIO

Washington, D.C. - Media Matters for America released a report today documenting the conservative echo chamber spreading myths and falsehoods across a vast network of local and regional radio hosts. These lesser-known syndicated and regional radio hosts are a fertile source of conservative misinformation, hate speech, and offensive salvos. Last week, Media Matters released a report focusing on conservative misinformation on right-wing radio related to the 2008 presidential campaign.

While the mainstream media have paid considerable attention to nationally syndicated radio hosts Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, little has been said about the extensive scope of local and regional radio personalities.

"Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck began as little-known local radio personalities before gaining national notoriety," said Media Matters' National Press Secretary J. Jioni Palmer. "The next star of conservative radio might already be on a station near you."

From unbridled attacks on immigrants, the poor, and people of color to disparaging remarks about women and the LGBT community, many talk radio hosts make incendiary comments that often garner little notice.

"Many of these hosts spew hate and misinformation daily," said Palmer. "Hate speech is abhorrent in newspapers and on TV, and it is no less abhorrent on talk radio."

Among some of the more notable examples:

  • Minneapolis radio hosts Chris Baker and Langdon Perry agreeing that "Magic [Johnson] faked AIDS."
  • Pittsburgh's Jim Quinn calling NOW the "National Organization for Whores."
  • Atlanta's Neal Boortz called Katrina victims in New Orleans "basically a parasite class totally dependent on government for their existence."

Despite conservative cries of the "liberal bias" in the media, a 2007 Center for American Progress and Free Press "analysis of all of the news/talk stations in the top 10 radio markets" found that "76 percent of the programming in these markets is conservative and 24 percent is progressive, although programming is more balanced in markets such as New York and Chicago."

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL REPORT

CLICK HERE FOR AN EARLIER REPORT

CLICK HERE FOR AN AUDIO MONTAGE OF RIGHT-WING RADIO

###

Comments (1) - Join the Discussion

Media Matters uses a taxonomy structure to help readers find information on various subjects. You can view all items by issue (the broadest category), view an issue's subissue, and even drill down to a particular topic. You can also look at items according to the related media personality, show/publication and network/publisher.

Social bookmarking sites allow you to save links to interesting items and share them with other users. Some, like Digg.com, also allow you to discuss these items and promote them to wider audiences by "digging" the ones that you like. To start using these services, simply register with the site in question.