Talk Radio Talks the Same as It Did Before

The New York Times had an article uncovering the shocking - shocking - truth that talk radio shock jocks are happy to keep on wheeling free. This is a surprise? The only reason that CBS knocked off the Imus program is because he went just far enough to flat out enrage a large group of people that went to advertisers. When one pulled out after another, so did the network. But that is no indication of a desire to change a long-standing habit of radio personalities. Ratings have been too good and the ad revenue too high for managers to voluntarily really want to change. Sure the opening paragraph of the story talks about a show host making fun of a manual that managers at a CBS affiliate gave him. But those manuals are legal cover-your-backside tomes to avoid getting sued by listeners. If they really wanted a change, they'd get it - listen for the next host to do something other than what they asked, and then fire the person. Do that once or twice and people get the message. They didn't with Imus because it was such an obvious case of management crumbling under pressure and trying to come out smelling good. And while the advertisers are largely willing to pay, the shows will largely continue in the same vein. Action is the strongest form of language around, and people listen intently to the gentle rain of those slips of green falling from deep pockets.