Talk Radio, Rush Limbaugh, President Bush, VP Dick Cheney

STILL MAKING WAVES

Immigration Firestorm Underscores Talk's Importance





When it comes to the medium's continuing national relevance, why can't talk radio's corporate owners grasp what listeners, hosts, newspaper reporters (!!) and even President Bush have long understood?

During this month's firestorm over illegal immigration, talk radio has been front and center during key moments, generating headline coverage across the nation.

In particular, Rush Limbaugh's unease with Bush on the issue was itself considered a major story. In the past, how often have they been at odds? As the week progressed, Rush saved his harshest words for Republican senators, especially John McCain (R-AZ).

Worried that conservative hosts weren't going along with his border/ amnesty proposal, Bush even dispatched Vice President Cheney to get on the phone with major hosts, especially Limbaugh.


In my latest Inside Radio column, published today (click here for the archives), we examine how talk radio manages to succeed despite gross corporate mismanagement. After all these years, many upper- level suits have yet to understand what makes the medium important.

So that talk radio can continue to grow, what will it take to finally change this environment?

Previously, we also looked at the blogosphere's role in the immigration debate, here.


ELSEWHERE: it's a blogospheric transcription war! Right vs. left duke it out over a Michelle Malkin appearance on the FOX News Channel. See it at Musing Minds.

At HuffPo, a sleazy attack against Malkin and others.

Wow! The ultra-lefty Seattle Weekly rips our HuffPo friends.

Double Wow! Legendary Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry and son Otis are increasingly becoming involved in Conservative Party issues and causes, including the anti- hunting ban Countryside Alliance, reports the Telegraph.

Do you carry a MBNA credit card? Watch out.

How to circumvent big- spending Republicans.

Olbermann's at it again.

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Bryan and Otis Ferry: Andrew Crowley for the Telegraph