Actual photo of Larson doing research in 1957.
LARSON BLOG

Thursday, June 28, 2007

IT MAKES ME WANT TO BARF...

...the way that my friends in talk radio often go too far and trip all over themselves, trying to take full credit for things. The latest: The demise (thank God) of the ill-advised immigration bill in the Senate. Yes, talk radio played a role. But it didn't swing the whole thing. No one media person caused Senators to come to their senses. The American people are smart enough to learn what's right and wrong and do the correct thing, lobbying elected officials (much to the irritation of those bureaucrats) without being "told" what to do. But there's too much broadcast stunting, too much "I did this" stuff spewing from normally reasonable personalities. And some have gone from leading a prinicipled discussion to sounding like borderline racists. Still, many have done a fine job and informed their listeners so they could influence politicians. But an increasing number of fellow radio hosts care only about their own PR and have reached a new level of chest-thumping.... and a new low. Such antics only empower politicos who will use this behavior as an excuse to try to clamp down on free speech through a return to the "fairness doctrine". That's the next battle: the attempt of the left to curb free speech... and talk radio may have complicated things by too often going beyond what was necessary into a "all about me" mode. If there's one thing that makes me sick about radio is the current crop of hosts who don't really care about core issues. They only care about ratings and personal promotion and will adjust their "beliefs" anytime. Here's to people who stick to what they really believe.