2013 Talk Radio Breakthrough: Actual Conversation

Holland Cooke Media

2013 Talk Radio Breakthrough:
Actual Conversation?

Admittedly, it’s an optimistic prediction; but you’ve seen the numbers. The prevailing Talk Radio narrative is waning, so a new approach seems inevitable.

And this isn’t just holiday-season sentimentality talkin.’ Even before last week’s carnage in Connecticut, “enough is enough” seemed to be the snowballing sentiment of vox populi. People have had-it-up-to-here with political posturing. As those Exxon Mobil education TV spots end: “Let’s solve this.”

Consider two contrasting tones:

Mike Gallagher authored a new book this year, the-title-of-which captures Talk Radio’s caricature: “50 Things Liberals Love to Hate.” Yet-another signal that we’re only-about-politics, indeed SEEKING discord.
Affiliate marketing for Dial-Global moderate Michael Smerconish offers that “Angry is over. Win men the better way.” Not unlike the way Cumulus positions its Mike Huckabee: “Conversation, not confrontation.”

If you’re my Facebook friend, you probably chuckle-along as I swat-back-at the cavalcade of conservative talking point clichés two of my sisters take turns hurling at me there. On my Wall, every day is Thanksgiving dinner.

Just before we voted, Sarah Jane articulated why Talk Radio business-as-usual yields eroding low-single-digit shares. She wrote: “You can’t convince me that Obama was qualified for a first term, let-alone a second one!” My reply:

Of course I can’t! And why must I? Can't I show you the respect of not-trying-to?

Why, lately, in just-these-last-dozen-years, has the presumed purpose-of-dialogue become one-person-convincing-the-other? Isn't dialogue itself an opportunity? Why are we better-off without curiosity...and...listening?

As for what “qualifies” someone to be elected: It's whomever gets the most votes. Each voter (who bothers), as an individual, reckons which nominee would be the better hire. That individual decision can benefit from thoughtful dialogue.

There's one television channel in North Korea. We should celebrate having many more here. Watch whichever one you want. But you'll be better-informed watching more than one.

The-more-informed your vote decisions, the better. 'Doesn't mean your choice will always win. But you did what you could. As the late, great U.S. Rep. Mo Udall (R-AZ) quipped when voted-out: “The people have spoken...the bastards.”

And where is the logic in presuming that someone-who-disagrees-with-you is wrong? Or that one-of-you must be wrong? Be curious about the possibility that you might just...feel-differently.

Glass-half-full: Even before iTunes, Pandora, et al disrupted music radio, Talk Radio’s model was inherently more-advantaged...and not just because we can play more commercials than a music station should. At our best, we’re two-way radio…what we used to call “chat” on the Internet. Dialogue, inherently more-engaging than monologue.

Glass-half-empty: Enabled by social media, and toting devices with-which radio now shares attention, people no longer need Talk Radio to talk to each other.

Tip: Announce the phone number slower, and more-often.

[MORE 2012 Radio Year-in-Review & 2013 Forecast]

[OR would you rather see a magic trick?]