Comments on: The unfairness of talk radio http://interjunction.org/article/the-unfairness-of-talk-radio/ media meets academia: site on media-related issues: journalism, media ethics, history and responsibilities, media effects and globalisation, and journalism education Tue, 06 Jul 2010 06:41:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Ajay Vishwanathan http://interjunction.org/article/the-unfairness-of-talk-radio/#comment-2734 Ajay Vishwanathan Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:47:01 +0000 http://interjunction.org/article/the-unfairness-of-talk-radio/#comment-2734 Wonderful article! Listening to some of the inane comments made on radio (the other day, someone commented that the only way a Muslim can cease to be one is when he is dead or killed! He was referring to Obama!) , I have often pondered over its impact on the listening minds but you have so beautifully translated your thoughts. One of my friends recently remarked, "I dislike Limbaugh but love listening to his rant." I wonder how much Limbaugh's negative energy unconsciously impacts his mind. I liked that you summed up our attitude in one crisp statement: "We perhaps discount it as an enterprise of the fringe." Wonderful article! Listening to some of the inane comments made on radio (the other day,
someone commented that the only way a Muslim can cease to be one is when he
is dead or killed! He was referring to Obama!) , I have often pondered over its impact on the listening minds but you have so beautifully translated your thoughts.

One of my friends recently remarked, “I dislike Limbaugh but love listening
to his rant.” I wonder how much Limbaugh’s negative energy unconsciously
impacts his mind.

I liked that you summed up our attitude in one crisp
statement: “We perhaps discount it as an enterprise of the fringe.”

]]> By: Murali http://interjunction.org/article/the-unfairness-of-talk-radio/#comment-2732 Murali Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:07:13 +0000 http://interjunction.org/article/the-unfairness-of-talk-radio/#comment-2732 Your thought-provoking piece highlights an important issue. While I agree that virulent talk radio has poisoned the national discourse, I am not so sure that the mainstream media should act as a watchdog. Journalists have a code of ethics and they operate at a different level. As you correctly note, these talking heads are not bona fide journalists. They are entertainers or "infotainers" and their medium should be regarded in the same way as the blogosphere. You are right that the court of public opinion is where we should challenge them. I think many blogs and webzines, as we saw during the recent election, have been trying (often successfully) to blunt the pernicious influence of talk radio. More needs to be done, and your cogent essay tells us why. Your thought-provoking piece highlights an important issue.

While I agree that virulent talk radio has poisoned the national discourse, I am not so sure that the mainstream media should act as a watchdog. Journalists have a code of ethics and they operate at a different level. As you correctly note, these talking heads are not bona fide journalists. They are entertainers or “infotainers” and their medium should be regarded in the same way as the blogosphere.

You are right that the court of public opinion is where we should challenge them. I think many blogs and webzines, as we saw during the recent election, have been trying (often successfully) to blunt the pernicious influence of talk radio. More needs to be done, and your cogent essay tells us why.

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