Lexington Books
Pages: 284
•
Trim: 6½ x 9½
978-0-7391-2639-4 • Hardback • June 2010 • $126.00 • (£97.00)
978-0-7391-2640-0 • Paperback • May 2010 • $53.99 • (£42.00)
978-1-4616-3465-2 • eBook • May 2010 • $51.00 • (£39.00)
Randy Bobbitt is assistant professor in the department of communication arts at the University of West Florida and author of Lottery Wars: Case Studies in Bible Belt Politics, 1986-2005.
Chapter 1. Hot Air
Chapter 2. The Audience: Who Listens and Why
Chapter 3. The Sponsors: Who Advertises and Why
Chapter 4. The Conservatives
Chapter 5. The Progressives
Chapter 6. The Libertarians
Chapter 7. The Women
Chapter 8. The Haters and the Shockers
Chapter 9. The Locals
Chapter 10. In Theory: Talk Radio and American Politics
Chapter 11. In Practice: Talk Radio and the 2008 Presidential Election
Chapter 12 Epilogue.Talk Radio, the First Amendment, and the Fairness Doctrine
If you are interested in talk radio, this is the book to buy. It covers the personalities, the issues, the political impact, and the audience in a well researched, easy to read manner.
— Lloyd Rohler, UNC-Wilmington
Bobbitt (Univ. of West Florida) treats an important phenomenon that has received little objective examination....The book's main strength is the breadth...of its treatment. Bobbitt includes chapter-length treatments of talk radio audiences, sponsors, commentators (Right and Left), women, local talk radio programming, 'shock' hosts, and the role of talk radio in the 2008 presidential election....Recommended.
— Choice Reviews
Us Against Them: The Political Culture of Talk Radio by Randy Bobbit examines the phenomenon of talk radio and the role that it plays in the American political process as well as popular culture. Among the central questions addressed is why people listen to political talk instead of music….After relating the history of talk radio as well as where the format stands today in terms of audience demographics and advertiser support, Bobbit examines how talk radio may have impacted political campaigns from the 1950s through 2006 midterm election.
— Communication Booknotes Quarterly