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of Talk Radio 2003-04 Edition
TALKERS
presents year-end review at Heritage Foundation
13
top personalities cram a year’s worth of opinions into a power-packed
90 minutes under the watchful gaze of C-SPAN
Photos by Charles Geer.
For a complete video transcription of the panel please click here.
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It was the second of 2002’s twice-yearly Heritage Forums presented by TALKERS magazine as an industry tradition at The Heritage Foundation. Some 13 media personalities gathered on Monday December 16 to discuss their takes on the hottest issues of the year just ending. They included (in alphabetical order): Jim Bohannon of Westwood One; Shmuley Boteach of Talk America Radio Network; Chris Core of WMAL, Washington, DC; Blanquita Cullum of Radio America; John Hulsman of The Heritage Foundation; Jason Jarvis of Jarvis Productions; Victoria Jones of Talk Radio News Service; Carole Marks of Focus Communications; Janet Parshall of Salem Radio Network; Michael Smerconish of WPHT, Philadelphia; Doug Stephan of Stephan Productions; and Phil Valentine of WLAC, Nashville. Michael Harrison of TALKERS magazine served as moderator.
Since the most talked about topic of the past year on issues-oriented talk radio stations according to TALKERS magazine’s research was the Iraq question, it was fitting the day’s discussion began with that and the related Middle East turmoil.
The colorful
Shmuley Boteach. Boteach is an orthodox rabbi and
internationally famous
author who is nationally syndicated by Talk America Radio Network.
He also co-hosts a unique bi-racial morning show at urban talker WWRL,
New York.
Shmuley Boteach sparked the debate when he stated that it’s not America’s support of Israel as a state that fuels the anti-America and anti-Israel sentiments in the Arab world . “It’s just the opposite. I think it’s that Israel is a thriving democracy in the mold of the United States that is such a challenge to the Arab states that surround it and that makes them look very bad. It’s easy to dismiss the entire Middle East as a region of dictatorial regimes immune to the osmosis of democracy except for Israel.”
Panelists
Phil Valentine (l) of WLAC, Nashville and Janet Parshall (r) of
Salem Radio Networks address the hottest talk radio topics of 2002 at
The Heritage Foundation.
Janet Parshall says she and her callers have spent considerable time on her program in the post-9/11 world discussing the question of whether Islam is indeed a peaceful religion. “If somebody bombs an abortion clinic in the name of Christianity, we would decry that and say that’s a gross misrepresentation. My question to the Muslim community is where is the outcry of people saying that these people who commit these violent crimes do not represent us?”
Homeland security and civil liberties became a major part
of the talk radio landscape during 2002. Michael Smerconish told the audience
that, when possible, he focused on local angles to the bigger terrorism
story. He cited a story in the Philly area that revolved around two men
who were arrested for taking photos of some oil refineries near Philadelphia
and originally suspected of being potential terrorists. They were were
later found to be harmless industrial photographers, “The issue
became, was that an overreach on the part of law enforcement or was that
good police work? Anytime you have a great local angle to a matter of
national significance, that’s a winner,” said Smerconish.
Phil Valentine said that in the Nashville area, his listeners have become
concerned about privacy and civil liberty issues related to the war on
terrorism over the past 12 months. He stated, “This latest debacle
coming out of the Pentagon checking what people are buying or renting
because they need to know, many believe is wrong. Some of my colleagues
have said, 'These companies know all about you anyway so what’s
the big deal?’ My answer is that they don’t have guns, the
government does.”
Michael Smerconish
of WPHT, Philadelphia and Doug Stephan
of “Good Day” and “The Talk Radio Countdown Show.”
Trusting the government to fight terrorism effectively is a topic that hosts and callers have batted around most of the year. Jason Jarvis said instances of incompetence make it hard for him to put a lot of trust in the CIA and the FBI: “For the CIA not to tell the FBI that two suspected Malaysian terrorists they’ve been tracking have entered the country is criminal. And criticism of that is warranted.”
Jim Bohannon
of Westwood One, discusses the suspension
of every-day "rights" in the current war-time climate.
Because of all of this discussion on talk radio and on news/talk television, people have become misguided as to what is a 'right,’ according to Jim Bohannon. “We have a number of things that are privileges or conveniences but are not rights. For example, we do not have a right to quickly board an airplane. Our rights have been fairly well defined. We have a lot of privileges and conveniences and right now that’s what’s getting stepped on.”
Chris Core
of WMAL, tells the forum that specialization isn't necessary,
but rather staying ahead of the audience is key.
Over the past year, talk hosts have delved into areas of law, foreign policy, military strategy and civil liberties deeper than most ever have. So, to what degree and how quickly do hosts need to become experts? Chris Core says, “I don’t have to know that much more than the audience. I only have to know a little more. I’m not an expert on anything but I read a lot and try to get that far ahead of the audience.”
Heritage Foundation research fellow John Hulsman made an interesting point when he noted, “Republicans and conservatives have a fascination with smaller government yet they are willing to create another government agency in the Office of Homeland Security. This is an interesting irony facing the current administration.”
Jason Jarvis
of Jarvis Productions (l), Carole Marks (c - speaking) of “A Touch
of Grey”
and Victoria Jones (r) of Talk Radio News Service provide their takes
on the issues.
Ms. Marks says it’s unfortunate that the war on terrorism is taking
so much of the
media’s attention away from domestic issues, especially those concerning
seniors.
Ms. Jones says that the war on terrorism is causing people in this country
to be
treated differently by the authorities and by their neighbors. As a naturalized
U.S. citizen,
she says she knows first hand how such citizens are being treated in this
new climate
precipitated by the war on terrorism.
Iraq, homeland security and civil liberties dominated much of the discussion on talk radio during 2002 and a good deal of the Heritage Forum was also spent on those topics. But, domestic politics also got this group of talk hosts fired up.
Al Gore’s recent exposure in the media, capped off by his appearance on the Sunday television talk shows where he announced he probably would not run in 2004, ignited the panel.
Phil Valentine, who broadcasts from Al Gore’s home
state of Tennessee said, “Al Gore came home to Tennessee after losing
the election and talked about mending fences. He then went out and bought
a million dollar home in one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Nashville.
His message doesn’t ring true with the people and that’s part
of the reason he lost his home state in the election.”
Doug Stephan suggests the failure of the Democratic Party in fielding
presidential candidates may have something to do with geography. “If
you look at who’s left, you have Joe Lieberman, John Kerry and Howard
Dean -Êall Northeasterners. The electorate hasn’t been kind
to them lately and maybe the Democrats need to look to other parts of
the country for their candidates considering where the last Presidents
have come from.”
The panel discussed the interesting nature of the Washington, DC area sniper case as it pertained to talk radio across the nation and to the regional hosts present. Popular culture news was mentioned in passing because the hosts were eager to explore the top hard news stories of the year. Shmuley Boteach made an interesting correlation when he pointed out that a number of the foreign countries from which America receives so much criticism seem to enjoy our worst aspects such as reality TV and scantily-clad pop musicians yet they assault our drive to defend democracy and capitalism across the globe, traits Boteach believes are our strong points.
The gallery and the viewers of C-SPAN were treated to a fascinating look back at the year in issues-oriented talk radio as can only be described by those who helped make it what it was - the talk show hosts. TALKERS magazine and The Heritage Foundation are looking forward to the next forums slated for 2003!
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