Toxic Talk: How the Radical Right Has Poisoned America’s Airwaves
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- ISBN13: 9780312606299
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Product Description
A timely cannon blast at the right-wing media machine and how it subverts the principles of democratic representation Talk radio has done an end run around the voting populace. With Rush Limbaugh now the unofficial leader of the Republican Party and the far right controlling the five major syndicates, conservatives have a disproportionate voice in the mediumeven in liberal cities such as New York, Boston, and San Francisco. Writing with his characteristic and sharp wit, Bill Press exposes the destructive power of Rush, Glenn Beck, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Bill O’Reilly, and the additional polarizing facts of talk radio who dominate 90% of the political airwaves today. Citing their own words as evidence, Press brilliantly makes the case that much of what is broadcast on radio and television today isat bestdistorted and partisan, andat worstlies, propaganda and bigotry sold by these talented modern-day pitchmen who have followings in the millions.
Bill Press is host of the nationally syndicated Bill Press Show, also on Sirius XM, and writes a syndicated column for Tribune Media Services. He is the ex- co-host of MSNBC’s Buchanan and Press and CNN’s Crossfire and The Spin Room. Press lives in Washington, D.C.
Talk radio has done an end run around the voting populace. With Rush Limbaugh now the unofficial leader of the Republican Party and the far right controlling the five major syndicates, conservatives have a disproportionate voice in the mediumeven in liberal cities such as New York, Boston, and San Francisco. Writing with his characteristic and sharp wit, Bill Press exposes the destructive power of Rush, Glenn Beck, Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage, Bill O’Reilly, and the additional polarizing facts of talk radio who dominate 90% of the political airwaves today. Citing their own words as evidence, Press brilliantly makes the case that much of what is broadcast on radio and television today isat bestdistorted and partisan, andat worstlies, propaganda and bigotry sold by these talented modern-day pitchmen who have followings in the millions.
“For far too long, conservatives were the only voices heard on talk radio. But no longer. Now there’s a whole community of strong and dynamic progressive voices on the airwaves. As Bill Press shows, progressive radio is alive, well, and growing!”Congressman James E. Clyburn, House Majority Whip
“Excellent for Bill Press! Finally, somebody exposes that gang of right-wing talk show hosts for the despise-mongers they are. If you want to know how much hurt Rush Limbaugh and his clones have done to free speech, read this book!”Ed Schultz, host of The Ed Schultz Show
“I poke fun at the right-wing world’ on my own radio show every day. But Bill Press shows us that the world of right-wing talk is not only stupid, it’s treacherous. I dare Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity to read this book. If they ever did, they would immediately resign in bring shame on!”Stephanie Miller, host of The Stephanie Miller Show
“Finally, a bare knuckled challenge to persons bullies on talk radio who invent their own truths. Bill Press is a progressive breath of fresh air.”Senator Byron Dorgan
“For too long, talk radio was the exclusive playhouse of right-wing extremists. No longer. Now, we see them exposed for what Bill Press rightly calls them, toxic talkers. We also see the promise, from a progressive perspective, of more and more strong truth-tellers.”Senator Bernie Sanders
“Press, who hosts the liberal talk radio Bill Press Show, takes on his conservative competition in this witty rundown of the major actors and themes of right-wing political broadcasting. Individual chapters are devoted to Rush Limbaugh (‘the huge stout liar’), Glenn Beck (‘the huge crybaby’), Sean Hannity (‘the party hack’), and Michael Savage (‘the savage’). None emerges looking excellent. After trashing the top tier of conservative broadcasting, he moves on to critique conservative talk television, minor league talk radio, and selected local radio shows. One chapter is devoted to providing data on the demographics of the audiences of talk radio (mostly older white males) and analyzing why conservatives predominate in this format. Press wraps up with a peek at emerging progressive talk-show programming. Liberals miserable with the predominance of conservative talk radio will relish this impassioned, personal attack on the personalities of right-wing broadcasting.”Judy Solberg, Seattle Univ. Lib., Library Journal
“Excellent for Bill Press! Finally, somebody exposes that gang of right-wing talk show hosts for the despise-mongers they are. If you want to know how much hurt Rush Limbaugh and his clones have done to free speech, read this book!”Ed Schultz, host of The Ed Schultz Show
“I poke fun at the right-wing world’ on my own radio show every day. But Bill Press shows us that the world of right-wing talk is not only stupid, it’s treacherous. I dare Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity to read this book. If they ever did, they would immediately resign in bring shame on!”Stephanie Miller, host of The Stephanie Miller Show
“Finally, a bare knuckled challenge to persons bullies on talk radio who invent their own truths. Bill Press is a progressive breath of fresh air.”Senator Byron Dorgan
“For too long, talk radio was the exclusive playhouse of right-wing extremists. No longer. Now, we see them exposed for what Bill Press rightly calls them, toxic talkers. We also see the promise, from a progressive perspective, of more and more strong truth-tellers.”Senator Bernie Sanders
“Press, who hosts the liberal talk radio Bill Press Show, takes on his conservative competition in this witty rundown of the major actors and themes of right-wing political broadcasting. Individual chapters are devoted to Rush Limbaugh (‘the huge stout liar’), Glenn Beck (‘the huge crybaby’), Sean Hannity (‘the party hack’), and Michael Savage (‘the savage’). None emerges looking excellent. After trashing the top tier of conservative broadcasting, he moves on to critique conservative talk television, minor league talk radio, and selected local radio shows. One chapter is devoted to providing data on the demographics of the audiences of talk radio (mostly older white males) and analyzing why conservatives predominate in this format. Press wraps up with a peek at emerging progressive talk-show programming. Liberals miserable with the predominance of conservative talk radio will relish this impassioned, personal attack on the personalities of right-wing broadcasting.”Judy Solberg, Seattle Univ. Lib., Library Journal
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I know what you’re reflect: THIS GUY IS A CONSERVATIVE, HE BAD MOUTHS AMERICA. Yes I am a Republican and was a independant for a long while. I stopped being independant for the reason I got to my sense: I don’t like how every small problem is automaticly blamed on BUSH,I know the man isn’t purfect but yeeesh lay the guy some slack. It’s wasn’t Bush’s falut for 9/11 it was the D.O.D’s fault for not over-checking the planes. And it wasn’t BUSH’s fault for the Katerina it was the mayor’s fault for not checking the levve’s! Also I don’t like how the Dem’s treat the Rupublican’s like a couple of mad baby’s po-poing their pants. So that’s why I’am a Republican and permanently will be. So anyways, I went to the local library to find a excellent read I could sink my brain into, and I saw this book and thought this was a “PRO” book on the airwaves… oh my god was I teribley incorrect. It’s all about how that IF we get these “Con-servatves off the airwaves that we can save the future of radio. First off this guy is TOTALLY WRONG. We need more of these Con-servatves, they clarify the truth… There not on a high horse waiting to get their check. Now if you are going to talk about BIG-CHECKS, let’s talk about something. If you were a average guy and a name walked up to you and say I ll give you several million dollars to talk about the sisuation you america… Now I am guessin’ that anyone would take it. Also I don’t like it’s anti talk. Well if you can’t talk about additional Political Parties or the sistuation that america is in well that’s just unadorned commuistic. Telling people what they can talk about, what they can’t… it’s really idiotic!!! I only read about half of it and was fed up with the lies. Never buy this book unless you’re comminuist (like Jim Doyal) or just really agianst the first admendment! Don’t buy into these lies!!! Can’t beileve something like this was ever written!
Reader’s Rating: 1 / 5
BILL PRESS CALLS IT AS IT IS. WITH PASSION
I SEE WHY THE RIGHT SLEEPS AT NIGHT WITH ALL THEIR LIES.
THEY FEEL SECURE WITH THEIR MULTI MILLION DOLLAR SALARIES.
WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO FOR MONEY. ONLY THE DEVIL KNOWS.
I THOUGHT TALK WAS CHEAP OR IS THIS A LIE TOO.
THE CONSERVATIVES DON’T KNOW WHAT THE WORD LIBERAL MEANS
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO CONSERVE THE 12TH CENTURY. BUT MORE LIKELY
THE 1ST CENTURY.
Reader’s Rating: 5 / 5
For anyone interested in HOW and WHY the folks who HATE many things (government, taxes, and many people who need social services) got a microphone and some influence on today’s radio/TV spheres, here is a seasoned observor’s explanation.
Bill’s been there and worked and debated with the most caustic folks who act like they are doing us a favor by scaring us with all of the possibilities of what lies yet to be with some of our elected leaders leading us in the “incorrect”? direction.
This will surely heat up in the next few months of campaigning before the November elections.
Reader’s Rating: 4 / 5
For persons of you interested in trying to solve our country’s problems, don’t bother with this.
Mr. Press does an effective job of cataloging the very worst and most out-of-context moments of right-wing talk radio (RWTR), but his narrative gives the impression that conservative talk is mostly about rants, name-calling & irritability. He fails to communicate that the vast majority of RWTR is substantive discussion of policies, facts and history.
My dad, a lifelong Democrat, recently sat through an hour of Rush Limbaugh with me. The main topic of the day was the unemployment compensation extension. While he didn’t like some of the names that Rush used, and didn’t agree with the perspective, he could not deny the facts that the Democrats were unwilling to pay for the extension because they wanted to protect the $40 billion in spending for additional more obscure projects, and that a significant part of the benefit extension recipients would not seriously look for work until close to the end of their extended benefits.
I brought up this same topic with Mr. Press on Michael Medved’s show on 8/3 to illustrate how the left wing and right wing usually work with different sets of facts, and that the liberals usually use the more “selective” set of facts. Left wing talk radio bashed the GOP for obstructing benefits and wanting to hurt the “small guys” getting unemployment, and failed to criticize the Democrats for not finding a way to pay for the extension. Mr. Press’s response didn’t deal with my points, he as a replacement for launched into a “two wrongs makes a right” defense of the Democrats by recounting all the things that the GOP Congress failed to pay for back in the 2002-2006 era. Well, DUH!?! He must reflect that Republicans who got kicked out of Congress in 2004 & 2006 wasn’t because we were sick of the earmarks and lack of spending discipline, no it must have been because the Democrats were just so likeable.
Plus, we’re in a way different situation now that in even 2008, and only lunatics can suggest that we can’t have a more rational perspective due to the current economic hardships.
Press fails to know that the huge growth of RWTR is a direct response to the lack of objective impartiality in the MSM (mainstream media). When AP can publish a 15 inch tale on the Supreme Court choice arresting down the Texas Sodomy Law, and the only paragraph about the opposing point of view was, “Justice Scalia issued a fervently-worded dissent.” when you had a 5-4 choice, well that pretty clearly summarizes LW media bias.
Later in the Medved interview, Press admitted to regular use of the “teabagger” slur to clarify Tea Party supporters. That was sufficient for me to question his legitimacy to take in this topic. There’s small that can be done about RWTR lacking a re-introduction of the Fairness Doctrine. It appears that this book is targeted at persons weak-minded individuals who might be willing to shut their minds to anything that is contrary to the Obama/Democratic line. If he could get a new 5% of the population to completely disregard RWTR, then his book will have been successful for the left. But it will be a Pyrrhic victory, if it continues to delay the point at which we discard the tired ancient politicians and their spinmasters, and get back to at least the respectful rivalry of Tip O’Neil and Ronald Reagan.
Give me a excellent Camille Paglia commentary as a replacement for.
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5
I don’t listen to conservative talk radio, and find their regularly ad hominem attacks, factually-challenged, slanted, disrespectful material on TV aggravating, at best. Still, Bill Press’ “Toxic Talk” is no joy to read either. Liberals’ agenda of supporting enormous waste in public education, etc. doesn’t endear them to me either. But I digress –
Press says that 91% of weekday talk radio programs are dedicated to conservative opinions. Press contends that conservative talk radio leaders have become so powerful that they now set the agenda that Republican politicians in Washington follow. Further, their despise, bluster, and deceit have poisoned American politics. To illustrate, he points out radio hosts that opposed ex- Democratic governors in N.J. and California – my response to his examples is an emphatic “Excellent Riddance,” as persons states have become essentially bankrupted by run off spending. Press then focuses in-depth attention, in turn, on Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, and Savage.
I was most interested in Press’ explanation of why conservative talk radio has out-muscled its liberal counterparts. He starts by identifying the Reagan-era FCC choice to stop enforcing the Fairness Doctrine (required shiny all points of view) as a key event – w/o also documenting that conclusion by revealing the ratio of conservative/liberal hosts prior to and after that event. Then its the domination of news-talk station ownership by right-wingers. Years later, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 reportedly made things worse by erasing the limit on the number of stations any entity could own nationwide (28), and increasing the number that could be owned in any market from 2 to 8. Clear Channel, for example, now owns over 1,200 stations – up from its earlier 40. (How they got to 40 when the limit was 28 is not clarified.) Moving on, Press then contends that conservative programmers have an advantage getting stations to carry their material because they “offer it free,” less x ads modest/hour to sell. So, what’s to stop liberals from doing the same thing?
Press then provides five examples where ’successful’ progressive talk was forced off the air by conservative owners and replaced by sports talk. But, no data on pre-post market share or ad revenue is provided to document his assertion that these moves were deliberate money-losers.
As for Air America? Press excuses its 2006 and 2010 bankruptcies as due to poor fiscal management. Reality – if liberal talk radio was that well loved, Air America wouldn’t have been skating near the financial edge in the first place.
Bottom-Line: I don’t like listening to either conservative or liberal broadcasts – they’re both obviously biased, and therefore a waste of time. NPR is the best of them all.
Reader’s Rating: 2 / 5