Democratic politicians, activists, and allies need to know and spread the word that the end of the Republican talk radio advantage is near.
The simple math again: at $1000/hr x 15hrs/day x 1200 radio stations that pro-Republican anti-Democratic messaging is worth $90M/week or about $5B/year. Until RW radio content can be analyzed political analysts might as well be studying fish without water.
As I suggested in this diary — Two recent developments will force the ad industry to democratize RW radio — Limbaugh’s impending death and artificial intelligence spell inevitable doom for hate radio.
Kossack Mokurai pointed me to a very significant development. A year and a half ago researchers at MIT used artificial intelligence to automatically record, transcribe, and analyze approximately 2.8 billion words from 284,000 hours of radio talk from hundreds of radio stations. (Their emphasis wasn’t political and a 50 station sample made it clear they ‘balanced’ conservative talk stations with public radio and college stations.)
Apparently they weren’t first and there had already been an effort by UN Global Pulse beginning in 2015 to develop a ‘Radio Content Analysis Tool’ and turn Ugandan talk radio into text, resulting in at least this paper: Using Machine Learning To Analyze Radio Content In Uganda (maybe others?). That apparently continues.
Constant improvements in AI enhanced transcription and analysis from these and possibly other prototypes mean the Democratic Party has no excuse to keep ignoring talk radio, whether they start such an effort or allies do it.
At the very least, word has to get around that the Democratic Party is aware it can be done and is thinking about it. That would give the Biden administration and Democratic politicians much more leverage over Republicans as well as conservative Democratic senators like Manchin and Sinema.
Many Republicans know how important talk radio has been in getting them elected, obstructing Democrats, and radicalizing the GOP into the Limbaugh/Trump Party. Knowing that that major source of alternate reality and division will finally get the analysis and blame it deserves means the radicals will lose power. ‘Moderate’ Republicans can begin to stick their heads out farther and have less to fear of being primaried by extremists supported by national and local hosts on their neighborhood radio stations.
Consider that as soon as GOP Senate leader McConnell turned on Trump toward the end of January Limbaugh turned on McConnell, calling him “cocaine Mitch” and a “chicom” who was now with Biden in league with and getting money from China. He also hinted at their previous relationship and his importance, explaining that whenever the GOP lost the senate in the past “cocaine Mitch” would always call him privately to assure him (and his audience) that Democrats would still need 60 votes to do anything.
How much are conservative Democratic senators Manchin and Sinema motivated by constituencies concerned about the loss of coal jobs in West Virginia or invasions of ‘drug-hauling’ ‘disease-ridden’ immigrants in Arizona? Do they know those constituencies are in large part reacting to alternate realities exaggerated and amplified by their state radio stations?
Consider that although Trump was praised for his ‘branding’ genius and low cost 2016 campaign, Limbaugh says ‘Trump’ positively between 100 and 150 times every day, on 600 radio stations, while attacking his critics and opponents. His listeners, who can’t call him, make sure the vast majority of other Republican talk hosts stay in line — the dittohead effect.
If President Biden and Dem Senate leader Chuck Schumer let Republicans know Republican talk radio will no longer be ignored and is doomed it will help embolden Republican senators to convict Trump.
They just need to know it.
Two recent developments will force the ad industry to democratize RW radio.
The biggest political mistake in history. It's the radio, stupid.
Limbaugh calls Sen Harris a 'hoe'. 1000s of advertisers and 100+ pro teams, universities endorse it.
List of 87 universities who let 260 Limbaugh stations use their black athletes while Limbaugh regularly excuses racism, and calls kneeling athletes un-American and BLM protestors “marxist terrorists”.
DC Washington Wizards can set example for all sports by dropping 5 racist radio stations