Talking politics: Rush Limbaugh, political attitudes, and party politics

David A Jones, Purdue University

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the political talk radio phenomenon through an analysis of the Rush Limbaugh program in the early to mid 1990s. Previous research suggests that the audience for political talk radio is dominated by politically active, conservative Republicans. The present study explores several questions stemming from this broad finding. First, it narrows the focus, examining the specific opinions of Limbaugh listeners on a range of particular issues discussed frequently on the program. The Limbaugh audience prove to be remarkably like-minded on particular issues that top the program's agenda. Second, the study analyzes the discussion that took place on the air during the 1996 Republican nomination campaign—a setting in which an otherwise like-minded group of partisans might have reason to disagree. The analysis shows that, in such a setting, the Limbaugh program can serve as a quasi-public forum for contentious, meaningful intra-party debate. Third, the study examines whether listeners were influenced by Limbaugh's explicit cues on the leading candidates. The null findings suggest that talk radio hosts have limited ability to persuade their audiences. Finally, the study concludes with an analysis of the media habits of political talk radio listeners. Despite misgivings about the mainstream news media, talk radio listeners watch more public affairs programming and read more newspapers than average citizens, apparently using talk radio as a partisan supplement to a steady diet of mainstream news.

Degree

Ph.D.

Advisors

McCann, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Political science|Mass media

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