"They Say You Better Listen to the Right Side of Reason"

According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, listeners in the Twin Cities are tuning out political talk radio. Popular conservative voices such as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity (who, in my opinion, are more about venom than substance) have especially struggled to keep listeners. Limbaugh's ratings are down 43%; Hannity's 63%.

I don't know if these trends have been observed in other metropolitan areas. But according to the Star-Tribune:

Many Americans also are switching the dial. While ratings for political talk radio typically drop the year after an election, experts around the country sense something else in the air. Many metro listeners are turning to local, often sports-oriented shows.

I can understand the switch from politics to sports. With sports, the stakes are always high, but ultimately nothing really matters. Sports rivalries can strengthen friendships; political rivalries can make them very awkward.

On the other hand, last week I took to the airwaves as the co-host of a radio show that deals with politics (on WRFN 98.9, Radio Free Nashville), so I hope that the public still has not given up completely on political discourse. Maybe I have bad timing, but I like to think that Christian Dissent Live is unique among political talk radio shows. Check us out, from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Sunday mornings.