Research 2000 thought it would be an interesting endeavor to find out how six nationally syndicated talk radio programs handle incoming calls among individuals who wish to engage in the live talk show over the air. The our original April ‘06 ‘Talk Show Radio Accessibility Survey Results‘ were interesting enough to report in the hopes that “ALL” talk radio hosts and formats in the future will make it less restrictive and more accessible for potential call in guests regardless of whether or not they have a differing point of view.
Findings:
- Ed Shultz “as the easiest to get on the air with regardless of the caller’s “view point for the simple reason that the show is the only format of the six that does not ask the caller what they want to discuss.”
- Sean Hannity comes in last place with “none” of the callers “with a different view point” getting on the air.
- The “one caller of five dissenting view points” allowed on Limbaugh’s show “went through three screeners before getting on the air.“
- Ingraham, Miller and Rhodes showed “no significant differences” in terms of getting on the air “if one had a dissenting view point.
- In all cases, callers with dissenting views were able to get on the air with the host.
Methodology:
While the following survey results do not possess the standard 95 percent confidence level or 5% margin for error which is standard within the scientific polling community, Research 2000’s follow yielded almost identical results.
In August and September, we examined the same six nationally syndicated talk shows we did back in April which are heard in the Washington DC ADI five days weekly between August 21 through September 19, 2006. Three liberal: Stephanie Miller, Randi Rhodes and Ed Shultz. Three conservative: Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham and Rush Limbaugh. Back in April, each program was called ten times (5 with a point of view compatible with the host and most of the callers and 5 that were not). In the August-September follow up survey, we called each show 15 times with a point of view which was not compatible with the host and most of the callers. We decided not to do any calls with compatible view points because the April survey showed that those callers with compatible views with the host and most of the callers were able to get through and on the air between 15-30 minutes with each of the hosts.
The rank order below is based on how accessible it was for one to get through to the host with both a liberal and conservative point of view.
Once again, there was no significant differences between the Laura Ingraham, Stephanie Miller and Randi Rhodes shows in terms of getting on the air if one had a dissenting view point. In all cases, callers with dissenting views were able to get on the air with the host. The wait on hold was longest for the Laura Ingraham show and that averaged 40 minutes to one hour and fifteen minutes. For Miller it was 35 minutes to one hour and for Rhodes it was 30 minutes to 40 minutes.The difference between number 2 and 4 are slight and the rank order is based purely on the amount of time one was on hold. Both Ingraham’s and Miller’s wait on hold increased slightly from April, while Rhodes had a slight decrease.
Only two callers of fifteen dissenting view points was successful in getting on the Rush Limbaugh show. Both callers went through three screeners on the show before getting on the air with the host. However, the other thirteen callers with dissenting view points were told politely that the host would not be taking calls on either the subject matter or a dissenting point of view.
Ranking:
- Ed Shultz
- Randi Rhodes
- Stephanie Miller
- Laura Ingraham
- Rush Limbaugh
- Sean Hannity
1st – Ed Shultz: once again was the easiest to get on the air with regardless of view point for the simple reason that the show is the only format of the six that does not ask the caller what they want to discuss. In fact, the only question the screener asked our fifteen callers was simply where are you calling from, radio call letters and your name.
6th – Sean Hannity: Once again, not a single one of our callers with a different point of view was able to get on the air with the host. Eleven of our callers with dissenting view points were told by the screener either “I will pass it on” or “call our liberal hotline” and then disconnected. Two other callers with a different view was told that the host would not have time to take the call today, however, if the caller would give his name and number to the screener, the Hannity program would call them back first thing the next day. We gave the screener the numbers of the two callers. We decided to call back after the calls were not returned within the first hour and received a recording that stated, “Calls are not be accepted from this number” The remaining two calls with a dissenting point of view were put on hold during the first hour and those callers were kept on the line for remaining two hours until the show completed, never getting on the air without feedback from the screener.
Recommendations:
With a seven second delay on the radio, a talk show host should not have to screen their callers. Hopefully, all talk show formats in the future will follow the format of Ed Shultz.
For more information please feel free to contact Research 2000 President Del Ali at 301-570-3593 or email mail us via our handy-dandy contact form.
[...] Their findings concluded that all the progressive hosts were more willing to take calls from dissenters than were the conservative hosts. Research 2000’s ranking, in order of accessibility: 1): Shultz, 2) Rhodes, 3) Miller, 4) Ingraham, 5) Limbaugh, and 6) Hannity. Among the findings: – Progressive host Ed Schultz was the most accessible to callers with opposing points of view. “In fact, the only question the screener asked our fifteen callers was simply where are you calling from, radio call letters and your name.” [...]
[...] Interesting study. Make of it what you will – Talk Show Radio Accessibility -Follow-Up Survey- Results [...]
Study: Conservative Radio Hosts Less Accepting of Dissenters than Liberal Hosts…
Is anyone really surprised by this?…
[...] Their findings concluded that all the progressive hosts were more willing to take calls from dissenters than were the conservative hosts. Research 2000’s ranking, in order of accessibility: 1): Shultz, 2) Rhodes, 3) Miller, 4) Ingraham, 5) Limbaugh, and 6) Hannity. Here is the report [...]
Ed Shultz is so accessible because very few people call it. He has less than 1% of Rush Limbaughs listeners.
wow. my dog could have done a better ’survey’. first of all, you should have adjusted the number of calls you made to each program depending on how many listeners each had. more listeners = more callers, thus making it quite obvious why it was easier for callers to get on the lesser listened to stations. secondly, your ‘dissenting views’ could have had a large impact on whether your not you got through. i can call limbaugh 15 times saying ‘BUSH SUCKS’, and im not going to get on. i can call randi 15 times and say “BUSH SUCKS” (or in this case “DEMOCRATS SUCK”) because thats just the type of callers she wants. i’d like the 5 minutes that i spent reading this back please. thanks.
Well gee “NoStoppingUs” nice little straw man you got going there.
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Sure, if I reduce to absurdity the methodology to “bush sucks” and/or “democrats suck” then I’m sure you’re dog will have his day.
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But I suspect that considering the depth of political knowledge and respect that Research 2000 is known and oft quoted for (by both dems and repubs), I suspect their questions were a bit more substanitive than your oversimplifications.