Talkster

Mac Johnson at Human Events Online ranks the question «Why is talk radio so overwhelmingly conservative?» right up there with the biggies like «What is God» and «Are we alone in the universe?»

But for this big question there may be answers? Is it a grand conspiracy of corporate interests? No. The reason, he says is that the lack of diversity in national media created an unfilled niche in the media marketplace. Along came talk radio with its relatively low production costs for local shows and those that survived to make it big were those that filled the need in the market.

So, why isn't the market filling a gap in the market for liberal talk radio? Why is Air America failing? Well, because there is no gap. The taxpayer funded National Public Radio has 20 million listeners. 20 million listeners who can assuage their liberal guilt by donating during the pledge drive, something that commercial radio - even Air America - just can't provide.

HUMAN EVENTS ONLINE - Conservative News, Views & Books

Jefferson City, Missouri talk radio host James Keown Thursday pled not guilty in the alleged murder of his wife Julie Keown by poisoning in 2004. He was ordered held without bail until a December 7 pretrial conference.

Prosecutors contend the motive for the killing was financial, a $250,000 life insurance policy, a cite a conversation in which Keown is alleged to have asked a friend how long he had to wear his wedding ring and to have said:

«I am going to take Julie's insurance money, buy a BMW Z4 convertible, go back to Kansas City and build a house. With what money is left over, I am going to start a foundation in Julie's name and run it for a few years.

Sources: Boston Globe
KMBC-TV 9 Kansas City

For the 5th straight year Howard Stern tops the annual «Lycos 50» list of talk radio personalities, beating out Rush Limbaugh who again got the number 2 spot. Notable newcomer Digital Goddess Kim Komando jumped onto the list for the first time at number 18.

The top twenty by rank (with last year's rank in parentheses) are:

1) Howard Stern (1) 11) Sean Hannity (5)
2) Rush Limbaugh (2) 12) Janeane Garofalo (-)
3) Tom Joyner (7) 13) Laura Ingraham (28)
4) Bob & Tom (3) 14) David Lee Roth (-)
5) Michael Savage (6) 15) Don & Mike (-)
6) Dr. Laura (8) 16) Paul Harvey (11)
7) Art Bell (4) 17) Tom Leykis (12)
8 ) Bill O'Reilly (13) 18) Kim Komando (-)
9) Larry King (14) 19) Mancow (9)
10) Opie & Anthony (16) 20) Tavis Smiley (29)

Read the news release from Lycos...

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President Bush honored radio talker Paul Harvey Wednesday, presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with these remarks:

This morning, across the United States, millions of Americans started their day listening to Paul Harvey. (Laughter.) People everywhere feel like they know the man, and his wife, Angel, too. And for so many Americans, no morning, Monday through Saturday, is quite complete without Paul Harvey News and Comment. This tireless broadcaster is up every day before the sun, writing his own scripts and ad copy for an audience tuning in to more than 1,200 radio stations and the American Forces Network.

He first went on the air in 1933, and he's been heard nationwide for 54 years. Americans like the sound of his voice. His friend, Danny Thomas, once said to him, «You'd better be right, because you sound like God.» (Laughter.) And over the decades we have come to recognize in that voice some of the finest qualities of our country: the patriotism, the good humor, the kindness and common sense of Americans. It's always a pleasure to listen to Paul Harvey, and it's a real joy this afternoon to honor him, as well. (Applause.)

Receiving the Medal Wednesday with Harvey were 13 other recipients including Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, Paul Rusesabagina the manager of the actual Hotel Rwanda, comedienne Carol Burnett, the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, and «The Greatest of All Time» Muhammad Ali. (Read all the citations by reading «more» below).

The citation for Paul Harvey:

For more than half a century, Paul Harvey has earned the trust of millions of Americans by telling them «the rest of the story.» His News and Comment program first aired in 1951, and today his broadcasts reach some 20 million people each week. He has built a proud legacy of integrity and excellence. The United States honors Paul Harvey for his extraordinary career in broadcasting and for his contributions to the intellectual and political life of our Nation.

Source: Whitehouse: President Honors Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom

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James Keown wasn't «right back after this commercial break» this morning. Instead, the 31 year old talk radio host was arrested on charges of murdering his wife in Waltham, Massachusetts last year by poisoning her with ethylene glycol, the main ingredient in antifreeze. Keown hosted a twice daily talk radio program for Jefferson City, Missouri's KLIK 1240 AM News Talk Radio. Keown was indicted last week by a Massachusetts grand jury and waived extradition to Massachusetts.

Jefferson City police arrested James Keown, 31, during a commercial break of his talk show Party Line on KLIK-AM. Keown’s co-host, Warren Krech, said that Keown’s only verbal reaction was to ask colleague Dean Morgan, â€Å«Hey Dean, can you cover for me?â€?

Keown's attorney said, «He absolutely denies that he had any involvement in her death. They were deeply in love with each other.» He pointed out that Keown allowed a warrantless search of the home they shared, which found no antifreeze, and spoke to police twice without an attorney.

Sources: Talk radio host charged with murder - Columbia Missourian
Lawyer for Missouri radio host denies poisoning wife