The State of Conservative Radio

Since I commute daily on foot, I don't listen to the radio too often. I turn it on when I go to visit shut-ins or run to the store at night for milk - which we always seem to be out of.

As far as I can tell, we have basically one talk radio station in New Orleans, WRNO 99.5, the local FOX affiliate. WRNO has all the usual conservative and neoconservative fare, such as Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Dennis Miller, and Glenn Beck.

But what amazes me is what "sells" on "conservative" radio.

Quite often when I do have the good old conservative family values talk radio station on, they are bombarding me with ads for "male enhancement." Obviously, the ads are properly placed or they wouldn't sell. What are they trying to tell me about Republican men?

Then, there are the ubiquitous strip club ads, complete with highly charged sexual innuendo and talk of "couch dances" such as offered at the Larry Flynt Hustler club and Rick's Cabaret. Obviously, GOP government officials pay close attention to FOX radio...

They also have a radio show called the Jesus Christ Show, a blasphemous self-help program in which a guy is in character claiming to be our Blessed Lord. I listened for a few minutes and was not only offended, but amazed at what superficial garbage passes for the Christian faith these days. If you can't dazzle them with brilliance...

And when FOX isn't mocking our Lord, they are having shows of spiritualists, mediums, and psychics, pontificating about how the dead speak to us, channeling, and telling fortunes. Gimme that old time religion...

One recent show was dedicated to the Maitreya, how he is already in the world to usher in a "new golden age," and how Jesus was basically his lackey. Radio host Episcopal Church deacon Ian Punnet even excitedly weighed in about how interesting this all was. Way to stand up for the faith, Deacon!

And then there are the political pundits. Times sure have changed. It used to be that Howard Stern created a stir by using naughty entendres and various slang terms for body parts on the radio. In fact, he used to get some pretty hefty fines - the biggest ones from the GOP-controlled FCC - for saying things that one can hear today without incident on today's conservative radio.

Way to go, FOX! Aren't these the same people that brought us Family Guy on broadcast TV during prime time? And how nice of WRNO "Rush Radio" to publish the "Belle of the Day" on their website for when family values conservatives want to have a look at some soft-core porn - not to mention the rotating headlines with the picture of Miley Cyrus doing a pole dance. I just hope none of these gals are Democrats. I mean, someone must think of the children here!

Well, it's a good thing conservatives have their own media outlets. As a family man, I would hate to have to turn to the left-wingers for spiritualists, Viagra, strip joints, porn and blasphemy.