Public Opinion Monitoring by Provincial Governments: The Prevalance of Open Line Radio in Newfoundland and Labrador

This article advances an argument that within small polities local political talk radio may be treated as a barometer of public opinion. Survey research and media monitoring spending data were collected from provincial government departments across Canada. The data indicate that larger provinces turn to opinion polls, that the Quebec government is a heavy user of media monitoring services and that, in particular, government elites in Newfoundland and Labrador pay considerable attention to local open line call-in shows.Cet article suggère que les gouvernements des petites provinces au Canada recourent parfois à la radio parlée locale pour mesurer l’opinion publique. L’auteur a rassemblé des données sur les dépenses en études d’opinion et en veilles médiatiques provenant de gouvernements provinciaux d’une part à l’autre du pays. Ces données indiquent que la plupart des grandes provinces ont tendance à recourir aux sondages d’opinion, tandis que le Québec utilise souvent les veilles médiatiques et que les élites gouvernementales de Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador portent une attention toute particulière aux tribunes téléphoniques diffusées à la radio parlée locale.

From sequential to affective discourse marker: Hebrew nu on Israeli political phone-in radio programs

Previous studies of Hebrew nu investigate this discourse marker in casual conversation. The current study explores nu on Israeli political phone-in radio programs and broadens our knowledge both about the functions and grammaticization processes of discourse markers and about some particularities of Israeli political talk radio. The comparison to casual talk reveals both qualitative and quantitative differences. In casual talk, the main function of nu is a sequential one – urging further development of an ongoing topic (69%). In the radiophonic data, the most common role of nu is as a keying token (53%), functioning in the affective realm. Furthermore, the talk-radio data show a wider variety of keys constructed by nu – which range from joking to sheer contempt – clustering closer towards the latter, in contrast to the case of casual talk, manifesting mostly the joking key. Structurally, whereas sequential functions are generally accomplished by stand-alone nu, affective tokens are accompanied by same-speaker talk. The analysis sheds new light on how a sequential token might come to function in the affective realm.

Ears Wide Shut: Epistemological Populism, Argutainment and Canadian Conservative Talk Radio

Although scholars have identified political talk radio (PTR) as an important site of political socialization, the current literature has largely failed to examine the political relevance of PTR's rhetorical strategies and has virtually ignored Canadian PTR altogether. This article addresses these gaps by analyzingAdler On Line, Canada's only nationally syndicated commercial PTR program, to show thathowCanadian PTR talks, particularly its use of populist rhetoric, plays a central role in establishing what type of political deliberation and debate is possible within it. Divided into two main sections, the article first explores howAdler On Linerenders a particular epistemological framework authoritative. The second section then analyzes the rules and norms of political expression and debate encouraged by the show's style of argutainment debate. The article concludes with a more speculative evaluation of the practical consequences as well as the theoretical and normative implications of these discursive practices.Résumé.Bien que les auteurs de recherches reconnaissent que la radio interactive politique (RIP) représente un lieu important de socialisation politique, la littérature courante dans ce domaine omet, en grande partie, d'analyser la signification politique des stratégies rhétoriques de la RIP, tout en laissant entièrement dans l'ombre les activités de RIP canadiennes. Visant à combler ces lacunes, le présent article offre, dans un premier temps, une analyse de l'émissionAdler On Line, qui est la seule émission de RIP commerciale souscrite nationalement au Canada, puis démontre quele mode d'expressiontypique adopté dans cette émission, et surtout son usage de la rhétorique populiste, ont une incidence déterminante sur le genre de délibération et de débat politiques que permet la radio parlée au Canada. L'article se divise en deux grandes parties. La première explore le cadre épistémologique particulier de l'émissionAdler On Lineetla manièredont ce cadre se voit empreint d'autorité. La seconde partie analyse les règles ou normes de débat et d'expression des opinions politiques qu'encourage le style divertissant de cette émission-débat. Pour conclure, les auteurs évaluent de façon plus spéculative les conséquences pratiques de ces formes d'expression discursive, tout comme leur incidence théorique et normative.

Partisan "New Media" and Opinion Change, 2002-2004

When gathering news about public affairs, citizens may now choose from a broader selection of political “new media” outlets that provide programming closely aligned with their opinions and worldviews. This study explores whether partisan opinion-based communication such as that broadcast on talk radio influence the views of their audiences. It finds that between 2002 and 2004 Democrats who regularly listened to political talk radio developed distinctly cooler feelings toward President Bush and other high-profile GOP leaders. Although these findings provide no decisive proof of media effects, they do raise questions about partisan new media’s contributions to polarization in the electorate at large. As more partisan outlets become available, existing political cleavages may widen.