POLITICAL TALK RADIO - ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

This study examined differences among groups of listeners to political talk radio using data from a sample survey of adults in San Diego, Ca lifornia (N = 583) from the perspective of Grunig's situational involv ement model. More involved political talk radio listeners were charact erized by greater political and social participation than less involve d. The political talk radio audience uas found to be higher in social economic status, more socially and politically integrated in society, and more attentive to political issues. Differences in political varia bles remained after statistical controls for education, age, political interest, and general exposure to television, newspapers, and radio w ere applied. Among more active audience members, limited motivational data suggest that political talk radio served a mix of needs, includin g seeking political information, interpreting reality or companionship through parasocial interaction. Thus, more active listeners may also be less susceptible to potentially propagandistic appeals of political talk since they are less dependent on the medium for information. Whi le this interpretation does not preclude considerable political talk r adio influence on cognition and behavior, multiple participatory linka ges to society among the more active audience members may constrain th e arbitrary influence of political talk radio hosts.