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American talk radio

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Cumbrianmale56 Sun 18-Jan-26 13:08:50

Our talk radio, even GB News, is pretty tame compared to what you get in America and has a mixture of right wing hosts, shock jocks and preachers who just wouldn't be employed over here.
One I do recall, who is still broadcasting and is far tamer now, was Howard Stern. A completely outrageous figure who was loved and loathed equally, Stern managed to earn his employers over $2 million in fines and was dismissed from numerous radio stations. Typically Stern would make very bad taste jokes, such as mocking the death of a Mexican American singer, fill his show with lavatorial , racial and sexual humour, and ask his guests very personal questions.
I've only heard clips of Stern in action, never actually heard a full show, but he is the sort of presenter who would get a P45 very quickly over here and probably be banned for life from many stations. Also the right wing talk show hosts make GB News look left wing and the hellfire preachers used on religious stations aren't likely to host Songs Of Praise.
Anyone listened to American talk radio and have a negative or positive view of it?

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Jane43 Sun 18-Jan-26 13:12:11

When we owned a house in Florida we used to listen to a station WHTQ, it was a mix of talk and music and we liked it very much. When we were in the UK we used to get the channel on our radio but sadly it closed down. That is our only experience of American radio.

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Shrub Sun 18-Jan-26 13:57:00

The only American station I could bear listening to when we were there was the local station when it was broadcasting NPR (National Public Radio) which wasn’t commercial. When it was available I listened to the BBC World Service but the reception wasn’t very good. It must be easier now to listen with the internet.

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Cumbrianmale56 Sun 18-Jan-26 16:09:56

Shrub

The only American station I could bear listening to when we were there was the local station when it was broadcasting NPR (National Public Radio) which wasn’t commercial. When it was available I listened to the BBC World Service but the reception wasn’t very good. It must be easier now to listen with the internet.

NPR is rather like Radio 4 and, unlike other American stations, takes no advertising. It tends to be impartial as well and doesn't employ shock jocks and presenters with strong opinions.
Otherwise most other American talk radio is a mixture of sports stations, talk stations with controversial hosts and religious programming.

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