This summer I travelled to the Library of Congress in Washington DC to listen to audio tapes of political conservative talk radio shows in the early 21st century, as part of my research for my doctoral thesis. Through this, I am seeking to investigate the development of conservative talk radio and its intersection with feminist politics, exploring how radio hosts perpetuated negative views of women and gender politics while also forging their own brand of ‘conservative feminism.’ Thanks to the generosity of the American Political Group and the Rosamund Davies travel award, I was able to listen to these shows that could only be heard physically on-site at the library.
While the bulk of my research had been on transcripts from the Rush Limbaugh Show, hearing the voices of other talk radio commentators, particularly women such as Laura Ingraham, was important for both gaining a wider picture of talk radio opinions and for hearing the tone and tenor behind much of the cultural and political debate.
Additionally, I also travelled to the University of Maryland for supplementary documents from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), which included Talk Daily newsletters and copies of Talkers magazine, both of which provide important contextual information for the development and reception of talk radio in this period.