Rob Horowitz: Here’s Hoping For Mike Huckabee’s Radio Success

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Rob Horowitz, GoLocalProv MINDSETTER™

 

This week Mike Huckabee debuts his radio program during the same time slot as the still-powerful voice of strident conservatism, Rush Limbaugh. Instead of ignoring Limbaugh or downplaying the competition, the former Arkansas Governor is taking direct aim with the slogan “More Conversation, Less Confrontation.” In an interview with Politico over the weekend, Mike Huckabee said, “I am going to treat every guest with respect and civility.”

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A Baptist Minister who gave John McCain a run for his money in the contest for the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination, Mike Huckabee is a strong social conservative whose views on social issues are close to Rick Santorum’s. However, as Governor of Arkansas he was able to work effectively with a Democratic state legislature and to build a real record of accomplishment, largely because Huckabee is a great listener who seeks common ground and has a communications approach that is optimistic and conversational -- not bombastic.

In other words, the marketing of his new show fits the man. As a result, those of us who think the current media environment has grown too ideological, partisan and polarized should be rooting for Huckabee’s success. In taking on Limbaugh, he is taking on the pioneer and forerunner to conservative and liberal echo chambers such as FOX News and MSNBC. FOX News took its inspiration from the success of Limbaugh, who demonstrated there was a robust market for take no prisoners conservative talk and opinion. MSNBC, beginning with the success of Keith Olbermann, copied the FOX model and targeted it to a iberal audience.

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Huckabee faces an uphill fight, but his timing couldn’t be better. Limbaugh has been somewhat weakened by his over-the-top nasty personal attack on Sandra Fluke. Fluke, a Georgetown University Law School student, who testified in favor of the Obama Administration policy requiring birth control to be offered as part of health insurance without exemptions for Catholic affiliated universities and hospitals. Limbaugh’s tasteless name calling resulted in a good number of advertisers at least temporarily suspending advertising on his program, creating an opening for Huckabee.

In reality, this battle is not a zero-sum game. There is probably room for both of these men in a radio business where grabbing five percent of the listeners means big success. The test will be whether or not Huckabee can develop a national audience with his more low-key style that favors a broad-reaching conversation that reaches beyond party and ideological lines instead of the quick hit that comes with demonizing opponents

In Rhode Island, Mike Huckabee's new show airs on AM 790 between noon and 3:00 PM, while Limbaugh remains on WHJJ 920AM in the same time period. It will be interesting to see how well Huckabee does here as compared with Limbaugh and the more highly rated local talk on WPRO630 AM.

If Huckabee succeeds, here and much more importantly nationally, it will mean more local and national talk shows will follow in his footsteps and that is all for the good.

Rob Horowitz is a strategic and communications consultant who provides general consulting, public relations, direct mail services and polling for national and state issue organizations, various non-profits and elected officials and candidates. He is an Adjunct Professor of Political Science at the University of Rhode Island.
 

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