Limbaugh is the pre-eminent US radio shock-jock. He spouts fiercely held cap-C Conservative views, pushes the Republican line at all times, and berates, belittles and bashes the bejeezus out of snivelling lefties, feminazis and welfare recipients. He is heard across the US on 650 stations, and holds an eight-year $US285 million ($419 million) contract with Premier Networks. Limbaugh's audience has become known as the ‘dittoheads’. To whatever he thinks, and whatever he says, they say ‘ditto’.

Does this sound familiar? In Australia, John Laws uses the Limbaugh model to syndicate his program via Southern Cross Broadcasting's Sky Radio to more than 60 stations and an audience his sales people says reaches 2 million (though that figure has never been confirmed through ratings.)

Alan Jones, on 2GB, does not have the same reach through syndication, but he tops the Sydney ratings, drawing a cumulative audience of 400,000, more than half of which is aged 60-plus. This audience is ‘rusted on’ – older folk who have formed their views, made their choices, and see no need to have anything but their beliefs and prejudices confirmed.

Jones, during the 1999 cash-for-comment inquiry, said that he saw it as his job to tell his listeners what was happening in the world, and what they should make of it. In other words, he would do their thinking for them.

Limbaugh says the same. He farewells his listeners on Fridays by telling them to have a good weekend, and not to worry about anything, because he'll keep an eye on the news, and tell them on Monday morning anything they need to know.

Audiences such as this know in detail what to expect. They know they will get a loud, right-wing diet; they know there will be no small-l liberal nonsense allowed on air.

MARK DAY The Australian 9/10/03