Sports Talk Radio
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listener invests time by listening; further investment (i.e., listening more
consistently) gains access to inside narratives and a deeper understanding of the
show. Of course those who regularly call make the most investment, in terms of
preparing for their call, waiting to be placed on the air, and risking that they
might be “run” and their material will be scorned. The callers also see the effect
of honor and humiliation on community members as there is much honor in
being identified as a call worthy to be “racked” and perhaps singled out for the
“huge call of the day,” or inclusion in the annual “smack-off” By bestowing
these types of recognition, norms are continually affirmed for all listeners to
observe.
Finally, the extent to which there exists a spiritual bond is somewhat
difficult to ascertain and describe, but most ardent sports fans would
acknowledge some intangible connection to their favorite sport or athlete. It is
not difficult to see how this bonding might also be applied to a radio show that
has a loyal and devoted audience as Rome’s does. The mythological language,
the intimacy between callers, and the attachment to these characters by the
listening audience all attend to this sense of a unique connection.
Implications and Conclusions
Sports talk radio clearly has the potential to create community, perhaps
even to forge new ways of uniting individuals across geographic and other
divisions. The ability to create community through The Jim Rome Show, argued
here using the McMillan and Chavis (2006) model of community, emphasized
how a shared culture uses group norms and shared language to develop
community. These arguments support how sports talk radio maintains radio’s
place as a relevant part of current popular culture.
Although this paper focuses on the community-building aspects of this
radio show, it is important to note the limitations and problematic aspects of The
Jim Rome Show community as well. There has been critique of the racist
elements, particularly around Chicano(a)s/Latino(a)s (Mariscal, 1999), and the
uneven treatment that female athletes and gender issues receive (Nylund, 2007;
Reffue, 2006). Nylund (2001, 2007) has demonstrated how sports talk radio
shows, with Th e Jim Rome Show as a particular example, are successful in
reinforcing the “homosocial” environment of sports in which a predominantly
male or male-centric world predominates. These critiques are certainly
consistent with critiques of sport and society as a whole, yet another reminder of
how popular culture reveals and perhaps influences social values.
However, despite these limitations, the ability of sports talk radio to connect
a diverse community of individuals has tremendous possibilities. The
accessibility of the format makes for an extremely broad membership potential,
and when coupled with skillful application of group dynamics, this genre allows
members to have a strong sense of influence, inclusion, and connectedness. The
culture of sports talk radio can provide a unique opportunity to expand upon
conversations about sports to broader historical, social, and political themes,
thereby sparking awareness and connecting individuals to perspectives and