Radio Content Analysis

In Houston, the stations and hours studied all offered a mix in format and topics. KTRH (news/talk), the ABC and Clear Channel station, was all news in the morning hour, call-ins in the afternoon and all national programming in the evening. Even though it was an ABC affiliate, it did not turn to the parent network for national news headlines, but stayed with the local host. The only subject discussed at length in the two hours of local programming was divorce.

KSEV, a news/talk station since converted to just talk, offered local news, talk and call-ins in both the morning and evening hours but aired national talk shows at mid-day. The morning program offered a bit of contextual talk on the Zion murders but spent the bulk of discussion time and all call-in time on the state tax bill. Afternoon listeners heard more talk about a different national news item, the filibuster rule being debated in the U.S. Senate, but again all call-in time was on the state tax bill.