Longtime radio host and program director Peter Laufer takes the reader behind the scenes of this carnival-like business in a trenchant account of the fastest-growing radio format in America.

Inside Talk Radio traces the evolution of today's talk shows back to the earliest days of radio as the author explains how talk show hosts such as Don Imus, Bob Grant, Larry King, and others - with no credentials other than their ability to entertain - developed into powerful political pundits and arbiters of popular culture.

Using his insider's access to various aspects of the radio industry, Laufer takes the reader into talk show studios and explains how the hosts use technology to manipulate the callers and consequently the content of programs. Inside Talk Radio debunks the myth that the media in America are dominated by liberals. And for readers who themselves want to talk on the radio, Laufer offers specific, step-by-step techniques for improving their chances of getting on the air.