As the lead-up to the 2024 Presidential Election continues, one thing remains certain: this isn’t the first rodeo for Mike Gallagher.
The Salem Radio Network star has been discussing presidential elections for more than four decades. And while many outlets would like you to believe there is a general “Trump Fatigue” after the former President being in the political spotlight for more than eight years, Mike Gallagher says he hasn’t encountered that on his program.
“People who say that there’s a Trump fatigue really don’t get it,” Gallagher argued. “You could say there’s a political talk fatigue. You can say there’s a talk radio fatigue. That just debating issues — there’s a fatigue to that. This guy is a gift from the talk radio gods and in 2024 its going to come to a head, because who knows how this is going to play out.
“I haven’t witnessed any kind of Trump fatigue from my audience. I haven’t witnessed any kind of pushback. And I don’t really know if my audience is different from others. I’ve had a great deal of success in the last few years. And frankly, all of my revenue and ratings numbers increased exponentially over the last seven or eight years,” admitted Gallagher. “So, I think people in our world look to a sort of a Trump-friendly audience and that’s where we live now. It’s not going to be forever and we’re gonna have to come up with an act two when all of this plays out one way or the other.”
There’s been a seismic shift in the talk radio landscape in recent decades, with the genre moving away from more general topics to many hosts carving a decidedly conservative niche into the space. Gallagher is one of the hosts who has built a strong conservative audience, but he’s quick to point out that while he’d love to talk about more lifestyle topics, the audience ultimately gets what it wants.
“People don’t feel like they’re getting straight talk from the legacy media. They’re not getting views that they want to hear. So we’re we’ve always been billed as sort of the alternative media.
Now it’s almost all that, and I admit I kind of miss those days of coming up with and crafting a really unique original talk topic,” said Gallagher.
“But the truth is, right now people want to know how they’re going to pay the mortgage. They want to know if the illegal immigration crisis is going to cease. They want to know if it’s safe to go out at night to dinner with your wife and kids…I think the challenge for a good broadcaster is make sure it stays entertaining. Make sure there’s some levity, and make sure that there’s a mix. Because if it’s just all gloom and doom, and ‘The country’s going to hell in a handbasket’, that’s not fun. That’s no way to make a living. So that’s the goal: to try and make it as wide-ranging, entertaining, and compelling as possible.”
As his career has grown, Mike Gallagher has learned from some of the biggest and best talk radio program directors. He pointed to a pair of them as major influences in his success in Greg Anderson, who eventually formed the Salem Radio Network which Gallagher is a part of today, and current Salem executive Phil Boyce.
“Phil is, without a doubt, the most insightful, intuitive programmer I’ve ever come in contact with. He knows what works,” Gallagher said. “Working with Phil continues to be one of the joys of my life, because I just learn so much from him. And his instincts are so good…he continues to be a profound influence on me.”
Since beginning his radio career in Dayton, Ohio in 1978, Gallagher has seen plenty of longevity and notoriety in the news/talk radio space. He believes part of his staying power is due to his insistence on constantly evaluating not only his performance but the medium as a whole.
“It really just comes from years and years of doing it,” said Gallagher. “I study it. I’ve always tried to study it, get better at it, and learn how to do it right. And that, to me, is what’s really important. I don’t take it for granted. I think that’s one of the reasons I’ve had such longevity is I always study it and try to figure out a better way to do it every day.”
The industry now works in a multi-platform world, and Mike Gallagher is no different. In addition to his show airing on terrestrial radio stations on the Salem Radio Network, a video simulcast also appears on Salem News Channel. And while Gallagher admits having new avenues to distribute his show has changed him as a broadcaster, he still is learning about news/talk radio’s best practices every time he cracks the mic.
“I’m 63; I’ve been at this for 40 — almost 45 — years. I’m still learning every single day. And Lord knows now I gotta learn about streaming video and what light is better, and what’s not better and what’s the right kind of powder to put on my stupid, ugly face, and what sportcoat looks good with the blue background,” Mike Gallagher joked. “I am still learning. And hopefully, I’ve got a number of years left in me to keep keep keep the ride going.”
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing daily news stories, features, and opinion columns. He joined Barrett Media in 2022 after a decade leading several radio brands in several formats, as well as a 5-year stint working in local television. In addition to his work with Barrett Media, he is a radio and TV play-by-play broadcaster. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
Lol. Mark Levin sez Hugh Hewitt is a RINO