President Donald Trump dominated headlines — and the news/talk radio conversation — this week with a major announcement on Monday about the immediate future of law enforcement in Washington, D.C.
The President announced that he would be taking “historic action” to “take the capital back” by deploying the National Guard in Washington, D.C., and federalizing the city’s police department to “re-establish law and order”.
Midweek, the focus shifted when President Trump announced on Wednesday that he would ask the Republican-controlled Congress to extend federal control of Washington’s city police force beyond 30 days. This move further intensified his campaign to assert presidential authority over the nation’s capital.
The cable news channels were all over the story for multiple reasons. First off, many of them reside in the nation’s capital, so this one hit home for the anchors, reporters, and producers. And for those against the President, it was the latest reason they could claim he was acting as a King, Dictator, or fill in whatever synonym you’d like to use here.
However, talk radio had a different task in this conversation. Local shows needed to figure out how to localize the issue of urban crime to their communities. Meanwhile, national shows needed to figure out how to present the topic in a way that was relatable to listeners across the country, many of whom had likely never even visited Washington, D.C.
Remember, for most regular Americans, Washington, D.C., is a foreign place where the politicians they can’t stand “work,” spend their money, and largely enrich themselves. Right or wrong, that’s their viewpoint.
So if you’re a local show, just copying and pasting Fox News talking points on this issue would be a huge disservice to your listeners. Americans will be aware of issues in Washington, D.C., Chicago, and other major cities. However, some of the most violent cities on a per capita basis in America are overlooked cities by our national media outlets: St. Louis, Memphis, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Kansas City, New Orleans, and Las Vegas are not cities that most Americans would realize have some of the highest homicide rates in the country.
If you’re a talk show host in any of these communities, localizing this national topic is easy. And even if you’re in a safer city, has your town seen an uptick in crime in recent years? What are the main drivers? How stable is the police force? Is it fully staffed? The variety and depth of topics off the main topic tree for this issue create a tremendous opportunity.
Now, for national hosts, how do you make this story relatable to the rest of the country? Is Trump just using this Washington D.C. issue to tap into a sentiment that exists in many major urban centers around the country that their local leaders aren’t able to handle the violent crime increases in recent years? If you have affiliates in some of the higher per capita homicide rate cities in the country, can you lean on them? Utilize your local audiences nationwide to make it relatable to Americans in flyover country.
Rather than zooming in on the Washington D.C. specifics, zoom out from Washington D.C.
How about this: If Trump’s plan is successful, could he offer National Guard assistance to other cities? Would you want that for your city?
What’s a common thread to these cities around the country dealing with rampant homicide rates? They’re in blue states and red states, so how do we connect these dots? Is Trump’s DC decision bringing up a broader national conversation on crime that needs to be had?
Ultimately, the debate isn’t just about Washington, D.C. — it’s a mirror reflecting America’s struggle to balance authority, safety, and self-government in every city across the nation.
Be interesting, thoughtful, and have depth on this one. Your audience will thank you.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. To stay updated, sign up for our newsletters and get the latest information delivered straight to your inbox.
Pete Mundo is a weekly columnist for Barrett Media, and the Vice President of News/Talk for Cumulus Media, while also hosting “Mundo in the Morning” and programming KCMO Talk Radio in Kansas City. Previously, he was a fill-in host nationally on FOX News Radio and CBS Sports Radio, while anchoring for WFAN, WCBS News Radio 880, and Bloomberg Radio. He’s also the owner of the Big 12-focused digital media outlet Heartland College Sports. To interact, find him on X @PeteMundo.
Spot on, @PeteMundo. You avoided the two most dreaded words we read in media, Democrat and Republican. Without mentioning a party you gave us an interesting, clear and inclusive piece. While most media frames every reportable issue from a political posture you handed the reins to the reader.