Todd Starnes is looking at one big, beautiful feature, all thanks to President Donald Trump.
“I think the future looks really good,” Starnes said. “We are watching a generation of young Americans who are actually more conservative, and I think when I say conservative, I think more focused on those traditional American values from the 1940s and 1950s.”
Values like getting married, starting families, and going back to church are what Starnes believes build a successful country. It is this anticipated success that inspired his new book, The Golden Age: How Trump Saved America.
“One of the things that I’m really excited about in my book is that there is a lot of content that was created during my national radio show. There are also surveys being done in the industry showing that younger Americans are now embracing radio again, so what is old is new again, and I think that’s exciting,” Starnes enthused.
On his show, Starnes invites everyone to join him on his big Memphis porch. “There are a lot of folks out there that say you should not take calls from listeners, and I just do not ascribe to that philosophy. I look at my radio program as a giant front porch.” He added, “We love having those conversations. Folks come and sit in a rocking chair, and we debate the big issues of the day.”
Building Community Through Open Debate
And by everyone, he literally means everyone. “I have to give credit to my good friend, Lars Larson, because I stole this idea from Lars. Anybody who objects to me, they go right to the top of the list,” Starnes boasted. “We love the debate, but it has to be done in a way that’s not ugly, but is entertaining.”
Starnes, who has won an Associated Press Mark Twain Award for Storytelling, described his noon-3 p.m. ET show as “a little different, and it’s a little quirky, and we embrace the weirdness of my show.” He didn’t want to build a community by “screaming or lecturing” the audience for hours.
In fact, it’s Starnes’ experience that has led him to believe the most important thing a radio host can do is listen. “We’re so busy talking that we also need to listen to what our guests are saying and what our callers are saying, because you never know when that might turn the conversation in a different direction.”
Bringing Memphis Culture to the Airwaves
Instead of the typical New York/Los Angeles coastal experience, Starnes broadcasts from his hometown, which allows culture from inside the country to infiltrate the airwaves.
“One day I was interviewing President Donald Trump, and then that afternoon I was judging the great Memphis tomato contest at the Agra Center,” Starnes chortled. “Those are the extremes of my life. So we try to incorporate a lot of that into our program.”
By showcasing Memphis’ flavor, Starnes shows his audience the “home of the blues” has a lot more to offer than walking around in your blue suede shoes. “We have great barbecue here, and we just have good people. Memphis leads the nation in philanthropy.”
He went on to boast, “Memphis hosts the PGA FedEx St. Jude Classic, and for the whole week, we’ll do our show from the golf course.” His show also goes live in Graceland for Elvis Week, as well as other events.
From National Host to Station Owner
In many ways, Starnes is a typical, well-known conservative radio host — with a great show, several books to his name, and many awards. But one of his great achievements is also one he brings up humbly and casually in conversation: “When I left Fox in 2019, I actually purchased KWAM, the news radio station. So in addition to being a national radio host and an author, I also own a news radio station, which has just a storied legacy in the musical side of the dial, having employed great musical artists like Johnny Cash and B.B. King.”
KWAM is also one of the many radio stations whose signal was picked up on his childhood transistor radio.
“My grandfather gave me a transistor radio for Christmas one year. This was back in the 1970s. And I remember staying up late at night, and I would tune in that radio,” Starnes recalled. “For me, that was it. I became an immediate radio nerd, and I just love radio, but I also love writing. When I was in high school, I worked part-time at our local radio station, and then I worked part-time at our local newspaper.”
Advice for Aspiring Broadcasters
Starnes believes both writing and radio share a key element some are missing in today’s industry. “I think it’s important in our industry that we be able to tell stories. And I think it is becoming a lost art form in what we do. And so we work really hard at telling stories on our national radio show.”
So for those looking to follow in his footsteps, Starnes says, “My recommendation is to go and get involved. Even if you’re going to volunteer, go and knock on the door of your local radio station and get involved.”
He gave a great example of a go-getter now on his team. “We have a kid who showed up at one of our remotes on KWAM, and he loves doing video and digital, and asked if he could come by the radio station. And we said, ‘Sure.’ We ended up hiring that kid, and now he’s doing a lot of our digital work.”
“It’s really about getting involved, and also understanding that you’ve got to live life too. A lot of young people just want to jump right in and say, ‘Okay, I can be a talk radio host.’ And you probably can, but you also need to have life experience under your belt too,” he added. “I always encourage our team to get out there, live life, have fun, and enjoy it. That way, I think it makes you a better broadcaster.”
The Business and Community Side of Ownership
For those thinking bigger and wanting to own their own station, he says there’s a lot of trust and hard work involved. “You have to wear many hats when you own a radio station, and it’s tough, but it’s fun.”
He added, “For me, this was a tough thing. I want to be able to do everything, but you’ve got to be willing to trust your staff to do the work. I have a great staff, and they do a terrific job, and that’s an important thing — have good, solid staff.”
The other essential part of owning a radio station is making good connections.
“Jason Barrett, stepping out and hosting those industry events — those things are more than just speaking engagements. That’s building community. And we just need so much of that in the radio industry. The conglomerates have really hurt it. So it’s really a blessing to be able to have Summits like Jason just hosted, where people can come together and fellowship. Again, it’s that whole front porch concept, but I’m really thankful for that.”
Krystina Alarcon Carroll contributes features and columns for Barrett Media. She has experience in almost every facet of the industry including: digital and print news; live, streamed, and syndicated TV; documentary and film productions. Her prior employers have included NY1 and Fox News Digital and the Law & Crime Network. You can find Krystina on X (formerly twitter) @KrystinaAlaCarr.