"Good Morning, West Virginia".

• Author: Wyatt, William

Lawmakers are finding a new and entertaining way to keep constituents informed.

John Unger may be a member of the West Virginia Senate but between 8 and 9:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, don't call him senator. As the producer and host of WEPM-AM's Panhandle Live program, Senator Unger sets aside his title and focuses on entertaining and informing.

Unger is one of a growing number of state legislators who are turning to the airwaves to keep their constituents up-to-date on the latest news and information from the nation's statehouses. Over the past 20 years, talk radio has escalated in popularity. There were 1,350 news/talk radio stations nationwide in 1998, compared with 75 in 1980, according to an ongoing survey conducted by Talkers Magazine.

Although syndicated talk radio icons Rush Limbaugh and Laura Schlessinger continue to dominate the national airwaves, many local personalities are also getting into the mix. Among the more well-known politicians with their own local radio talk shows are Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura, former New York City Mayor David Dinkins and current New York City Mayor Rudolph Guiliani.

"Radio is an extremely powerful medium because it can be so localized," says Senator Unger. His radio show, like many others, focuses on local concerns--growth management, roads, education and rural health care.

Although most experts agree that the popularity of talk radio has leveled off since the conclusion of President Clinton's impeachment and trial, the combination of local celebrities, issues and the interactive nature has given the format staying power. Jim Greve, radio and television coordinator for the Minnesota House Republican Caucus, says the reason it has such broad appeal is that it gives listeners an opportunity to consider an issue based on more than what is offered by more traditional media outlets.

"Talk radio gives [hosts and guests] a chance to work beyond the sound bite to explain an issue," he says. "Listeners are able to debate both sides of the issue, which leads to a better informed public."

Talk radio listeners are generally well informed and politically active. The typical listener is not, as has been portrayed by many public figures, ultraconservative or even conservative. In fact, 60 percent of talk radio listeners consider themselves to be moderate or somewhat left in the political spectrum. And they tend to be voters. Sixty-nine percent voted in the 1996 presidential election compared with the...