Editing Talk radio (section)

===Shock{{anchor|Hot_talk}}===
'''Hot talk''', also called '''FM talk''' or '''shock talk''',<ref>{{cite journal|title=Ed Tyll Fires Up Growing 'Hot Talk' Category|journal=[[Mediaweek (American magazine)|Mediaweek]]|date=1999-04-05|volume=9|issue=14|page=16|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/services/business-services-miscellaneous-business/4805045-1.html|last=Bachman|first=Katy|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512012328/http://www.allbusiness.com/services/business-services-miscellaneous-business/4805045-1.html |archive-date=May 12, 2011}}</ref> is a talk radio format geared predominantly to a male demographic between the ages of 18 and 49. It generally consists of [[popular culture|pop culture]] subjects on [[FM radio]] rather than the political talk found on AM radio. Hosts of hot talk shows are usually known as ''[[shock jock]]s''.

[[Clear Channel Communications]] (which became iHeartMedia in 2015) has a select few hot talk stations under the moniker ''Real Radio'', while [[CBS Radio]] once had a larger chain of hot talkers known as [[Free FM]], though the brand was abandoned after a post-Howard Stern attempt to network the format failed within a year. It is usually found on FM radio [[active rock]], [[classic rock]], and country stations in morning drive, as the actual hot talk formatted stations have only achieved mediocre success as a whole compared to AM or conservative talk radio, or even FM music radio. It is also effectively a format that is unviable during an average workday in North America, due to the format's tendency to discuss topics wholly inappropriate for a workplace setting, and outside of discussions of attractiveness, largely repels women as regular listeners.

In March 2018, CBS Radio's corporate successor Entercom (now [[Audacy, Inc.]]) attempted a hot talk format in San Diego with [[KWFN|KEGY]] ''97.3 The Machine''. It featured a weekday lineup devoted to hot talk programs, blocks of [[classic rock]] interspersed with comedy bits during off-peak hours, and coverage of [[San Diego Padres]] baseball. However, the station attracted controversy later that month, when an advertisement for the station's forthcoming morning show ''Kevin Klein Live'' (which invited listeners to "jump ... to a new morning show", accompanied by a picture of the [[Coronado Bridge]]) was criticized for glorifying [[Suicide bridge|suicide by bridge jumping]]. The ensuing controversy prompted the Padres to scrutinize KEGY's direction; executive [[Ron Fowler]] voiced concerns over the team being associated with KEGY's "shock jock" content, threatening to possibly cut ties with the station and Entercom.<ref name="ut-couldend">{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/sd-sp-ron-fowler-says-padres-could-end-radio-relationship-0328-story.html|title=Ron Fowler says Padres could end relationship with new radio partner|last=Kenney|first=Kirk|work=San Diego Union-Tribune|access-date=2018-03-29|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="ut-nowshow">{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/sd-sp-padres-radio-station-morning-show-host-kevin-klein-a-no-show-0330-story.html|title=Radio host who caused uproar on new Padres station is a no-show|last=Kenney|first=Kirk|work=San Diego Union-Tribune|access-date=2018-03-30|language=en-US}}</ref> Kevin Klein's program never premiered, and the hot talk format was ultimately dropped on April 12, 2018, in favor of a conventional sports format as ''97.3 The Fan''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/sd-sp-padres-radio-station-now-all-sports-973-the-fan-0412-story.html|title=Padres flagship radio station goes all-sports and rebrands as 97.3 The Fan|last=Kenney|first=Kirk|work=San Diego Union-Tribune|access-date=2018-04-12|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2019, [[JVC Media]] began to establish a hot talk network in Florida branded as ''Florida Man Radio'' (in reference to the "[[Florida Man]]" [[internet meme]]), beginning with [[WDYZ (AM)|WDYZ]] in Orlando. The network has picked up personalities such as [[The Shannon Burke Show|Shannon Burke]] and [[Ed Tyll]], with the syndicated ''[[Bubba the Love Sponge]]'' serving as its morning show.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-08-19|title=The Answer Completes Its Move In Orlando|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/179473/salem-begins-orlando-format-shuffle/|access-date=2019-08-23|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-08-23|title=JVC Media To Launch Florida Man Radio In Orlando|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/179941/jvc-media-to-launch-florida-man-radio-in-orlando/|access-date=2019-08-23|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-11-05|title=Florida Man Radio Expanding To Gainesville; Adds Ed Tyll|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/181550/florida-man-radio-expanding-to-gainesville-adds-ed-tyll/|access-date=2019-11-06|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2022, after receiving the station in a trade from Audacy, [[Beasley Broadcast Group]]'s [[KXTE]] in Las Vegas shifted to a hot talk format for its weekday lineup, which consists primarily of syndicated morning shows (including ''Dave and Mahoney'', for which it is the flagship station, as well as ''[[Free Beer and Hot Wings]]'', and ''Dave & Chuck the Freak'' from sister [[WRIF]] in Detroit).<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-19 |title=Alt 107.5 Las Vegas Returns To Former X107.5 Branding With Hot Talk Flip |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/246265/alt-107-5-las-vegas-returns-to-former-x107-5-branding-with-hot-talk-flip/ |access-date=2022-12-19 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}</ref>

The genre has also shown up on [[satellite radio]] and in [[podcast]]ing, which typically have more creative freedom due to the lack of indecency rules and lower reliance on corporate advertising.

Other U.S. hosts specialize in talk radio [[comedy]], such as [[Phil Hendrie]], who voices his fictional guests and occasionally does parodies of other programs.