Editing Talk radio (section)

==Australia==
In [[Australia]], talk radio is known as "talkback radio".

The most popular talkback radio station historically was [[Media in Sydney#Radio|Sydney's]] [[2UE]], whose [[Populism|populist]] programs like [[John Laws|''The John Laws Morning Show'']], were widely syndicated across the continent. In recent years though, 2UE has been eclipsed by its Sydney rival [[2GB]] after the defection of 2UE most popular talkback host, [[Alan Jones (talkback host)|Alan Jones]].

As a result, 2UE and owned by the same company as 2GB) abandoned most of its rigid [[political]] and [[controversial issue|hot topic]]-driven talkback programming in 2016, moving to a less-serious lifestyle and [[branded content]] format, although still maintaining a talkback element.<ref>Canning, Simon [https://mumbrella.com.au/2ue-officially-launches-native-driven-talking-lifestyle-format-396238 2UE officially launches native-driven Talking Lifestyle format with Koch, Rowntree and Obermeder], ''[[Mumbrella]]'', 18 September 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2018.</ref><ref>Saxon, Peter [https://www.radioinfo.com.au/news/will-lifestyle-breathe-new-life-radio-2ue Will lifestyle breathe new life into Radio 2UE? (comment)], radioinfo, 19 September 2016. Retrieved 18 February 2018.</ref>

[[Melbourne]], [[3AW]] is the highest rating talkback radio station and has also been the highest rating Melbourne radio station for several decades in a row.

6PR personality Garry Meadows was the first announcer to use talkback radio in early 1967.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Making Radio: A practical guide to working in radio in the digital age|url=https://www.routledge.com/Making-Radio-A-practical-guide-to-working-in-radio-in-the-digital-age/Ahern/p/book/9781742372075|access-date=2021-04-27|website=Routledge & CRC Press|language=en}}</ref>  'Talkback' radio, using a seven-second time-lapse mechanism, began in Australia in April 1967, simultaneously on [[2SM]], Sydney (with [[Mike Walsh (TV host)|Mike Walsh]]) and 3DB, Melbourne (with [[Barry Jones (Australian politician)|Barry Jones]]). 

Female radio personality, '[[Dorothy Gordon (Australian actress)|Andrea]]', also began talk-back radio, in 1967, on 2GB in Sydney.<ref name="adrb">{{Citation |last=Griffen-Foley |first=Bridget |title=Dorothy Hetty Fosbury (Andrea) Jenner (1891–1985) |work=Australian Dictionary of Biography |url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/jenner-dorothy-hetty-fosbury-andrea-12697 |access-date=2025-01-27 |place=Canberra |publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University |language=en}}</ref>

In the 1990s and 2000s, "talkback" on FM was attempted. ''[[The Spoonman]]'' was a program hosted by [[Brian Carlton]] on the triple m network in the late 1990s and returned in 2005 for three and a half years, the show wrapping up in 2008. It was a show that covered many topics, but the "hot talk" format in the U.S. would probably be the best way to describe the program.

Talkback radio has historically been an important political forum in Australia and functions much like the cable news televisions in the United States, with live and "saturated" coverage of political issues.