End of an Era: Focus's James Dobson to Leave Radio
By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country
The deaths of former Moral Majority chief Jerry Falwell and activist/televangelist D. James Kennedy in 2007 and of Moral Majority cofounder Paul Weyrich last year had lots of people talking about how the Christian right's founding fathers were literally disappearing.
But Friday's announcement that James Dobson is leaving Focus on the Family's daily radio show has much bigger political ramifications. Whereas Falwell and Kennedy had watched their power fade decades earlier and Weyrich was a behind-the-scenes Washington player rather than a cultural force, Dobson is still hugely influential among millions of Americans, particularly evangelicals. By leaving his radio show, Dobson is giving up his biggest platform.
Dobson's political clout always depended on his daily radio show, which was called Focus on the Family even before the ministry of the same name began growing up around it in the late 1970s. The program, carried on roughly 2,000 American radio stations, is Dobson's pipeline to the evangelical masses. While Dobson's 2003 decision to step down as Focus's president and his resignation last year as chairman of the organization's board didn't really compromise his political influence, giving up the radio show does.
I discussed how Dobson's daily broadcast gave him unique influence in my book, The Jesus Machine:
Early on, [Dobson] perceived that his broadcast, by connecting him to listeners every day, presented him with the opportunity to win their trust and to help instill in them an orthodox Christian worldview that rejected the reigning postmodernism. "He was skeptical as to the lasting impact of just speaking once to any group," says Peb Jackson, who would become Focus's first public affairs director. "He was more interested in long-term relationships. That was why the daily radio show was the perfect medium. He is in your face every day, talking about the issues and values and he felt that happened over a period of time. . . . You could get people whipped up with music or by a great speaker, but he felt radio was transformational in helping people define their thinking on issues."
Of course, that includes political issues. Going forward, Dobson will turn some heads when he appears as a guest on Focus radio shows or on the Fox News Channel. But you can't maintain the kind of bond honed through daily contact with listeners with occasional media appearances.
This is the end of an era.
Tags: religion | James Dobson
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Reader Comments
Dobson leaving - oh no Jesus will fall of the throne
How interesting - I just listened to him this morning. It was hard to tell if he was teaching Jesus principles. His message has become one of politics like so many other Christian right of today. When you deconstruct their reasoning - it appears they have reduced Christianity to nothing more than a political vote – vote republican and somehow you are a Christian – vote democrat and you somehow are responsible for all the abortions, even those under the republican presidents. Their main driver is the abortion subject and a deceptive pro-life republican vote getter campaign. Where the hec was Dobson when we were killing innocent people in Iraq – oh I forgot that is not America. Once I realized their deceptive tactics I stopped playing their game. I converted to voting Democrat.
It is funny how I have watched James Dobson and host of others spend the last 21 years waiting for the Republican Party to legislate their doctrine. It is sad to see them leaven the loaf of Christianity with worldly politics and then put their faith in a political party that has been deceiving them for so many years. To me, Dobson is a just another Christian right talking-head that has lost its savor.
Does Christ's Church stand for TRUTH & JUSTICE?
I was raised on Dr. Dobson, and have just sent him seeking his help to help me stop loosing faith in the Christian Church. My Mom respects Dr. Dobson as much or more than any other Christian leader, and she is interested to see his response. I only started learning the truth about the 9/11 attacks last fall. It took me an entire year to get my parents to listen to me, and begin reviewing the evidence for themselves. Now that they have thoroughly and objectively taken a fresh look into all the evidence, they too are now aware of how badly we have been deceived. They now fully support my mission to find out what really happened to 2,993 of our fellow citizens that fateful September morning. My mom is very interested to see how/if Dr. Dobson will respond. Please read my open letter to Dr. Dobson and share your thoughts at.........
http://blandyland.com/?p=459
Does Christ's Church really stand for TRUTH & JUSTICE? That is the question!
Daniel Edd Bland III
www.BlandyLand.com
Dr. Dobson
Though I never met him, Dr. Dobson was my father, my mentor, my teacher. I will miss him dearly. We raised three children on his principals. They are all in their 20's and are all serving the Lord in a mighty way. All of my friends feel the same. Think of all the 20 somethings who are living Christ-like lives because of their parents listening to Dr. Dobson every day.
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