AM Band of Brothers

Abstract

This essay analyzes the komentaristas (commentators) and their daily programs on AM radio. These people have played a most active role in the nation’s political discourse. They can be politicians (active or former) who use radio to either increase their electoral stock or continue their public service. The nature of radio programming is also analyzed, as well as the various audiences of radio programs through the years. This essay concludes that the emergence of more programs in more radio stations is a welcome development. The same holds true for increased audience participation due to emergence of new technologies like texting. However, in the interaction between komentarista and listener either through phone or text messages, the discussion has generally displayed the audience’s visceral and unmediated rather than critical and reflective response to basic issues.