How Conservatives Used New and Alternative Media to Take Power

Here is excerpt No. 32 (of 45) from America’s Right Turn: How Conservatives Used New and Alternative Media to Take Power, by Richard A. Viguerie and David Franke. One of the interesting things in this excerpt is how Newt Gingrich figured out how to use C-SPAN. One of C-SPAN's most ardent viewers was Ronald Reagan. Gingrich said,

We got more time with Reagan on C-SPAN than we did with Reagan in his office. That’s a very important reality.”

Brian Lamb created a nonideological vehicle, but it was a group of conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives who first realized how that vehicle could work to the advantage of people with an ideological mission. House rules allow “special orders” at the end of each day, when members can take turns speaking on any topic. Of course, by then the chambers are usually empty except for the handful who have something they want to say for the record. In early 1984, Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and his merry band of conservatives began using these “special orders” to talk methodically about conservative issues.

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