Larry King: The Pioneer of Mass Communication

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Larry King’s Background
The Rise of Larry King
Larry King’s Contribution to Media
Larry King’s Achievements
Larry King’s Legacy
Larry’s Impact on Media and Mass Communication
Larry’s interview with Joel Olsteen
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Lawrence Harvey is an American television host who was born on November 19, 1933 and died on January 23, 2021. King left a mark in the field of mass communication through his unique and unprecedented interview skills. Both specificity and simplicity in questions characterized his interviews of more than 30,000 people across different countries (Kerbel, 2019). Prominent leaders found it to be comfortable engaging in open conversation with Larry King since they were assured of neither humiliation nor intimidation. This paper will discuss Larry King as the media celebrity who has changed the field of mass communication.

Larry King’s Background

Lawrence Harvey Zeiger was born and raised in Beverly Grove, California, in the family of Jewish parents. Larry was the only child in the family who had a passion for mass communication at an early age. Since Larry left education after high school level, he stood little chance of making it to a great presenter. The ‘Numbers Guy,’ as he was referred to by callers while hosting the Larry King Show, makes one of the greatest broadcasters in media history despite not having taken a course in mass communication.

The Rise of Larry King

The number of college graduates in mass communication was intense; therefore, Larry often felt that his dream was moving away. The media journey was not smooth since Larry had to start as a casual worker and also take part-time disc jockey jobs to pay the bills. During his entire career, King was a selfless interviewer: the interviews focused on the guests, and he allowed them to be outspoken to please their audience.

Being young and inexperienced left Larry with no option but to take up cleaning tasks at the WMBM radio station in Florida. Even if moving to Florida was pointless, the passion for mass communication pushed the dreamer to take their chances. Advertisements had both persuasive and influencing power on Larry. King Alcohol brand in Miami Heralds advertisement influenced Larry to change his name from Zeiger to King. The name Larry King later became the name of his professional identity.

Larry King’s Contribution to Media

The first interview that Larry King conducted took place in 1957 at WMBM radio station. An employee who quit the presenter job in the media station made Larry have his first chance on air as a disc jockey. The ability to contain anxiety and enthusiasm promoted Larry’s career growth. King’s initial monologues instilled positive values in both listeners and co-workers. Furthermore, as a presenter, King significantly increased the popularity of WMBM.

Larry King’s Achievements

The Larry King show, which was introduced under the mutual broadcast program on CNN, was aired on more than 210 radio stations. According to Kerbel (2019), the effective use of media as a learning platform and the complexity of educational content depend on the presenter. Larry King’s interviews with a wide variety of guests on CNN’s Larry King show presented a significant learning opportunity for the listeners since a wide range of topics were discussed. Unlike other interviewers, Larry had the natural trait of asking straight and simple questions.

Larry King’s Legacy

Today, many media personalities have adopted Larry’s interview style since it reduces interviewees’ confusion. Through the night media program, Larry introduced a call-in talk program that discusses controversial issues. Politicians, entertainers, and professionals had the chance to discuss critical health, power, and sexuality issues. Larry King’s first interviews introduced an engaging conversation that gave the respondent the freedom to address multiple topics at once. Most of King’s interviews are one-sided and include closed questions. The public acknowledged the closed questions for their ability to narrow down the fact-finding process (King, 2018).

Larry’s Impact on Media and Mass Communication

Larry King perceived interviews as an information-gathering process and explained that clarity is the key to successful information gathering (King, 2018). The culture of asking simple and specific questions has attracted both professionals and politicians who discuss contemporary issues on modern television and radio. Moreover, one has to adopt non-confrontative arguments and always respect the status of the interviewee and their choice of words. Larry King’s habit of not digging too much into controversies improved public relations between the media and other fields (Kerbel, 2019).

Larry’s interview with Joel Olsteen

This is an example of one of the shows that King hosted during his works. King engaged in different conversations with the guests hosted by the shows. On 13th Jan 2014, Larry interviewed Joel Olsteen, an American Megachurch pastor of Lakewood Church and televangelist. They talked about homosexuality, and Larry needed to understand Joel’s views and position concerning the topic. The questions from Larry are clear and simple, with a very engaging conversation.

Conclusion

Larry King is a pioneer in the success of mass communication. His character was defined through his journey from an academically frustrated child to a successful presenter. Dedication, discipline, and self-motivation have led to his successful venture in a career despite high competition with elites and college graduates. Larry has confuted the highest number of interviews and therefore stands at the top of the Forbes list among media presenters. The modern media culture, which is diverse and integrates educational, enlightenment, and entertainment purposes, presents a part of his legacy. The massive popularity that Larry’s media houses receive demonstrates the level of his audience’s satisfaction. The interactive media approach is Larry’s defining character since his mode of asking questions is unique and easily understood. The comprehensive knowledge of diverse topics gave King the identity of a genius which places him among the historical media personalities.

References

Kerbel, M. R. (2019). Edited for television: CNN, ABC, and the 1992 presidential campaign. Routledge.

King L. J. (2018). Social media use during natural disasters: An analysis of social media usage during Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Proceedings of the International Crisis and Risk Communication Conference. Nicholson School of Communication.

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