Phone in

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In broadcasting, a phone in, or call in, is where viewers or listeners air comments on-air via telephone, often regarding a specific topic of discussion for that day. On radio (especially talk radio), it's common for an entire program to be a phone in. On television, phone ins are often part of a wider program. A current example in the UK is The Wright Stuff.

BBC Radio Nottingham is credited for the first phone-in on 4 February 1968, in a programme called "What Are They Up To Now?"

Speech based Talk Radio UK was launched in 1995, with much of its programming featuring phone-ins. It also introduced the notion of the shock jock to the UK, with presenters like Caesar the Geezer and Tommy Boyd constructing heated discussions.

Ian Hutchby has researched power relations in phone ins, looking at arguments and confrontations. Using conversation analysis, he describes how the host retains power through devices such as "The Second Position" — the concept of going second in a discussion, giving the host time to formulate a response.

Similarly, the last word is always the broadcast word. The public can choose to end the conversation, but they are doing so by withdrawing from the interactional arena (Hutchby, 1996: 94-5; Talbot et.al.).

[edit] References

• Crisell, A. (2002) An Introductory History of British Broadcasting. 2nd ed. London Routledge.
• Hutchby, I. (1996) Confrontation Talk: Arguments, Asymmetries and Power on Talk Radio. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
• Talbot, M., Atkinson, K., and Atkinson, D. (2003) Language and Power in the Modern World. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.