Why Is Glenn Beck So Popular?

I have had a few discussions recently with a colleague about Glenn Beck's sudden popularity. Since coming to Fox News, Beck has vaulted into the number one position at 5pm, at least among all cable programs, if not network, as well.

Last year, before changing networks, I believe Beck was on CNN. I'd see him occasionally while channel surfing. To me, he was this guy with a crew cut and an old-style radio microphone sitting at a desk. Usually proclaiming loudly and in a surprised voice.

Now, Glenn Beck has a much different approach. An approach my colleague, a well-educated, very intelligent businessman finds off-putting. To him, Beck is too high-voltage, simplistic and animated.

However, as I contended in a recent conversation with my friend, that is precisely why Glenn Beck is now so popular.

Simply put, Glenn Beck knows how to appeal to a large audience, on television, about fundamental political and philosophical topics. He takes dry topics and animates them in a disarmingly simple fashion.

A few years ago, I was a guest on Bill O'Reilly's Fox News program. During a break in taping, due to an equipment malfunction, O'Reilly began to critique the comments and responses to his questions that we had just taped. He found my approach to be a bit too esoteric for his audience.

To paraphrase O'Reilly, he said something like,

'Listen, I'm not Neil Cavuto, and you're not on his show. My audience is different. The folks want things simple and direct. Keep it simple and clear.'

My subsequent, simpler answers and comments were just what O'Reilly wanted.

I think that, like Bill O'Reilly, Glenn Beck knows exactly who his audience is. Most of the people who watch him aren't like my colleague.

They aren't as well-read, deliberative or educated. Whereas my friend would like to see the old-style Beck, engaging in deep discussions with a series of guests, the new Beck is much more lively and engaging.

What Glenn Beck has done, really, is move to an all-visual presentation style that appeals to his audience. Watch his show and look at his props.

The whiteboard on which he frequently scrawls his points. Or uses with magnetic-backed pictures of people to fill in points on some diagram of Wonderboy's administration.

He frequently plays videos again, and again, and again. Especially key clips from Wonderboy's campaign speeches. Like the one telling you to judge him by his advisers. Then Beck will play an embarrassing, revealing video of an Obama adviser over, and over, and over again.

Repetition is what makes such an impact on children. I saw my own children watch Barney or SpongeBob reruns more times than I could literally count.

Beck also uses a large video screen to project pictures topical to his comments.

The other day, as he was chiding South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsay Graham, as a reply to Graham's dismissive remarks about Beck a few weeks ago, Beck pointedly had a large, clear, incredibly unflattering picture of Graham's face in a weird smirk, with one eye closed, left on his immense screen for about 3 minutes.

It was a priceless visual burning into viewers' brains that Graham is a goof-ball. Nothing like a silly picture to leave an image.

The other thing Glenn Beck takes to heart is that we learn best when offered multi-media inputs. Beck will talk while either working at his whiteboard, pointing to pictures, or running videos. There are almost always at least two media streams coming at you.

And, lastly, Glenn Beck is an entertainer. He has learned to entertain as he preaches and teaches. His shows are vibrant, and, in Marshall McCluhan's vernacular, very "hot."

Add it all up, and Glenn Beck behaves more like your favorite high school or college teacher than a dry television program anchor.

He's just as deep as the latter and, actually, deeper than most nowadays. But because he wraps everything in high-energy video, movement and dynamic action, even dry topics like the Constitution, Woodrow Wilson's Progressivism, and our Founding Fathers, come alive.

And that is why Glenn Beck is the most popular guy on television at 5pm.