A shock jock is a type of radio broadcaster or disc jockey who entertains listeners or attracts attention using humor and/or melodramatic exaggeration that a notable portion of the listening audience may find offensive. The term is usually used pejoratively to describe provocative or irreverent broadcasters whose mannerisms, statements and actions are typically offensive to many members of the community. It is a popular term, generally not used within the radio industry. A shock jock is considered to be the radio equivalent of the tabloid newspaper, for which entertaining readers is as important as, or more important than, providing factual information.
Confusingly, the term has been used in two broad (but sometimes overlapping) contexts:
(1) The radio announcer who deliberately does something outrageous and shocking (e.g., to improve ratings).
(2) The political radio announcer who has an emotional outburst in response to a controversial government policy decision.
Read more about Shock Jock: Background, Notable Incidents: United States, Notable Incidents: Great Britain, Notable Incidents: Australia
Famous quotes containing the word shock:
“Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark.”
—Henri-Frédéric Amiel (1821–1881)