Aesthetics as Weapons in the “War of Ideas:” Exploring the Digital and Typographic in American Conservative Web Sites

Abstract

Through a rhetorical analysis of three conservative Web sites, this essay explores how media aesthetics relate to political struggle, particularly within today's information economy. A Burkean reading reveals how selected sites exploit the digital aesthetic to promote identification; and, following the historical analogue of yellow journalism, position their users as activists against a “dominant liberal media.” Yet, by presenting themselves as “yellow” activists, conservatives risk alienating traditionalist patrons who value truth and authority. The essay considers how David Horowitz's FrontPageMag.com promotes identification by blending yellow spectacle with typographic austerity, uniting the conservative movement on-line. By conducting close readings of Web site aesthetics, the essay concludes communication scholars may further develop the meaning of “interactivity,” particularly as it assists political movements.

Acknowledgments

A previous version of this manuscript was presented at the May, 2006 biennial meeting of the Rhetoric Society of America, Memphis, Tennessee. The author wishes to thank Charles Soukup, the Editor, and reviewers, for their support and suggestions leading up to the publication of this piece.

Notes

In particular, various leftist Web sites exhibit similar traits as the conservative sites analyzed below. For instance, Liberal Politics United (2007) postures as a “watchdog” of the media and those in power (notably, conservatives), providing its members “alternative” news from leftist sources. The home of popular progressive group MoveOn (2007) is filled with interactive features to integrate web-users into its campaigns, such as the “Virtual March Against Iraq Escalation.”

Nielsen Net Ratings reported that Limbaugh's Web site was one of the top conservative sites visited the week of September 23, 2006 (Fox News Channel, 2006). Ann Coulter's (2007) official chat room claims 5,746 registered users who have posted 638,270 articles as of April 5, 2007. According to the Web site's counter, FrontPageMag.com (2007a) received about 63 million hits, with over 92,000 repeat visitors, as of March, 2007.

Here, I refer to Limbaugh and Coulter, who began (and have continued) their careers in traditional broadcast and print media. Talkers magazine reports that, in the fall of 2006, Rush Limbaugh's radio program drew over 13.5 million users weekly, making his the most-listened-to talk radio program in the country (“The Top Talk,” n.d.). Coulter's most recent book, Godless: The Church of Liberalism debuted at number one on the New York Times best-seller list, marking the fifth time she appeared on the list (“Ann Coulter's ‘Godless,’” 2006). Although their excessive, sensational discourse does not represent mainstream conservatism, their Web sites are indicative of the movement's tendency to mark itself as activist vis-à-vis new class authorities. Prolific neoconservative author David Horowitz represents a less sensational form of conservatism; yet, Horowitz has devoted much of his discourse to deposing “enemies” in the war of ideas.