Unreported World

In the run-up to the 2012 US election, Krishnan Guru-Murthy meets the talk-radio hosts broadcasting to a country more polarised than ever before.

A news anchor steeped in the ethics of impartial reporting, and a former talk-radio show host himself, Krishnan finds his own values openly challenged and dismissed by these radio hosts, who say his neutrality is a form of bias and censorship.

It's a world where - almost - anything goes; broadcasters are free to say 'all Muslims should be bombed' on the air, though swearing isn't allowed.

Radio hosts don't care who they offend, and they cheerfully admit to political bias: they see it as their job to get Obama voted out.

The team meets Joyce Kaufman, the revolver-carrying Florida radio host fighting to get the core Republican vote out in this swing state.

She was at the Mitt Romney fundraiser where he accused 47 per cent of US adults of not paying federal tax, and she thinks people should be ashamed to live on welfare.

Part Puerto Rican, part Jewish, she describes herself as single to appeal to her listeners. 'The men think I'm available, and the women think I'm independent,' she tells Krishnan.

But when the team visits her home, they learn she's been in a happy relationship for years, and she says a lot of her anger on air is part of her performance.

Is she guilty of misleading her listeners during her shows by cherry-picking her facts? She says it's staying 'neutral' about issues like welfare dependency that's wrong.

In Mississippi, the team meets nationally-syndicated radio host Bryan Fischer, who believes Islam is a religion of hate and Muslims should convert to Christianity.

Krishnan meets him again in Washington, just one of a number of prominent right-wing radio hosts topping the bill at a huge 'values voters' summit along with Paul Ryan, and wielding huge influence within the Republican Party.

Talk-radio may be preaching to the converted, but in re-affirming the listeners' prejudices, Krishnan finds only highly partisan versions of the 'truth' survive.

Clips from Episode 9

• USA: Fighting Talk

• All Clips (1)