Seminar caller

A seminar caller is someone who telephones a conservative radio talk show for the purpose of astroturfing, which is the mass promotion of a particular product, service, or opposing political point of view as if it were genuinely spontaneous, or grassroots. [see: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_042408/content/01125107.guest.html for example.]

Many seminar callers try to portray themselves as regular people, claim to agree with the host's point of view, then begin to read a contrary opinion from an agenda or list of talking points widely circulated by a group known to oppose the views of the host.

Seminar callers get their name from the seminars they attend to learn how to most effectively get their message on the air. However, faxes, e-mails and newsletters are more common modes of disseminating astroturf messages to seminar callers. Before the 2004 U.S. presidential election, seminar callers began to tell more elaborate stories to establish credibility, behaving as if they were actors playing the role of someone with beliefs opposite of their own, in an attempt to erode the opposing candidate's "base" of political support.

The term "seminar caller" was most likely coined by conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, but is in wide use among talk show hosts and audiences.

ee also

*Astroturfing