jefnvk - It's because there's more bandwidth than news . That's not really true, but the really interesting stuff requires more than 30 seconds to absorb, and also requires that you pay attnetion and are able to digest compound and complex sentences. That and there's only so much news the American publik can abosorb in 20 min., when the majority of the audience has an attention span only slightly longer than a chipmunk's.
So rather than things that might actually effect your life like tax reform, SS reform, healthcare, securing the borders, etc, we get sensational and useless crap about MJ, run-a-way brides, the Pope, natural disasteratorcity du jour, American Idol and sportsblather. I guess that's why conservative talk radio is doing so well.
When there isn't much going on, sometimes '15 minutes of fame' can go on a while, or, the reason talk is cheap is because the supply generally exceeds the demand.