Paul Harvey will go down in history as a radio icon. His decades-long program, a mixture of reminiscence and witticism, fostered unprecedented bipartisan listenership. When Harvey spoke, people heard his warmth and sincerity. And when he seamlessly folded advertising messages into the program, everyone forgot they were listening to a commercial — or host-endorsed content from the original influencer.
By our modern definition, Harvey was an influencer. Plenty of radio announcers, podcasters, and YouTubers have adopted his pioneering style, transitioning the conversation between organic and paid content without breaking stride.
