Re: Financing of media. Was: Mixed economy??? 26 Jul 1994 02:22:38 -0600 from <Trond.Andresen@itk.unit.no>

[Jim Devine <JNDF%LMUACAD.BITNET@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Speaking of advertising and the media: last week, while on jury
duty, I read a book review of a book that described the rise of
commercial radio in the US (which set the institutional parameters
for the rise of commercial TV).  (Unfortunately, I left the
magazine for other potential jurors to read, so I don't have
a reference. It was in the recent PROGRESSIVE.)  Initally, there
were large numbers of non-commercial radio stations, including
those owned by labor unions (WCFL in Chicago) and churches.  The
commercial broadcasters pushed for the establishment of the Federal
Radio Commission (now called the Federal Communications Commission)
and more importantly for specific NRC policies. They fought against
the very strong listener resistance to commercial interruptions.
More importantly, they used the FRC to destroy WCFL and the rest.
Then, many years later, they began to complain that the FRC/FCC
was interfering with their free-speech rights.

sincerely,

Jim Devine
jndf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx or jdevine@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Econ. Dept., Loyola Marymount Univ., Los Angeles, CA 90045-2699 USA
310/338-2948 (daytime, during workweek); FAX: 310/338-1950