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Broadcasting: Outline: - Radio and Television History - Broadcasting Policy

This document provides an overview of broadcasting history and policy in the United States. It discusses the history of radio and television broadcasting, including key events and innovations. It also examines broadcasting policy regarding spectrum allocation and ownership concentration rules over time. Specifically, it outlines the debate around spectrum scarcity and alternatives considered for spectrum allocation models, as well as trends loosening ownership restrictions.

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123 views7 pages

Broadcasting: Outline: - Radio and Television History - Broadcasting Policy

This document provides an overview of broadcasting history and policy in the United States. It discusses the history of radio and television broadcasting, including key events and innovations. It also examines broadcasting policy regarding spectrum allocation and ownership concentration rules over time. Specifically, it outlines the debate around spectrum scarcity and alternatives considered for spectrum allocation models, as well as trends loosening ownership restrictions.

Uploaded by

mastelecentro
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Broadcasting: outline

• Radio and Television history


• Broadcasting policy:
1) Spectrum
– Roots of goverment intervention
– Alternatives and trade-offs
2) Ownership concentration
• Cable's rise
Broadcasting history (Radio)
• 1881: The "musical telephone" was a major attraction at
the International Electrical Exhibition in Paris. The
Compagnie du Théatrophone, was established in Paris,
distributing music by telephone from various theatres
to special coin-operated telephones installed in hotels,
cafés etc., and to domestic subscribers. The service
continued until 1932
• 1895 Guglielmo Marconi sends a radio signal more than
a mile.
• 1919: Radio Corporation of America formed
Pooled patents (Westinghouse, ATT, GE)
• 1920: first US Commercial radio broadcast
No restrictions on who can broadcast
• 1926: RCA forms NBC to encourage receiver sales (later
forced to divest "Blue Network", which became ABC)
• 1927: CBS formed
• 1927 Radio Act: Licensing
Broadcasting History (TV)

• 1930s: experiments with "radio


with pictures" RCA
• 1940: National TV System
Committee (NTSC)
• 1946: TV service starts in US
12 VHF channels licensed initially
• 1950s: TV overtakes radio
• 1952: channel expansion – additional 70 UHF channels
(less desirable)
• 1953: Color TV
• 1980: 83% of households have color TVs
• Since 1990: 98% of households have TVs, cable passes
90% of US homes
Ownership concentration rules
• Radio station ownership limits
– 1940s: 7 AM and 7 FM stations
– 1985: 12 AM and 12 FM stations
– 1992: 18 AM and 18 FM
– 1994: 20 AM & 20 FM stations
– 1996: nationwide ownership limits for radio stations
eliminated.
• TV station ownership limits
– 1940s: 3 stations
– 1953: 5 stations
– 1984: 12 stations, max. reach of 25%
– 1996: any number, max. reach of 35%
• Cross-ownership rules
– 1975 ban of newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership
– Limits on number of broadcast station in single market
1920's radio policy debate
• Fundamental tension:
press freedom vs scarce spectrum
• Alternatives debated?
• Relative merits?
• Market for spectrum
– Why not initially?
– Primary vs secondary market
Spectrum and licenses
• Channels: artificial structure on ethereal resource
AM radio: 10 kHz / channel
FM radio: 200 kHz / channel
TV: 6 MHz / channel
• Spectrum scarcity leads to government allocation of licenses
• Who gets licenses? Typically powerful players
- existing radio stations received TV licenses
- existing TV station receive HDTV spectrum
- after initial allocation, secondary market
• License renewals: over 10,000 in the US since 1950s, only 50
contested, only 20 denied.
• Alternatives:
- spectrum auctions (primary market)
- unlicensed spectrum
• Trends: redefined basis for spectrum property rights
Spectrum policy trends
• Reallocation of spectrum from Federal
government use to non-Federal government use
• Allocation of more spectrum for mobile as
opposed to fixed applications
• Use of auctions to assign spectrum to particular
users (started 94)
• Increased licensee flexibility in the use of
assigned spectrum
• Continued support for unlicensed services
• Increased competition in the provision of all
telecommunications services, including radio-
based services
• Increased reliance on voluntary standards.

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