Who owns television airwaves

The same laws that protect the publishing of frivolous comic books also guard the journals and books carrying the great ideas that test the foundations of society. To get the wheat, we endure the chaff, for nobody has shown us how to destroy the one and still preserve the other. A Beclouded Issue Yet this wonderful shield of the First Amendment, so jealously guarding printed matter and speech in open-air parks, becomes beclouded when the issue of the airwaves is discussed.

This is as if a magazine or a newspaper had to make all of its editorials of the "pro-and-con" variety. It was an attempt to define the public service responsibility of licensees, and it triggered congressional charges that the FCC was censoring and controlling programs. It is the old story: a federal agency given broad powers is actually forced to begin regulating and controlling in order to do its job properly. As we have already seen, the Supreme Court ruled explicitly against licensing of the press.

It was flatly held to be censorship. What happens this year or next may not seem especially offensive. But we live in a time when the pressures for centralism in the U. Minow is also a man of good will and his words ring with high moral purpose. Yet it is the duty of the rest of us to see clearly what must be the inevitable outcome. Thus, Mr. They are simply one part of a massive campaign to thrust the government into every activity.

The remarks carried the subtle implication that it is wrong to try to persuade people to buy things, when in fact successful salesmanship has again and again been shown to be a necessary phase of the distribution function. The egotism of these powerful, entrenched centralists is a frightful thing to behold.

In Britain the British Broadcasting Company held a tight monopoly of the radio industry, and, when it developed, television. One of the bureaucrats who headed the BBC and hence held immense power was J. The reason is simply that the market is forcibly restrained, and new ideas for increasing or varying broadcasting services are thwarted in the FCC hearing rooms. In fact, the entire broadcasting industry has some of the characteristics of a government-protected cartel, with broadcasters protesting FCC discipline and yet accepting the inevitable market protection the exclusive license provides.

Yet, it would be a sad day for the cause of liberty if the main remaining arguments favoring freedom became simply those showing it to be more efficient. Time Warner Cable, Inc. The company formally split from its parent, Time Warner, Inc.

Time Warner now has Verizon offers its wireless services to over 98 percent of the U. Other : Terremark Worldwide, Inc. Print Consolidation has contributed to tough times for the newspaper industry. Take Action to save the print industry from itself. Take Action to stand up for your online rights. It runs iTunes, the largest online music store, and distributes its products at retail stores nationwide.

It offers a host of online services and produces the Android operating system, the top-selling mobile device OS. It also offers a variety of software and online services, including the number-two ranked search engine, Bing. Too many incarcerated people and their loved ones pay astronomical phone rates to stay connected. New legislation could finally bring relief. Here are the milestones achieved since we launched. Act Now Arrow. Skip to Main Content Skip to Search.

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