Noam Chomsky on Public Broadcasting and Alternative Media (1989)

March 1989 http://www.amazon.com/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww....

Watch the full lecture: http://thefilmarchived.blogspot.com/2010/08/noam-chomsky-on-manufacturing-con...

Public broadcasting in the United States is as old as broadcasting itself. Most early public stations were operated by state colleges and universities, and were often run as part of the schools' cooperative extension services. Stations in this era were internally funded, and did not rely on listener contributions to operate; some accepted advertising. Networks such as Iowa, South Dakota, and Wisconsin Public Radio began in this way.

The concept of a "non-commercial, educational" station per se does not show up in U.S. law until the 1940s, when the FM band was moved to its present location; the part of the band between 88.1 and 91.9 MHz is reserved for such stations, though they are not limited to those frequencies. For example, WBAA-West Lafayette, Ind. has its FM frequency at 101.3 MHz. Houston's KUHT was the nation's first public television station, and signed on the air in 25 May 1953 from the campus of the University of Houston. This phenomenon continued in other big cities in the 1950s; in rural areas, it was not uncommon for colleges to operate commercial stations instead (e.g., the University of Missouri's KOMU-TV, an NBC affiliate).

In the United States, public broadcasting is decentralized and is not government operated, but does receive some government support. The majority of funding comes from community support to hundreds of public radio and public television stations, each of which is an individual entity licensed to one of several different non-profit organizations, municipal or state governments, or universities. Sources of funding also include on-air fund drives and - on public radio stations - the sale of underwriting "spots" (typically 15--30 seconds) to sponsors. Public radio and television organizations often produce their own programs, but purchase or receive most of their programming from national producers and program distributors such as National Public Radio (NPR), Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Public Radio International (PRI), American Public Television (APT), and American Public Media. U.S. Federal government support for public radio and television is filtered through a separate organization, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

Events that began in 1967 led the Ford Foundation to change its stance and push for a WNDT-NET merger. The newly-formed Corporation for Public Broadcasting (created by an act of the United States Congress) initially supported NET's network role, while providing government funding for programming. But that move was followed two years later with the establishment of the Public Broadcasting Service as the CPB's own distribution system—a direct threat to NET's turf. It has been intimated that CPB's creation was an attempt to curb NET's production of controversial documentaries and replace it with a less controversial, government-friendly broadcaster, less hostile in particular to the Johnson, and later the Nixon administrations. (NET, not only ignored the demand, but also flat out refused to stop the production of these critically-acclaimed programs.) At one point, President Nixon, frustrated with NET's documentaries criticizing his administration, especially its handling of the Vietnam War, very nearly managed to cut NET's $20 million funding grant in half. This led to the Ford Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting both threatening to withdraw their funding grants for the network, unless it merged with the station. Not long after, Ford brokered the merger of WNDT and NET, which took effect on June 29, 1970. Channel 13's callsign was changed to the present WNET on October 5, 1970. NET ceased network operations, though WNET continued to produce some shows for the national PBS schedule with the NET branding until about 1972.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Noam
• Chomsky
• public
• broadcasting
• PBS
• WNET
• america
• united
• states
• free
• business
• corporate
• advertiser
• pressures
• state
• independent
• society
• bbc
• margaret
• thatcher
• reactionary
• anti-democratic
• freedom
• of
• expression
• conservative
• israel
• tv
• england
• canada
• donations
• NY
• hunger
• censored
• radio
• television
• commercial
• liberal
• bias
• media
• interview

[myrecordcollection]

In his work, Chomsky makes clear that "democracy" is an ideal that the United States ought to live up to, not its actual current condition. In the introduction to his book Media Control, for instance, he explains two conceptions of democracy: one in which the public participates in self-management, and another in which this does not happen. In Chomsky's assessment, the USA today exemplifies the second conception.

[WulfBand]

@Mewzickchannel That's about as stupid as your comment.

[Mewzickchannel]

@WulfBand Ahahahahaha

You ignorant fuck !

[WulfBand]

It's hard to take this guy serious who doesn't know that the US is NOT a Democracy, we are a Republic.

[2222554]

PBS Last Remaining Vestige Of Independency Remaining

Every nation needs at least 'one' independent station... PBS is that station. And it is already in every nation already. Except like was said, 'states' are controlling them, and socialist pushing social programs are sitting at the helm of them... And well they may not be willing to give up that power in those socialist 'states', and no one will be able to do a thing about it.

[2222554]

PBS Last Remaining Vestige Of Independency Remaining (cont.)

But here in America we have a chance, because the station is still not 'state' ran. If you do not start supporting PBS it will be soon... You see? We all need to get behind what 'little independent' sources remain in this land, and in the world...

[2222554]

That restraint limiting PBS...

We need to support our Public Broadcasting Stations. Not only support them but like as is with the Tea Party Movement, we need 'patriotic business owners and leaders' who are willing to help PBS become 'STRONG' again... Ones that are VERY aware of making sure that there is at very least one 'fully independent' station/news/info... You think 'Frontline' is 'hard hitting reporting'? Imagine if they were fully 'independent' as well the show 'independent lens'...