Blog Post #3-Government regulation/intervention in Radio

Government regulation and intervention impacted the radio industry by requiring licensed stations,  controlling the content of the airwaves for military use and forms of gatekeeping.

Government regulation and intervention in the radio industry function to control its content. Licensing stations was necessary for helping ensure that frequencies would not cross but also made it more difficult for local stations to maintain their status. The Navy during WWI wanted the government to control the radio so that it could be used for military purposes and not be under foreign control. Gatekeeping comes into play as content is monitored to an extent. There is censorship with public radio which raises the issue of freedom of speech. Because of government interaction there is little diversity within radio except for differing genres of music or talk shows.

Radio in the 1920s was affected by government regulation and intervention as exemplified by the Radio Act of 1927. This was important for creating the FRC and structuring broadcasting, especially at night. This was also an important time for the government to step in when AT&T appeared to be monopolizing radio. The government intervened to keep radio regulated and not allow for any one company to dominate the airwaves.