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Cable Regulation: A Counterrevolution |
| Section: CURRENT ISSUES / MEDIA IN REVIEW |
| Author: Cliff Kincaid |
| Publication:
The World & I Online |
| Issue Date: 1/1/1993 |
| Size: 1,952 Words, 12,602 Characters |
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The communication explosion is threatening to leave broadcast television in the dustbin of history. Competition from cable, VCRs, satellite dishes, and other technologies has cut deeply into audiences of once-powerful ABC, CBS, and NBC.
Cable itself revolutionized communications by promising improved reception of existing broadcast signals and providing viewers with satellite-delivered cable networks. The growth has been enormous: In 1976, only one-third of television households had access to cable; by 1990, that figure had climbed to 91 percent. The number of subscribers rose during this period from 51 to 61 percent.
Yet, news junkies and consumers stand today on the verge of another revolution that could bring you several hundred channels, in which you could listen to, communicate with, and watch people all over the country--indeed, the world. It would be a system bringing you movies, sports, and educational videos. There could be news, information, and entertainment options to satisfy the widest possible variety of tastes. But more importantly, you could not only receive but also send information and pictures from your computer.
In their national best-seller, Megatrends 2000, John Naisbitt and Patrica Aburdene write, "We a...
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...tin boards give way to "telecomputers" exchanging video programs.
But there's no reason for government to build this infrastructure or force any of these industries to play a role in building it. What's required is that government at all levels get out of the way, cut the taxes and regulations that inhibit innovation, and let the revolution begin. Then, the revolution will be televised.
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Publication Details
(The World & I Online) |
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The World & I Online is a
comprehensive academic resource that encompasses a broad range of
articles by scholars and experts in the areas of Global Studies,
Liberal Arts, Fine & Applied Arts, General Science, and Spanish.
Originally published monthly in print as The World & I, our site
includes the complete contents since 1986 and continues to publish
a new issue online each month. |
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