The Beginning of Broadcast Regulation in the Twentieth Century

by Marvin R. Bensman

Overview

The Radio Act of August 13, 1912, provided for the licensing of radio operators and transmitting stations for nearly 15 years until Congress passed the Radio Act of 1927. From 1921 to 1927, there were continual revisions and developments and these still serve as the basis for current broadcast regulation.

This book chronicles that crucial six-year period using primary documents. The administrative structure of the Department of Commerce and the personnel involved in the regulation of broadcasting are detailed. The book is arranged chronologically in three sections: Broadcast Regulation and Policy from 1921 to 1925; Congestion and the Beginning of Regulatory Breakdown in 1924 and 1925; and Regulatory Breakdown and the Passage of the Act of 1927. There is also discussion of the Department of Commerce divisions and their involvement until they were absorbed by the Federal Communication Commission. A bibliography and an index conclude the work.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786407378
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	03/15/2000
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.56(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Professor Emeritus, Marvin R. Bensman taught 35 years at the University of Memphis such subjects as entertainment law, electronic media law and broadcast history. He is the founder and director of the Bensman radio program archive housed at the university and has served two terms on the board of the national Broadcast Education Association. He lives in Weston, Florida when not doing post-retirement teaching in fall semesters at the University of Memphis.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	v
	Preface	1
Chapter I	The Development of Radio Regulation	3
Chapter II	Broadcast Regulation and Policy from 1921 to 1924	29
I.	Preparation for Legislation	32
II.	First National Radio Telephony Conference	47
III.	Failure of Legislation	55
IV.	Regulation Without Legislation	64
V.	The Second National Radio Conference	80
VI.	The Bureau of Standards Through 1923	88
VII.	Summary	91
Chapter III	Congestion and the Beginning of Regulatory Breakdown, 1924-25	93
I.	Attempts at Legislation	95
II.	The Third National Radio Conference	101
III.	Secretary Hoover's Stand on Major Issues	119
IV.	Increasing Regulatory Difficulties	129
V.	The Fourth Radio Conference	140
VI.	Summary	150
Chapter IV	Regulatory Breakdown and the Passage of the Act of 1927	153
I.	The Breakdown of Regulation	155
II.	The Chaos	176
III.	The Passage of Legislation	183
IV.	The End of Broadcast Regulation by the Department of Commerce	200
V.	Summary	205
Chapter V	Regulation Under the Act of 1927	207
I.	The Power to Regulate	208
II.	The Radio Commission	210
III.	Powers Retained by the Department of Commerce	216
IV.	Radio Commission Becomes Federal Communication Commission	219
V.	Summary	221
	Notes	229
	Bibliography	255
	Index	263

Editorial Reviews

a useful addition to academic journalism collections”—Library Journal; “valuable reference...useful”—ISIS; “the most important study of this formative period of policy development”—Communication Booknotes Quarterly; “a very good job...clear, concise, extensively documented and well written”—North American Shortwave Association; “focuses on the years 1921 to 1927 which culminated in the Radio Act of 1927...full of interesting stories and anecdotes that illustrate and give insight into what was happening in radio during those early broadcast years”—North American Radio Archives; “the administration structure of the Department of Commerce and the personnel involved in the regulation of broadcasting are detailed”—Critical Studies in Media Communication; “important in the study of the early years of the medium”—Classic Images; “highly useful”—Journal of Radio Studies.

From the Publisher

the most important study of this formative period of policy development

Communication Booknotes Quarterly

valuable reference...useful

ISIS

a useful addition to academic journalism collections

Library Journal