Jay Fenello wrote:
>Before the Internet, we could not tell that big business
>had been using exactly same techniques with ICANN, that
>it had with the WTO, NAFTA, etc. We could not tell that
>a knowledgeable minority existed in each of these battles,
>and despite their protests and well reasoned arguments,
>they were ignored and marginalized by our government and
>by our press.
What I have read of the history of the establishment of radio
and TV broadcasting in the US indicated that a knowledgable
minority existed who were opposed to the mass commercialization
of the medium. They were unable to have more impact for a variety
of reasons, including:
* They were divided amongst themselves, and the large commercial
interests were more unified.
* The large commercial interests were able to put together a plan for
broadcasting that the US Congress thought was sound.
* Economic conditions at the time (1930s) favored the large
commercial broadcasters, as it was thought they would stimulate
the economy.
* Radio and TV were not something the public at large in general felt
they needed to involve themselves in on a political level.
--gregbo
