 Because Hightower's problem, among other things, is that advertisers would be a lot less interested in his show than in Limbaugh's, even if they have similar ratings, because of what Hightower is saying. |
| The whole process of getting licenses to broadcast, which took place decades ago, was done behind closed doors by powerful lobbies, and wealthy commercial interests got all the licenses with no public input, no congressional input for that matter. |
| So the competition isn't once you got the license, running the station; it's getting the license. |
| The number one lobby that opposes campaign finance reform in the United States is the National Association of Broadcasters. |
| Which is supposed to mean they're doing something in their broadcasting they would not do is they were simply out to maximize profit; if they were really public service institutions, not purely profit maximizing institutions. |
| Local television news, on both radio and television, is so appalling. Makes print journalism look like the greatest stuff ever written. |
| Our existing media system today is the direct result of government laws and subsidies that created it. |
| But having said that, there's also a sea change in attitude towards media. |
| If you look at the history of broadcasting, what you find is the National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association whose mission is to protect the interests of the commercial broadcasters. |
| Basically what they're saying is, if you want to be on TV, if you want to be a credible candidate, you've got to buy ads. And if you're not buying ads, you're not a credible candidate, we don't cover you. |
