Radio And Television Acts Since 1912

In the book, Politics and Television by Kurt Lang states: “The system of broadcasting used in the United States is based on private ownership and operation of radio and television stations and on the licensing and regulation of such stations by an agency of the federal government.” Since the beginning of radio and television existence, regulation has been a key factor. From the first Radio Act in 1910 to the most recent, broadcasting has grown to become the mass media that we all know today.

According to the book Broadcasting and the Public by Harrison and Robert Summers, The first radio law, enacted by Congress in 1910, required American passenger ships to install wireless equipment as a safety measure with the operators and transmitters being trained by the U.S. Department of Commerce. In 1912, an amendment of 1910’s law extended the licensing provisions to cover wireless installation on land. Both laws dealt with radio as a devise used for point-to-point wireless communication. “Broadcasting” as we know it today was yet to be known.

Formal broadcasting began in 1920. Such early stations were regulated and licensed by the Department of Commerce. With the number of stations

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