RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

communities to set up their own stations . Not oniy could community stations give a political and cultural opening to people hostile to the Conservative Party , but also they would provide a very prominent example of economic organization which was not a Joint-stocK сотрапу . It is precisely these latent possibilities within radio broadcasting which has paralyzed the Thatcher government. In theory , it wishes to deregulate radio, but, in practice , it is terrif ied of the conseguences . If entry into the marketplace is inexpensive, there is no guarantee that friends of the Conservative Party will win the ratings war in a competitive radio sector . These contrađictions were exposed during the government's first hesitant steps toward the deregulation of rađio broadcasting . In 1986, the ministry responsible for broadcasting, the Home Office (Interior Ministry) , announced an experiment in community radio broadcasting . A small number of stations with low-powered transmitters would be licensed to see if there was a public demand for new services . However , Just 4 days bef ore licenses were. to be given out, the government suddenly abandoned its plans . It soon became clear that this đecision was a result of political paranoia . It was leaked that the Chairman of the Conservative Party hađ vetoed the scheme because some of the new stations might broadcast programs by Leftists of ethnic communities! (Barbrook 1987) Then the government decided to delay апу further decisions оп the future of rađio until after the 1987 election . They did this by prođucing a Green Paper on Radio , which is a consultative đocument preparing the way for legislation in Pariiament. The Green Paper is the latest attempt by the government to solve its self-inflicteđ problems in radio broadcasting . It is characterized by a top-down approach to the expansion of radio. What the government wishes to avoid is the French or Italian experience of a period of creative anarchy on the airwaves . But the Green Paper does promise a policy which will allow тапу different types of radio station to broadcast . l . . .the Government welcomes the prospect of a rich variety of services capable of meeting a wide range of consumer tastes , including those of minority communities.' (Home Office 1987: 28) This diversity includes continuing the full range of BBC services, as the prlvatization of Radios 1 and 2 is rejected. The provision of pop music is seen as an integral part of the services provideđ for by the license fee . (Home Office 1987:21 ) Once again , the corporation has triumphed over its political masters. However , the Thatcherite agenda is only partially abandoneđ . The Green Paper calls for the end of the

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