Telecommunications, Mass Media, and Democracy: The Battle for the Control of U.S. Broadcasting, 1928-1935

410 Pages·1993·22.713 MB·English

by  Robert W. McChesney

Telecommunications, Mass Media, and Democracy
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Telecommunications,
Mass Media,
and Democracy
The Battle for the Control
of U.S. Broadcasting,
1928-1935
ROBERT W. McCHESNEY
New York Oxford
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
Oxford University Press
Oxford New York Toronto
Delhi Bombay Calcutta Madras Karachi
Kuala Lumpur Singapore Hong Kong Tokyo
Nairobi Dar es Salaam Cape Town
Melbourne Aukland Madrid
and associated companies in
Berlin Ibadan
Copyright © 1993 by Robert McChesney
First published in 1993 by Oxford University Press, Inc.
198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016
First issued as an Oxford University Press paperback, 1994
Oxford is a registered trademark of Oxford University Press
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior permission of Oxford University Press.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
McChesney, Robert Waterman, 1952—
Telecommunications, mass media, and democracy:
the battle for the control of U. S. broadcasting. 1928-1935/
Robert W. McChesney
p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 0-19-507174-3 ISBN 0-19-509394-1 (PBK)
I. Radio broadcasting policy— United States—History.
I. Title
HE8698.M34 1993 384.54"0973—dc20 92—15440
24689753
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper.
For Inger
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Acknowledgments
Many people have helped me with this book, although only I am responsible
for its failings. This project began in 1986 with graduate seminar papers at
the University of Washington for Roger Simpson and Don Pember. I would
like to thank Roger and Don and the following faculty and staff at Washington
for their support and encouragement: Tony Giffard, Lance Bennett, Jerry
Baldasty, Jack Berryman, and Pat Dinning. The late Bill Ames was my
Ph.D. supervisor until his death in 1989 and his influence will always mark
my work. At least I hope so.
My colleagues at Wisconsin-Madison have been very supportive, in par-
ticular Steve Vaughn, Sharon Dunwoody, Jack McLeod, and Jim Baughman.
Jim has read the manuscript, along with all my earlier work, and has provided
me with tough and insightful criticism. Whatever rigor is in the pages that
follow is due in part to Jim's input. It would be impossible for a colleague
to be more helpful than he has been to me. Cindy Schkirkie has provided
me considerable assistance with my numerous photocopying and mailing
requests.
This book is based in large part upon archival work. I would like to thank
the staffs of the Library of Congress, the National Archives in both Wash-
ington, D.C., and Suitland, MD, the State Historical Society of Wisconsin,
Princeton University Library, the AT&T Archives, the Chicago Historical
Society, the New York Public Library, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Li-
brary, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, the Western Reserve
Historical Society, the Rare Books and Manuscripts and Oral History offices
in Butler Library at Columbia University, and the Owen D. Young Library
at St. Lawrence University for their unfailing assistance.
I also want to thank the following scholars who read portions of the
manuscript or earlier papers and have helped me with their comments and/
Acknowledgments
or encouragement: Edward S. Herman, Thomas Ferguson, Jay Blumler,
Dallas Smythe, Marsha Siefert, William S. Solomon, Richard Du Boff,
Christopher Simpson, James Curran, Ben Bagdikian, George Gerbner, Chuck
Whitney, Ellis Hawley, William Boddy, Patricia Aufderheide, Herbert I.
Schiller, James Carey, Bruce Cumings, Tom Streeter, Ellen Wartella, Paul
Sweezy, Eric Rothenbuhler, Joel Bleifuss, Jeff Cohen, and Martin Lee. I
also required my graduate seminar in broadcasting history to read a draft of
the book; their comments were helpful and revealed a commitment to ruthless
criticism for which I was not entirely prepared. Special thanks go to Erik
Barnouw and John C. Nerone who took time from their schedules to read
the entire manuscript and provide me with several helpful criticisms.
I have also received very useful instruction on specific points that appear
in the book from Gwenyth Jackaway, Richard M. Schmidt, Nathan Godfried,
Robert Britt Horwitz, Susan Douglas, Robert Burke, Jean Toll, Richard
Rorty, Ward Quaal, Tom Lewis, Steve Classen, Sally Bedell Smith, Lizabeth
Cohen, Garth Jowett, Ian Jarvie, and Louise Benjamin. Andrew Feldman
and Inger L. Stole have provided me with research help on numerous oc-
casions, often times of a very demanding nature. It will be difficult to repay
them. My general political and intellectual analysis has been sharpened by
regular discussions with Vivek Chibber and John Bellamy "Duke" Foster.
Interactions with Bruce Need, David Ross, and Greg Feise have kept my
spirits high when loneliness threatened to set me off course.
At Oxford University Press David Roll and Wendy Driscoll have done a
grand job with a project they inherited. Thanks to Rachel Toor for the
confidence she showed in my research from the very beginning. Ellen Fuchs
and Steve Bedney have gone out of their way to address the angst of a novice
author. That this book is being published by Oxford is due mostly to Dan
Schiller. Perhaps the best part of the entire experience has been getting to
know Dan and making a close friend for life. I only hope this work begins
to justify the enormous amount of work Dan has done on its behalf.
Finally, throughout this project I have received the unconditional love and
support of my parents, Meg and Parker McChesney. My wife, Inger L. Stole,
understands fully the needs of a scholar, providing me with incalculable
assistance while inspiring me with a work ethic that makes my own pale by
comparison. Our exuberant daughter, Amy, has kept me from taking myself
or much else too seriously, all the while reminding me why it is so important
to make the good fight. I dedicate this book to my best friend, my most
demanding critic and my true love. Without her, this volume would not exist.
Contents
Abbreviations, xi
Principal Characters, xiii
I. Introduction, 3
2. General Order 40 and the Emergence of Commercial
Broadcasting, 1925-1930, 12
American Broadcasting Through the Passage of the Radio Act of 1927, 12
The FRC and the Reallocation of the Airwaves, 18
The Emerging Status Quo and the Reaction of the Immediate Parties, 29
3. The Broadcast Reform Movement I: The Payne Fund and Ferment
Among the Educators, 38
The Payne Fund and Radio Broadcasting, 1927-1930, 38
The National Committee on Education by Radio, 47
National Advisory Council on Radio in Education, 52
The Ventura Free Press Radio Campaign, 57
4. The Broadcast Reform Movement II: Nonprofit Broadcasters,
Civic Organizations, and Intellectuals, 63
Edward Nockels, WCFL, and Organized Labor, 63
Father Harney, the Paulist Fathers, and WLWL, 72
Pacific-Western Broadcasting Federation and Gross W. Alexander, 75
The ACLU Radio Committee, 80