Ralph’s Engelman’s dive into the history of public media lays out the history of non-commercial radio and television from a political perspective.  While he isn’t afraid to examine the form and content of various important programs, or touch on the localized history of notable stations, he primarily focuses on the big picture political-social-economic forces of American capitalism and representative government which shaped non-commercial media. Importantly, he doesn’t stick to the self-identified public platforms of NPR and PBS which are made for the public, but also covers, in detail, the media movements made by the public. He focuses especially on Pacifica Radio, and the Public Access Television movement. The book begins with a look at the early 1900s-30s, explaining how we arrived at a corporate dominated commercial system of broadcasting despite the fact that radio technology and form was developed and proven viable through non-commercial use. He puts a special emphasis on the Radio Act of 1927 and how, despite a great political battle, the commercial broadcasters won, guaranteeing them a special place above public radio. It next examines the history of radio post WW-II, starting with Pacifica, then NPR. Next, it looks at PBS. Finally, it covers the public access television movement.

In the realm of Public Access Television it explains how the concept was essentially started in Canada by George Stoney and the Challenge for Change program. And while it successfully gained a foothold in the United States, it took on a remarkably different form due to the significant political differences around television culture and funding. It is also interesting to see how public access changed in response to the times, both because of enforced political decisions from above, and the movement’s response to broader social changes.

Engelman, Ralph. Public Radio and Television in America: A Political History. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 1996. Print