The Politics of Radio and Television in Western Democracies
Rodriguez Hedenbratt, Nicolas LU
(2025)
- Abstract
- Using original archival evidence, this doctoral dissertation describes and explains differences in how Western democracies have governed radio and television, tracing interest group struggles over broadcasting in four countries from early radio policy to the rise of cable and satellite television in the late twentieth century.
Rather than framing political conflicts over radio and television as a binary dynamic between “state” and “market,” the thesis argues that policy outcomes emerge from a tripartite power struggle featuring state agencies, commercial enterprises, and groups from the third sector. It also distinguishes between whether these interests are engaged in the production of program content, or the operation of the... (More) - Using original archival evidence, this doctoral dissertation describes and explains differences in how Western democracies have governed radio and television, tracing interest group struggles over broadcasting in four countries from early radio policy to the rise of cable and satellite television in the late twentieth century.
Rather than framing political conflicts over radio and television as a binary dynamic between “state” and “market,” the thesis argues that policy outcomes emerge from a tripartite power struggle featuring state agencies, commercial enterprises, and groups from the third sector. It also distinguishes between whether these interests are engaged in the production of program content, or the operation of the technical infrastructure required for program distribution.
To explain institutional change over time, the study identifies two types of exogenous systemic shocks — revolutionary communication technologies and international threats — that can reshape the governance of broadcasting by transforming the overarching policymaking environment and shifting the balance of power among competing interests.
While such shocks can profoundly alter media systems, their impact is always mediated by preexisting power relations and institutional legacies at the national level. Consequently, despite shared technological pressures, Western democracies maintain distinct ways of governing radio and television.
Overall, the dissertation contributes to debates in communication studies, political science and comparative political economy regarding the sources of institutional stability and change in the media sector and the role of interests in shaping these dynamics. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Med utgångspunkt i unikt arkivmaterial undersöker denna avhandling skillnader i hur västliga demokratier styrt radio och television. Genom en jämförande studie av fyra länder följer den de intressekonflikter som präglat etermediepolitiken — från de tidigaste radioregleringarna till kabel- och satellit-tv:s genomslag under slutet av nittonhundratalet.
Snarare än att tolka politiska konflikter kring radio och TV som en binär motsättning mellan “stat” och “marknad” argumenterar avhandlingen för att policybeslut formas av en maktkamp mellan tre parter: statliga myndigheter, kommersiella aktörer och organisationer från den tredje sektorn. Studien skiljer även på huruvida dessa grupper ägnar sig åt produktionen av programinnehåll eller... (More) - Med utgångspunkt i unikt arkivmaterial undersöker denna avhandling skillnader i hur västliga demokratier styrt radio och television. Genom en jämförande studie av fyra länder följer den de intressekonflikter som präglat etermediepolitiken — från de tidigaste radioregleringarna till kabel- och satellit-tv:s genomslag under slutet av nittonhundratalet.
Snarare än att tolka politiska konflikter kring radio och TV som en binär motsättning mellan “stat” och “marknad” argumenterar avhandlingen för att policybeslut formas av en maktkamp mellan tre parter: statliga myndigheter, kommersiella aktörer och organisationer från den tredje sektorn. Studien skiljer även på huruvida dessa grupper ägnar sig åt produktionen av programinnehåll eller driften av den tekniska infrastruktur som krävs för att distribuera program.
För att förklara institutionell förändring över tid identifierar avhandlingen två typer av externa chocker — banbrytande kommunikationsteknologier och internationella hot — som kan omforma styrningen av etermedier genom att förändra den övergripande politiska kontexten samt rubba maktbalansen mellan konkurrerande intressen.
Även om sådana yttre chocker kan ha djupgående effekter på mediesystem, filtreras deras konsekvenser alltid genom existerande maktstrukturer och institutionella arv på nationell nivå. Mot denna bakgrund har västliga demokratier behållit skilda sätt att styra radio och tv trots att de utsatts för likartade teknologiska förändringar.
Sammanfattningsvis bidrar avhandlingen till tidigare forskning inom medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap, statsvetenskap och jämförande politisk ekonomi genom att analysera de faktorer som förklarar institutionell stabilitet och förändring i mediesektorn, samt den roll intressen spelar i att forma dessa dynamiker. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/2e16b427-f014-4867-bab5-c0a7f3922ef3
- author
- Rodriguez Hedenbratt, Nicolas
LU
- supervisor
- opponent
-
- Professor Strömbäck, Jesper, University of Gothenburg
- organization
- alternative title
- Politiken bakom styrningen av radio och TV i västliga demokratier
- publishing date
- 2025-03
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Radio, Television, Broadcasting, media systems, Democracy, Historical Institutionalism
- pages
- 332 pages
- publisher
- Lund University
- defense location
- Edens hörsal, Allhelgona kyrkogata 14, Lund
- defense date
- 2025-05-02 10:00:00
- ISBN
- 978-91-8104-435-5
- 978-91-8104-436-2
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 2e16b427-f014-4867-bab5-c0a7f3922ef3
- date added to LUP
- 2025-03-31 12:39:43
- date last changed
- 2025-04-04 15:18:26
@phdthesis{2e16b427-f014-4867-bab5-c0a7f3922ef3,
abstract = {{Using original archival evidence, this doctoral dissertation describes and explains differences in how Western democracies have governed radio and television, tracing interest group struggles over broadcasting in four countries from early radio policy to the rise of cable and satellite television in the late twentieth century.<br/><br/>Rather than framing political conflicts over radio and television as a binary dynamic between “state” and “market,” the thesis argues that policy outcomes emerge from a tripartite power struggle featuring state agencies, commercial enterprises, and groups from the third sector. It also distinguishes between whether these interests are engaged in the production of program content, or the operation of the technical infrastructure required for program distribution.<br/><br/>To explain institutional change over time, the study identifies two types of exogenous systemic shocks — revolutionary communication technologies and international threats — that can reshape the governance of broadcasting by transforming the overarching policymaking environment and shifting the balance of power among competing interests.<br/><br/>While such shocks can profoundly alter media systems, their impact is always mediated by preexisting power relations and institutional legacies at the national level. Consequently, despite shared technological pressures, Western democracies maintain distinct ways of governing radio and television.<br/><br/>Overall, the dissertation contributes to debates in communication studies, political science and comparative political economy regarding the sources of institutional stability and change in the media sector and the role of interests in shaping these dynamics.}},
author = {{Rodriguez Hedenbratt, Nicolas}},
isbn = {{978-91-8104-435-5}},
keywords = {{Radio; Television; Broadcasting; media systems; Democracy; Historical Institutionalism}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Lund University}},
school = {{Lund University}},
title = {{The Politics of Radio and Television in Western Democracies}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/212721818/Avhandling_Nicolas_Hedenbratt_LUCRIS_2_.pdf}},
year = {{2025}},
}