roundtable: Re: Funding of non-commercial information services

roundtable: Re: Funding of non-commercial information services

Re: Funding of non-commercial information services

Warren Walker (warren@rand.org)
Thu, 10 Mar 1994 10:36:05 -0800 

Message-Id: <9403101834.AA20771@monty.rand.org>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 1994 10:36:05 -0800
To: roundtable@cni.org
From: warren@rand.org (Warren Walker)
Subject: Re: Funding of non-commercial information services 

Let's not delude ourselves into thinking that the Dutch system of
"proportional representation" will provide what we are looking for 
in non-commercial information services.  The following message from a
colleague of mine in the Netherlands (to whom I forwarded the Roundtable
message on the Dutch system) shows (once again) that reality is often
different from theory.

Warren Walker
<warren@rand.org>

>From: Wil Thissen <Thissen@sepa.tudelft.nl>
>Subject: Re: Funding of non-commercial information services 
>To: warren@rand.org (Warren Walker) (Warren Walker)
>Date: Thu, 10 Mar 94 15:22:57 MET
>Mailer: Elm [revision: 66.25]
>
>Warren , 
>
>This message provides an interesting- but only partly realistic - 
>interpretation of our public broadcasting system. Actually, the 
>line of difference between our non-commercial system and a commercial system 
>gets thinner and thinner: Our 'omroepen' have more or less grown 
>into semi-commercial organisations which attempt to maintain or 
>enlarge their share of time on the networks by programming 
>popular series and shows, selling fancy program guides coupled to 
>membership, etc. Of course, a few, notably the most Christian 
>one, keep using ample TV and radio time for preaching the 
>message, but most others compete on program styles rather than 
>idealistic ideas.
>
>Wil

This was in response to Michael Ward's message that said, in part:

|This is based upon the system now used in               
|the Netherlands, which provides special broadcasting citizen                 
|"movements" allocations of time on television and radio in                    
|proportion to their membership.                                              
|                                                                             
|This system is used allocate non-commercial time on three                    
|television and five radio systems in the Netherlands.  Temporary              
|permits are given to "movements" which receive at least 60,000               
|signatures, and a more permanent license is given to groups which             
|receive more than 150,000 signatures.                                        
|                                                                              
|At present there are 9 movements which qualify for airtime in the            
|Netherlands, including three christian movements, two liberal                 
|movements (one of which is directed at children), one left wing               
|movement, one humanist movement, one political movement which              
|incorporates all political parties, and one license holder                    
|devoted to local sports programming.

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