Dispelling Revisionist Myths Regarding Spectrum Property Rights in the 1920s

Failures to understand the constraints and incentives facing decisionmakers have resulted in the creation of the myth that property rights and spectrum markets would have been superior to the regulatory system of the Radio Act of 1927. Discussions of hypothetical spectrum property rights in the 1920...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of information policy (University Park, Pa.) Vol. 13; pp. 188 - 220
Main Author Jackson, Charles L.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Pennsylvania State University Press 10.08.2023
Subjects
broadcasting
Coase
FCC
FRC
Government
Law
property rights
Public Policy
Radio Act
spectrum
spectrum markets
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Summary:Failures to understand the constraints and incentives facing decisionmakers have resulted in the creation of the myth that property rights and spectrum markets would have been superior to the regulatory system of the Radio Act of 1927. Discussions of hypothetical spectrum property rights in the 1920s fail to take account of (1) the vast differences between the radio propagation conditions in the radio spectrum in use then and propagation in the bulk of the radio spectrum today and (2) the technical limitations of equipment at that time. The author concludes that spectrum property rights would have resulted in more radio service in urban areas, a substantial loss of rural service, and diminished consumer welfare.
ISSN:2381-5892
2158-3897
DOI:10.5325/jinfopoli.13.2023.0005