| Public broadcasting in the United States exists on the margin of U.S. media. By and large, public broadcasting captures an extremely small audience, and even fewer people are active contributors to the institution. Established after the development of commercial broadcasting in the U.S., public broadcasting was initially meant to serve the general populous, particularly those marginalized and underprivileged in society. However, rather than fulfill its Johnsonian democratic principles of inclusion and access, it almost instantaneously became a service by, for, and of an older, educated, and wealthy population. By concentrating on a specific loyal audience, public broadcasting would guarantee its financial stability, alienating those without the means to be considered worthy of service. This Masters Thesis analyzes public broadcasting's development in the U.S. as a highly selective institution. Though many population groups have been excluded, the present research focuses specifically on how and why the youth demographic has been alienated. After careful analysis of public broadcasting development in the U.S., combined with the thoughts, opinions and media uses of present day youth, it is clear that public broadcasting sacrificed democracy in exchange for financial security, abandoning the ideals of the public sphere. |
