Why does America not have any nationalized radio or television stations?
373927
Because we value freedom and capitalism more than any other country in the world.\n\nHaving even one nationalized radio or television station is kind of a slippery slope.  Just look at Russia, where they started to nationalize their radio and tv and just kept on going.  Kind of a big brother thing too- we don't really want a direct line from the government into our homes through the TV.
160825
2 reasons:\n\n1) Many Citizens and government officals have amnesia.  It's easy to ask why Russia, 15 years into the "experiment of democracy," is having troubles with curtailing press freedoms, civil liberties, corporate/government relationships.  but not easy to answer why the USA took 90 years to abolish slavery and 150 years to give women the right to vote.  The USA has been doing this "experiment" for over 225 years, and we expect some newly formed republic out in butt-ufck egypt to fully comply with our expectations.  When I was 19 I dated a 37 year old.  It was fine in a lot of ways but eventually having to constantly hear what I should do because they had "been there, done that"...made it fall apart...after all who wants to be told how to live their life.  The USA still has issues with political corruption, religion/state power, employee/employerr issues...eventually the dinosaurs died...the roman empire fell...the eastern dynasties gave way to modern politics...but 225 years into it and the USA knows all...I could see that as a little irritating.\n\n2) America expects religious freedom...but has issues with gays because of it's issues with Christianity.  America expects freedom of the press...but bans/censors foreign documentaries critical of the current administration (true!!!)  America expects hassle/corruption free elections...but has one of the most operationnally and mechanically outdated sytem for a modern country.  There is a view that the USA has a lot of expectations and requirements that it places on others but doesn't seem to listen to itself.\n\n3) the media.  they tend to focus on the above and since titilating/tantalizing/scandalous sells, it's what gets played.  many other countries, especially the ones you're  talking about don't have the same judical and legislative checks and balances on their executive so the local media are often times government controlled or influenced...leading to the kind of attitudes and perceptions that I spoke of earlier, being broadcast for public consumption.  It's like in the USA...you see young black men robbing banks committing crimes and all other things on TV, but what about the MILLIONS of ther young black men studying, working, taking care of the families, living normal lives, where are they on the news?  so the public develops this skewed perception rather than develop a rational and criticaly thinking mind.\n\nI also think it's easier to hate a thing rather than the people who make up the thing.  It's easy to say, "Mexicans are stealing the jobs"  but to see the men and women working long hours at multiple jobs so their kids can have US medical care and education it suddennly doesn't seem so black and white...and people need to see in black and white...examining the grey and all the other sides and looking at all the people who may not think the way you think they think, well it's just to difficult.\n\nsorry about the length but this question stirred something in me.
134337
Hate to tell ya, but the FCC is necessary.  Like any governmetal body it is imperfect.  However, the FCC provides some order to broadcasting.  Without it there would be complete chaos.  Anybody could broadcast anywhere, anyway, and anything.  Interference on channels would be rampant.  We are much better off with the FCC, frustrating though they be.
951
Your point is very logical. \n\nHowever, also keep in mind that television broadcast decency standards are fairly well-defined. \n\nEvery once in a while, the FCC decides it needs to enforce their powers by the means of a sanction or fines. Otherwise, if the FCC never enforced any rules, their granted powers would diminish over time until people believed the FCC lacked power. Since every government agency tries to keep as much power as possible there is probably political or institutional pressure for the FCC to enforce communications rules. This may not always result in equitable enforcement.
1035711
Lack of adequate media coverage.
302359
Because there was no option (apart from Morse code, Telegraphy, Teleprinter) until recently. \nFor transmission of domestic television and radio, digital is a relatively new alternative to analogue. And digital is not much use to the bulk of the viewers/listeners who have a house full of analogue equipment.
343104
We do! Many TV stations in major markets have HDTV broadcasts. There are some forms of digital terrestial radio. Commercial and ham radio make extensive use of digital technology.
193131
Here's my b!tch about this whole thing: just like how cable television was originally billed, satellite radio was supposed to be a haven from gobs of commercials, but we see where that has gone.  I see a similar future for satellite radio.  And once it enters mainstream, the nanny-government won't be far behind...with their hands out demanding pennance.
1102734
Because they have an agenda --  the FCC has been appointed by the Bush administration to reward the religious right, who care about such things.\n\nAnd no politician of any party will stand up for common sense because they are afraid of being charged with supporting "indecency" -- teen orgies on tv, bare breasts where kids can see them.\n\nThe biggest blame is with the voters of the US, for their own hypocrisy about such matters/
340991
Most Americans don't watch the news. They prefer to watch American Idol and America's Next Top Model. The smart Americans are few and far between. I would like to think that I am one of them. ;)
1125618
Absolutely not. They pollute the airwaves with what they deem can sell, for profit. Lewis Black said it best, "MTV, music television, is the one company in my lifetime that has done everything in its power to destroy music as I know it." I think that Mr. Black is absolutely correct. I dont mean to make it sound like I'm just picking on MTV, even the so called "Alternative Rock" stations are the same. Case in point: The X at 105.9 is an Alternative Rock station in Pittsburgh, Pa. They are the primary rock station in the area and our owned by none other than Clear Channel, big surprise. My problem with their radio station is surprisingly not the fact that Clear Channel is their owner, but their very music director! This mans name is Vinny, hes The X's music director as well as one of their featured DJs. Vinny, who portrays himself as the typical punk rock loving, intellectual anticorporate liberal, sabotages his own station's playlists. They actually hold a call-in show everynight, which is their "Little Countdown show", every night, regardless of how many people call and vote for a given band/song, Vinny still reserves the right to play whatever his little heart desires, and he exorcises this right on a nightly basis by sabotaging his stations top 10 songs with all 'pop-punk' bands/songs. Its absolutely horrible. In a given 24 hour period you'll hear:\nTooL 23 times, which is just less than once per hour\nAnti-Flag 21 times, just less than once per hour\nAngles and Airwaves 12 times, about once every two hours\n\nI could repeat this list and it would dismay you. I have no faith in anyone anymore. The entire music business is bullsh**. Now I see why Machine Head refuses to deal with any American labels. This problem is not isolated to the U.S. by the way. The U.K. and Australia suffer the bullsh**, as far as I know.\n\n\n-J.
1144482
Honestly I believe it is to free Americans of the responsibility of actually monitoring what our children watch. God forbid that we actually have to spend time with our children and keep an  eye on what they are watching. Even worse, what if we actually have to speak to our children and spend 'family time' away from the electronic babysitter (or TV in case someone missed that reference).  It's a little sad that other countries such as Japan, have less crime and yet still have more explicit programming. Interesting!! Maybe it is because they actually RAISE their children and not let the TV do it for them!
680956
because too many americans watch TV.  Liberals would rather whine and point fingers and stomp their feet rather than put their brain to work and come up with solutions.
393790
that is a cool question! there are lots of myths about states made and advertised by mass media. these big companies fooled most of americans with stupid stuff such as american idol and all fassion industry and other TV shows and beside these shows they sell lots of useless products to people who really dont need it but just because YOU HAVE SEEN IT ON TV you will spend big money for it. \nthey say America is land of opportunity but look how they give each other shit because some mexicans made spanish version of national anthem! \nwho knows? maybe they are not really as powerfull as they think they are. \nThey had a chance to learn that lesson through 9/11 massage that was sent to them! they are not unbeatable unbreakable super power! an stupid asshole - bin ladan- turned down the most prestiguos trade center in the world and these people with all those facilities still could not manage to get him!\n\nyeh dear...\n\nit is just a big fat lie and some day we all face the truth about it!
1123604
Because Americans are brainwashed by the media. We believe everything said on tv. At this point, Americans aren't trained to question. Not only that, but the people who don't agree with the government just choose to wash their hands of it in general. One person can't change anything at this point. \n\nI'll probably get a cross burnt on my lawn for this. Ha.
178708
Did the US have National Service ? \nI thought it was UK only.
107165
Nothing. It's still going, it's just not getting a lot of press because Americans aren't contributing to it as much as they used to.