The economic reason the UK has the BBC and the US does not is that UK leaders believed at the time that state-ownership of the commanding heights of the economy would better serve social-welfare. Most political debate focuses on this reason. It turned out to be wrong.
The moral reason, which goes completely unnoticed, is that Americans have a stronger commitment to democratic values. Commercial media has a model many intellectuals consider crass. Popular programming mixed with advertisements. Yet, this model is about programming by the people for the people. The market serves democracy well. It keeps the people sovereign in media matters. The more intellectual programming of the BBC remains the esoteric interests of an elite subsidised by majority taxpayers.
This model does not apply to Canada's CBC. The Canadian government didn't believe as strongly that the commanding heights of the economy should be controlled by state as the British. However, they did share the disposition of deference to authority which lead the Brits to believe in economic growth through government control. Instead, the Canadian reason for the CBC was cultural. The CBC was meant to protect Canadian culture from American domination. Yet, a greater concern with democratic morality over nationalist culture would have prevented the CBC's formation.
The moral reason, which goes completely unnoticed, is that Americans have a stronger commitment to democratic values. Commercial media has a model many intellectuals consider crass. Popular programming mixed with advertisements. Yet, this model is about programming by the people for the people. The market serves democracy well. It keeps the people sovereign in media matters. The more intellectual programming of the BBC remains the esoteric interests of an elite subsidised by majority taxpayers.
This model does not apply to Canada's CBC. The Canadian government didn't believe as strongly that the commanding heights of the economy should be controlled by state as the British. However, they did share the disposition of deference to authority which lead the Brits to believe in economic growth through government control. Instead, the Canadian reason for the CBC was cultural. The CBC was meant to protect Canadian culture from American domination. Yet, a greater concern with democratic morality over nationalist culture would have prevented the CBC's formation.
