The Development of Public Broadcasting and the Role of Universities and Colleges in the U.S.A. : a Case of the Public Broadcasting System in Boston and in Harvard University

It is an established fact that broadcasting has been playing an important role in school education and adult education. Historically, relations between broadcasting and education vary from country to country reflecting the respective social culture, educational policy, broadcasting policy and so on. How has it been developed in the U.S.A., a pioneer of broadcasting? As of 1993, there are 994 educational broadcasting stations, TV or radio, operating in the U.S.A. About 40% (406 stations) are associated with universities and colleges, and most of their offices and studioes are located in their campuses. These stations, currently called public broadcasting stations, are usually founded and managed through audience contributions and grants from philanthropic foundations, universities and local and federal goverments. It can be said that these stations are maintained in the principle "of the people, by the people, for the people." The forerunning public broadcasting stations, established in the 1950's, began their educational broadcasting services with a great deal of assistance from universities, cultural organizations and philanthropic foundations. In a fact, the universities had played a leading role in the establishments of these stations. In this paper, joint efforts of the Harvard and other universities in Massachussetts will be explored in the development of Boston Public Broadcasting Station (WGBH), in order to learn about the role of universities in public, educational broadcasting in the U.S.A.