The number one lobby that opposes campaign finance reform in the United States is the National Association of Broadcasters.
Robert McChesney

Our existing media system today is the direct result of government laws and subsidies that created it.
Robert McChesney

So the competition isn't once you got the license, running the station; it's getting the license.
Robert McChesney

One survey that I saw that was published I think in Variety or Electronic Media within the last three weeks says that now the average hour of radio in the United States has 18 minutes of commercials.
Robert McChesney

Also, the commercial media in a superior position, really, to any other corporate lobby, because where would people hear about commercial media or corporate media criticism, where would they hear criticism of them other than in the commercial media?
Robert McChesney

So the system we have in radio and television today is the direct result of government policies that have been made in our name, in the name of the people, on our behalf, but without our informed consent.
Robert McChesney

The commercial broadcasters have tremendous influence in Washington, D.C., for a couple of reasons. First, they're extremely rich and they have lots of money and they have had for a long time, so they can give money to politicians, which gets their attention.
Robert McChesney

So it's a much more difficult issue to organize around, because you can't get media at all to make your case. And that's where cases tend to be made politically.
Robert McChesney