ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief outline of the rationale for intervention by government and presents some illustrative examples of what certain types of intervention may bring. It focuses on communications policy—a historical perspective; knowledge-information communication (KIC) packages, capital, and public goods; and what might happen if. The chapter suggests that KIC packages are a form of capital. The view of KIC packages as capital allows one to view the regulation of the scientific and technical information industry (STI), or information, industry from a different perspective. It outlines the roots of government intervention, the growth and character of domestic communication policy, and the presentation of concepts related to the regulation of the STI industry. The chapter discusses the potential application of these concepts to the regulation of the information industry. The chapter explores the words communication, information, and knowledge used in a rather commonplace manner.
