ABSTRACT
Television does enlighten citizens and does advance the democratic process in ways far beyond the capacity of any other medium. Television's coverage of the Watergate hearings and the impeachment hearings gave the American people more than a civics lesson; it also gave them front row seats in the hearing room and a sense of unparalleled participation. Presidents of the television age, starting with Presidents Eisenhower and John Kennedy, saw the problem coming and urged reform. Candidates of major parties who accepted money from the broadcast fund would not be permitted to make any additional campaign expenditures relating to the purchase of radio or television time. The broadcast fund statute has several important objectives. Expenditures for radio and television broadcasts constitute a major portion of total expenditures by candidates in federal election campaigns. The proposed statute is also intended to improve the quality of the information received by the electorate in campaign broadcasts by political candidates.
