ABSTRACT
In nations where governments directly censor the mass media, as in present-day Nigeria, the functions of free radio are obvious to the government, the station’s operators, its listeners, and even foreign observers. In the United States, the need for free radio is less obvious, because government controls are indirect and media ownership, and consequently censorship, are private. Moreover, the US media depend primarily on government officials to define routine news, rely on a small group of former politicians and government officials to analyze and shape news events, and restrict their coverage of political candidates to those whom the media and political leaders consider to be mainstream. The system of broadcasting in the United States is designed for the benefit of broadcasting corporations, not the public. Free radio stations can reach hundreds or even thousands of people in seconds without almost no effort.
