ABSTRACT

The ownership of commercial radio is not as concentrated as television ownership. Most commercial radio stations are vertically organised with a well-defined chain of command, although a few organisations still favour a centralised system where all lines of authority converge on one executive (usually the general manager). The small size and private character of most commercial radio companies makes it difficult to obtain reliable data on revenues and financing. It emphasised music and advertising with short newscasts or hourly bulletins coupled with 'newsbreaks', 'updates' and 'flashes'. In spite of the fact that approximately only 6 per cent of Mexico City's daily schedules is given over to news, recent years have shown a marked improvement in the quality of broadcast journalism. Research in commercial radio is predominantly quantitative, not qualitative, particularly in the area of audience research. The country's unequal socio-economic regional distribution affects the geographical location of cultural and educational radio stations as it does commercial stations.