ABSTRACT
N o history book can deal adequately with the ever-moving present.Thus, trying to choose an event or a date with which to start thischapter necessarily is arbitrary and presumptuous. The 1991 Gulf War or other conflicts, the deaths of Princess Diana or John F. Kennedy, Jr., President Clinton’s impeachment, the Columbine High School shootings, or some natural disaster seemed very important at the time, but true history requires more hindsight and a focus on trends and principles. So, this chapter is designed to shed some light on more recent trends and events in order to place broadcasting’s story in a modern context. Most changes of the 1980s were brought about by a changing cast of characters within an industry driven by growing competition. During the 20th century’s final decade this competition had intensified in a merging and changing marketplace.
