Government coming for the internet

by rrusczyk, Jun 26, 2008, 1:25 AM

Sarkozy to tax the internet to fund public TV. Sigh. I really hope Obama doesn't think this is a good idea. How many people spend time watching PBS? Are you willing to have the internet curtailed to get more of it? (And spend 5 minutes listening to NPR sometime....)

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They should instead tax fuel (a carbon tax, as it's known).

by Aneo., Jun 26, 2008, 3:08 AM

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Well, I'm listening to a public radio station right now- over the internet, because it's not a Seattle station. Public stations do some things pretty well, particularly news.
The American stations already run minimal ads- the radio station I'm listening to has nothing except for pledge drives every few months. This French proposal is all about replacing advertising money with public money, and it looks like it's not even enough. If this goes through, it may well kill those stations, or force them to turn to more direct sponsor support.

by jmerry, Jun 26, 2008, 5:31 AM

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So you're the one listening!

More seriously, I find the NPR news more or less isomorphic to the other AM stations, except that they then add spotlights on things I (and almost anyone in America) really don't care about. Last time I was listening they started going on and on about the trials and tribulations of some government in Africa trying to get a bridge built. It's not clear why tax dollars should be spent prolonging that.

With the internet now, it's much easier to narrow in on a band that's interesting to you, and to access a wide variety of opinions. It's just not clear to me that there's any need at all for the government to be involved in media, nor is it desireable in any way (just spend a few hours watching Fox).

by rrusczyk, Jun 26, 2008, 4:42 PM

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I do think this is a bad idea- just not for the same reasons you did. Having a government-supported station that is so underfunded it can't do anything is just a waste. Taxing the internet specifically for this also feels wrong.
I think diversity in media is a good thing, and the commercial media is rather homogeneous. I'm not sure what the right model for encouraging diverse voices is, but I don't think this French idea is it.
On the internet, that diversity is available simply because it's so cheap to put something up. In broadcast form, you need to pay for the equipment somehow.

OK, here's one idea: subsidize extending the Internet to as many people as possible, as we did with electricity in the early 20th century.

by jmerry, Jun 26, 2008, 6:09 PM

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I agree that extending broadband internet to wide range of people would be a big winner all around. I compare it to the highway system built in the 50s that shares a lot of the credit for the ensuing economic boom in the US.

I don't think having government-produced media adds valuable diversity to the news. It adds propaganda, and there's plenty of that already.

by rrusczyk, Jun 26, 2008, 7:53 PM

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Quote:
They should instead tax fuel
Anaxerzia I'm not sure if you are aware that the EU has (by far) the largest taxes on fuel in the world. The gas there is more than 2 times more expensive than in US (about 9$ \$[/dollar]$/gallon). How much more taxing would you want on fuel?

by Valentin Vornicu, Jun 27, 2008, 4:34 PM

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