Final answer:
The government has taken steps to regulate broadcast media through acts like the Radio Act of 1927 and the Communications Act of 1934, which created the FCC. These steps were necessary to ensure the public's best interests were served and to maintain standards for content.
Step-by-step explanation:
The government has had to take several steps to regulate broadcast media. The first significant step was the Radio Act of 1927, which aimed to organize the increasing number of radio stations and prevent obscene or biased content. The act gave the government control over the quality of programming and the power to ensure that stations served the public's best interest.
Another important step was the Communications Act of 1934, which replaced the Radio Act and created the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to oversee radio and telephone communication. The FCC requires stations to apply for licenses and enforces rules about limiting advertising, providing a public forum for discussion, and serving local and minority communities.
These steps were necessary because broadcast media, such as radio and television, operate using public airwaves. The government, as per American law, considers the airwaves to be owned by the public. Therefore, it needs to regulate the use of these airwaves to ensure that they are utilized in the best interest of the public and that content meets certain standards.