One of the most frequent and most uninformed arguments of our day is that government should not interfere to help minorities because of the value of free enterprise. At the beginning of the century, the government adopted the technical standards of radio. In 1946, the government adopted the technical standards of television. And so with cable, where for a short time, people of color had access to ownership but no access to capital, they were forced to sell. It was like having land but no money to buy seeds to make it a profitable venture.
Exclusion means that many of the best players have never gotten off of the bench.
Then came the Tax Certificate Program. It provided the greatest incentive to minority media ownership. Many minorities were able to acquire radio and television stations under this program. But, in one big sweep, Congress eliminated the program. Then came the Telecommunications Act of 1996.