Ottawa ways: The state, bureaucracy and broadcasting, 1955-196

The dissertation develops a theory-based, state-centered revisionist explanation of the development of Canadian broadcasting policy during the years 1955 to 1968. The hypothesis contends that state officials seek their own preferred policy outcomes rather than reflecting the preferences of societal actors. The concept of decision points is used to explore the origins of the 1958 Broadcasting Act and the 1968 Broadcasting Act. The evidence suggests the content of these measures was largely determined by bureaucratic actors. Two aspects of the 1968 legislation (the power to approve broadcasting licenses and extension of broadcasting regulatory jurisdiction to cable television) are examined in detail. In both cases, the evidence points to the decisive role of state rather than societal actors in the policy process. Confirmation of the central hypothesis raises questions about society-centered theories of the democratic state.