Controlling the Airwaves
Under the Weimar Republic, the public broadcasting system was established as a "state monopoly, largely due to fears of political misuse of the airwaves by radical groups" [1] and other dissenting political factions that sought to undermine the Social Democrats' grip on the nation. Given the initial instability of the Weimar Republic, they sought to regulate public broadcasting, ensuring that the programs that were aired helped unify the public, and by implication, support the current regime in power.
In order to maintain neutrality, the guidelines on what could be reported in broadcasted news were very strict. To prevent radio stations from disseminating information that favored an ideological camp over another, political oversight boards were established to address the political issues attached to every station. Every script had to be approved by these boards. When provided with scripts, even station directors themselves became adept at recognizing potentially troublesome scripts that violated the "nonpartisan" nature of the radio. These various factors contributed to censorship during the early days of the Weimar Republic.
Despite this belief in the "apolitical" nature of the radio, critics argued that the airwaves, besides being monopolized by the government, were also ruled by the bourgeoisie, who touted a conservative worldview that excluded the voices of the "freethinker," the "radical worker," and others who stood outside the fringes of the elite class. [2]
In order to maintain neutrality, the guidelines on what could be reported in broadcasted news were very strict. To prevent radio stations from disseminating information that favored an ideological camp over another, political oversight boards were established to address the political issues attached to every station. Every script had to be approved by these boards. When provided with scripts, even station directors themselves became adept at recognizing potentially troublesome scripts that violated the "nonpartisan" nature of the radio. These various factors contributed to censorship during the early days of the Weimar Republic.
Despite this belief in the "apolitical" nature of the radio, critics argued that the airwaves, besides being monopolized by the government, were also ruled by the bourgeoisie, who touted a conservative worldview that excluded the voices of the "freethinker," the "radical worker," and others who stood outside the fringes of the elite class. [2]
Towards a Culture of Political Plurality
Yet once the Social Democrats found a stronghold by the 1920s, they eased their grip on the airwaves, allowing for a plurality of political voices to create a more diverse discourse on the news and the politics of the time. Radio programs would broadcast debates between opposing political leaders in an attempt to "promote tolerance and discussion of conflicting political views on the airwaves." [3] By fostering this atmosphere of tolerance, the Republic hoped that such broadcasts would encourage the German public to become more tolerant of others, even those who touted opposing viewpoints. Yet how successful were these broadcasts in truly cultivating an attitude of tolerance and an acceptance of plurality in German society?
Sources
[1] Ibid, 36.
[2] Ibid, 54.
[3] Ibid, 57.
Photo credits:
(1) David Liuzzo, based on the original design by Emil Doepler in 1919. See: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wappen_Deutsches_Reich_(Weimarer_Republik).svg
[1] Ibid, 36.
[2] Ibid, 54.
[3] Ibid, 57.
Photo credits:
(1) David Liuzzo, based on the original design by Emil Doepler in 1919. See: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wappen_Deutsches_Reich_(Weimarer_Republik).svg