Founding Myths

Abstract

The founding myth in Plato’s Republic was intended to justify the hierarchical and stratified social system over which the Guardians were to preside. The three approaches to broadcasting which we discuss in this book each embrace a cluster of founding myths. This is not to deny the other motivations of each system, or the social, political and economic realities which produced and continue to reproduce them. But, simply put, commercial broadcasting draws on notions of individualism and free enterprise; community radio harks back to a ‘community’ in which mutual help and solidarity were proof against the abrasions of the outside world; public service broadcasting has perhaps the richest myth troves of all, and the role of one in particular comes curiously close to the ‘noble lie’ which is at the heart of Plato’s social engineering. The supposed shortage of frequencies (a myth we examine in Chapter 2) justified entrusting broadcasting to a monopoly controlled by professionals who diagnosed and interpreted the needs of listeners.

Socrates: I wonder if we could contrive one of those convenient stories ... some magnificent myth that would in itself carry conviction to our whole community, including, if possible, the Guardians themselves ... Do you think there is any way of making them believe it?

Glaucon: Not in the first generation, but you might succeed with the second and later generations.¹