A New Account of Personalization and Effective Communication

To contribute to understanding of information economies of daily life, this paper explores over the past millennium given names of a large number of persons. Analysts have long both condemned and praised mass media as a source of common culture, national unity, or shared symbolic experiences. Names, however, indicate a large decline in shared symbolic experience over the past two centuries, a decline that the growth of mass media does not appear to have affected significantly. Study of names also shows that action and personal relationships, along with time horizon, are central aspects of effective communication across a large population. The observed preference for personalization over the past two centuries and the importance of action and personal relationships to effective communication are aspects of information economies that are likely to have continuing significance for industry developments, economic statistics, and public policy.new economy, information economy, personalization, mass media, communication, regulation, information theory, Industrial Revolution

Communications Policy, Media Development, and Convergence

In the deliberations of scholars, policy analysts, and policy makers, television has exceptional power and influence. Yet the historical record shows that television has not changed the economics of attention for large populations in the course of their daily lives. By the mid- 1920s, print media alone were highly successful in creating new consumer visions and aspirations, building national brands, and establishing significant brand equity. The advent of radio and television did not change total advertising spending as a share of total economic output, nor did it change significantly total advertising spending per adult media hour. The contrast between communications policy and the reality of media development is not merely a fluke or just ironic. It points to a major impediment to the development of information societies. State- owned-and-controlled media can be an important policy lever for overcoming this opposition and promoting the growth of more diverse media environments and more diverse ways of interacting with media.media, communications, advertising, time, e-government, regulation, reading, newspapers, television, radio

Growth in the “New Economy”: U.S. Bandwidth Use and Pricing Across the 1990s

An acceleration in the growth of communications bandwidth in use and a rapid reduction in bandwidth prices have not accompanied the U.S. economy’s strong performance in the second half of the 1990s. Overall U.S. bandwidth in use has grown robustly throughout the 1990s, but growth has not significantly accelerated in the second half of 1990s. Average prices for U.S. bandwidth in use have fallen little in nominal terms in the second half of the 1990s. Policy makers and policy analysts should recognize that institutional change, rather than more competitors of established types, appears to be key to dramatic improvements in bandwidth growth and prices. Such a development could provide a significant additional impetus to aggregate growth and productivity.media, communications, advertising, time, e-government, regulation, reading, newspapers, television, radio

Revolutionary Ideas for Radio Regulation

Radio technology is the key to rapid broadband development that reaches even geographically remote areas of the world. To get needed, radical changes in radio regulation, much more attention should be directed toward central issues of constitutional law. Historical experience and centuries of conversation about fundamental political choices has created knowledge that can revolutionize radio regulation. Bringing this knowledge to life in the field of radio regulation involves asking three questions. First, what is a good separation and balance of powers in radio regulation? Second, how should radio regulation be geographically configured? Third, how should radio regulation understand and respect personal freedom and equality? Asking these questions does not call forth a pre-determined answer, nor is discussion of them within the competence of only a small group of radio technology experts. Asking these questions points to the truths and the process that offers the best hope for revolutionizing radio regulation and creating a better life for everyone.spectrum, radio, regulation, communication, wireless, broadband, institutional design, separation of powers, federalism, rights