Decentralization and Radio Broadcasting: On the `Possibility Space' of a Communication Technology

Abstract

The domain within society in which a certain technology has the capacity of being applied is, in this article, called its `possibility space'. This space can be larger, or it can be smaller than originally assumed. The technology of radio broadcasting has been a significant centralizing force in Swedish society. Yet today, radio broadcasting is also contributing to the process of geographic decentralization of political decision-making, and of economic and cultural initiatives. This article discusses the extent to which the enhancement of social communication at the local and regional levels lies within the `possibility space' of the technology of radio broadcasting.