Ofcom has already removed many of ITV's obligations and Channel 4 is lobbying hard for subsidies to fill a projected financial black hole.
Lenders, which had campaigned hard against the subsidy cuts, warned that the reductions would compromise the federal loan program, forcing some of them out of business and reducing competition and, inevitably, services to students.
The country's large agriculture sector was hit particularly hard when the subsidies were slashed and sweetheart loans from state banks ended.
Among the most contentious issues: The United States, Australia and many developing countries that have comparative advantages in farm goods are pushing hard on agricultural subsidies against Japanese, and to a lesser extent, South Korean and European resistance.
As easy money goes, it is hard to beat farm subsidies.
Mass transit subsidies are hard to challenge at the W.T.O. because they involve an almost purely domestic government service.
Any excuse that such subsidies are hard to measure (which is what I hear from the industry, not from Mr. Powell) is inherently lame.
A former finance minister said he could administer the subsidised bread programme only if he had one security guard for each sack of flour.Cutting subsidies is hard.
Both fought hard to keep European subsidies for France's cosseted farmers and to protect national champions.Many French voters support Mr Chirac for his strong opposition to the Iraq war, which even made him briefly popular.
And its junior senator, Tom Harkin, is one of the Senate's most liberal members, campaigning hard both for farm subsidies and against child labour.Yet there is a rightward pull in Iowa, too.
This time, however, the Europeans decided not to push America too hard on its farm subsidies, and the Americans did not demand too much from a Europe notoriously reluctant to open its agricultural markets.
