Digital television is transforming both broadcasting and, as a result of convergence, the larger world of communications. The impending analogue switch-off will have a major impact on households all over the developed world. Digital Broadcasting considers the effects of digital television on the availability, price and nature of broadcast services in the Americas, Europe and Japan. It shows how this depends upon what platforms – cable, satellite, fixed or wireless broadband – countries have available for use and also upon government policies and regulatory interventions. The authors show how policies towards digital television are also closely linked with spectrum – for example, whether to use spectrum released from analogue broadcasting for mobile communications or for broadcasting, including the newly developed mobile broadcasting. This is one of the key technological changes of the early 21st century and its development will affect many countries’ economies and societies. The book has an invaluably broad coverage of the economic and commercial issues involved in digital television in major regions and countries around the world. Regulators, executives and consultants in the broadcasting and communications sector will find much to engage them within the book. Researchers and academics of industrial and public sector economics will also find the book of great interest. Students in media studies or business courses can also use the book as additional reading.
Bibliography, etc. Note
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Formatted Contents Note
Foreword 1. Digital Television: An Introduction Part I: The Development of Digital Broadcasting 2. The DTV Transition in the US 3. Digital Broadcasting in the Developing World: A Latin American Perspective 4. DTT and Digital Convergence: A European Policy Perspective 5. The Development of Digital Broadcasting in Italy 6. The Development of Digital Television in the UK 7. A Perspective on Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting in Japan Part II: Content Rights and Digital Broadcasting 8. Legal and Economic Issues of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTTV) from an Industrial Perspective 9. The Management of Digital Rights in Pay TV 10. Copy Control of Digital Broadcasting Content: An Economic Perspective Part III: Digital Broadcasting and Platform Competition 11. Regulation of Digital TV in the EU: Divine Coherence or Human Inconsistency? 12. Platforms for the Development of Digital Television Broadcasting and the Internet 13. Economies of Scale, Scope and Vertical Integration in the Provision of Digital Broadcasting in Japan 14. Comparative Analysis of the Market Structure of Broadcasting and Telecommunications in Japan Index