Broadcasting is dead. Long live digital choice: Perspectives from the United Kingdom and Germany

Convergence

Volumn 3, Issue 1, 1997, Pages 51-71

  Steemers, Jeanette ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF BEDFORDSHIRE   (United Kingdom)

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[No Author keywords available]

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EID: 61049210973     PISSN: 13548565     EISSN: 17487382     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1177/135485659700300105     Document Type: Article

References (36)

1. For an overview of interactive TV developments worldwide and their potential see TBI (Television Business International), 'Special Focus: Interactive TV' (May-June 1996), pp. 36-41.
2. See Klaus Scharpe, Daniel Hürst, Sabine Gafke, Künftige Entwickung des Mediensektors. Gutachten im Autftrage des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft (Basel und Berlin: Deutsches Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung/Prognos, December 1995). Available (as at September 1996) at http://www.kp.dlr.de/BMWi/gip/studien/diw.
3. Also Martin Recke, 'Medienpolitik im digitalen Zeitalter', Kirche und Rundfunk, Nr 17, 6 March 1996, p. 8.
4. For example, the BBC cites the case of the USA where, in spite of a long history of multichannel television, 70% of prime-time viewing is still with the four main networks. BBC, Extending Choice in the Digital Age (London, BBC: 1996), p. 20. The BBC's digital policy is available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ info/digital (as at September 1996).
5. See also Marc Raboy, 'Public Service Broadcasting in the Context of Globalization, in Public Broadcasting for the 21st Century, ed. Marc Raboy (Luton: John Libbey Media/University of Luton Press, 1995), pp. 6-10.
6. See Jan van Cuilenberg and Paul Slaa, 'From Media Policy towards a National Communications Policy: Broadening the Scope', European Journal of Communication, 8 (1993), p. 151.
7. See also BVerfGe (Bundesverfassungsgericht), 'Urteil des Bundesverfassungsgerichts vom 28. Februar 1961 (Fernsehurteil)' in Rundfunk und Presse in Deutschland. Rechtsgrundlagen der Massenmedien, eds. Wolfgang Lehr and Klaus Berg (Mainz: Hase & Köhler, 1971), p. 254.
8. For a comparison of the different regulatory backgrounds of broadcasting and the press, see Wolfgang Hoffmann-Riem, 'Trends in the Development of Broadcasting Law in Western Europe', European Journal of Communication, 7 (1992), pp. 148-154.
9. In Germany the Constitutional Court has been particularly important in emphasising the different safeguards required of the television sector. See BVerfGe (Bundesverfassungsgericht), 'Urteil des Bundesverfassungsgerichts vom 16. Juni 1981' in Deutsches Presse- und Rundfunkrecht, ed. Wolf-Dieter Ring (München: Rehm, undated), pp. 1-25, A-III 3.
10. See Herbert Ungerer referring to the European Commission's proposal to amend the 1990 Television Without Frontiers Directive so that it only applies to point-to-multipoint as opposed to point-to-point services. Herbert Ungerer 'Who Should be Europe's Digital Gate Keepers?' Paper presented at the 1995 European Cable Communications Conference, London, UK. Also available (as at September 1996) at http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/dg04/speech/five/htm/sp95042.htm
11. For variations of this argument see Dieter Dörr, 'Vielfaltsicherung durch die EU?', Media Perspektiven, 2 (1996), p. 91.
12. Also Wolf Dieter Ring, 'Kein Mangel. Neuordnung der Medien im Markt der Zukunft', Kirche und Rundfunk, Nr 16 (2 March 1996), p. 9.
13. See Martin Recke, 'Problem vertagt', Kirche und Rundfunk, Nr 42 (1 June 1996), pp. 5-8.
14. Also Manfred Rühle, 'Probleme? Nein! Für eine Neubewertung des Rundfunkbegriffs', Kirche und Rundfunk, Nr 34 (4 May 1996), pp. 5-9.
15. See, for example, Tony Prosser, 'Public Service Broadcasting and Deregulation in the UK', European Journal of Communication, 7 (1992), pp. 173-193.
16. For Germany see Silke Ruck, 'Development of Broadcasting Law in the Federal Republic of Germany', European Journal of Communication, 7 (1992), pp. 219-239.
17. For an assessment of European digital projects see Jochen Zimmer, 'Pay TV: Durchbruch im digitalen Fernsehen?', Media Perspektiven, 7 (1996), pp. 386-401.
18. For a listing of details of European digital projects see New Media Markets, 6 June 1996, pp. 8-9
19. and Screen Digest, August 1996, pp. 177-184.
20. Typical budgets at cable and satellite channels range from £3000 to £6000 per hour compared for example to £100,000 for a 40-minute top-of-the-range documentary. See also Darren Cockburn, Nick Bertolotti, 'Exploiting rights in a digital age', Broadcast, 5 July 1996, p. 15.
21. See Broadcast, 'The Race to Conquer Europe', 5 July 1996, pp. 16-17.
22. OFTEL (Office of Telecommunications), Submission by the Office of Telecommunications to the Office of Fair Trading review of the pay-TV market (London: OFTEL, 1996), available at: http://www.open.gov.uk/oftel/paytv/ contents.htm (site visited September 1996).
23. See New Media Markets, 'Review leaves key BSkyB issues unanswered', 25 July 1996, pp. 8-10.
24. For the background to the UK discussion on ownership see Department of National Heritage, Media Ownership. The Government's Proposals (London: HMSO, May 1995), Cm 2872.
25. For an analysis of the proposals see Tim Congden et al, The Cross Media Revolution: Ownership and Control (London: John Libbey, 1995).
26. In Germany proposals aimed at relaxing current ownership restrictions are due to be implemented in 1997. However, Hoffmann-Riem believes that German media policy has been wrongly focused on the organisation and provision of services with insufficient attention paid to distribution, production and resale. Wolfgang Hoffmann-Riem, 'New Challenges for European Multimedia Policy', European Journal of Communication, 11, no. 3 (1996), p. 339, 341.
27. See Emily Bell, 'Coming home - to the City', The Observer, The Business Section, 7 July 1996, p. 2.
28. See Yves Achille and Bernard Miege, 'The limits to the adaptation strategies of European public service television', Media Culture & Society, 16 (1994), pp. 31-46.
29. DNH (Department of National Heritage), Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting (London: HMSO, 1995), CM2946, p. 4, 1.12.
30. For a detailed discussion of the legal arguments surrounding the public service broadcasters' obligation towards 'Grundversorgung' or the basic provision of services, see Herbert Bethge, 'Der Grundversorgungsauftrag des öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunks in der dualen Rundfunkordnung', Media Perspektiven, 2 (1996), pp. 66-72.
31. See, for example, Wolfgang Hoffmann-Riem's arguments for public service involvement in pay television, 'Pay TV im öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunk', Media Perspektiven, 2 (1996), pp. 73-79;
32. Die Welt, 'Kein Freibrief zur Expansion der Offentlich-Rechtlichen, 8 July 1996.
33. Herbert Ungerer, 'EU Competition Law in the Telecommunications, Media and Information Technology Sectors', 22nd Annual Conference on International Antitrust Law and Policy, Fordham University School of Law, New York City, 27 October 1995. Available at: http://europa.eu.int/en/comm/dg04/speech/five/htm/ sp95041.htm
34. European Commission, Council Directive (1989), Television Without Frontiers 89/552/EEC.
35. Commission Decision of 9 November 1994 relating to a proceeding pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) no 4064/89 (iv/m.469 - msg media service), Official Journal, no. L364, 31 December 1994.
36. See Commission of the European Union/Communities (1994), Europe's Way to the Information Society. An Action Plan. Com (94) 347 final.