Balancing Public and Private Value for the Digital Television Era

Abstract

As the digital switchover is the result of the dynamic interplay between economic, social and political interests, this article refl ects on the role of all stakeholders involved in the switch to digital television services. It aims to discuss the trade-off between public and private policy interests focussing on strategies for preparing the transition process and the digital take-off as well as on future opportunities that become available in the spectrum (digital dividend). Based on a comparative study amongst three European countries, it is demonstrated that government has played an important role in the development of the digital television landscape in the past, and it is argued why policy makers should continue to do this in the future. Instead of a solely market-driven approach, a strong plea is made for a better understanding of stakeholders' expectations in deploying public policies and business strategies concerning the digitised media landscape.

Value Networks and Changing Business Models for the Digital Television Industry

“…This emerging 'pay-per-society' (Lillie, 2005: 44) or 'premium rate culture' (Goggin & Spurgeon, 2007: 755) implies that only the elite can afford full access and control of program content in the digital broadcasting world. This evolution may undermine the belief that digital television contributes to the establishment of an inclusive information society (Evens et al, 2010b). Exclusivity for premium content has long been considered the only way for guaranteeing the remuneration of the vast investments in content production and platform infrastructure.…”

Watching the Football Game: Broadcasting Rights for the European Digital Television Market

“…However, once the digital switchover is completed (for analogue terrestrial at last by 2012), the payment of digital television services should be considered as a further technological evolution within the broadcast ing field and should then no longer be seen as additional. However, as analogue cable distribution mainly remains dominant in various European countries, this could create a digital divide and lead to social exclusion (Evens, Verdegem, & De Marez, 2010).…”

Mobile television in Italy: The key to success, the cause of failure

“…The allocation of these frequencies allows for the creation of new distribution networks, such as digital terrestrial television (DTT), and the support of innovative wireless services, including mobile television and mobile broadband. As mobile television has failed to deliver added value, it can be questioned whether allocating additional spectrum to mobile television eventually leads to the creation of public and private value, and whether this spectrum should be allocated to providing 'real' value-added services (Evens et al 2010). In their analysis of the digital dividend in Austria, Börnsen et al (2011) have shown that mobile broadband would generate considerably higher economic value than digital television services.…”