Digital Terrestrial Television in Europe

The rollout of Digital Terrestrial Television in Europe is a big issue for every country included in this survey. The reason it is of such importance is because DTTV is the centerpiece of many governments' policies toward making Europe the world leader in new information and communication technologies. These same governments are all wrestling with the issues of how to use the technology in ways that create both commercial and noncommercial value. European perspectives on the social, cultural, and political nature of broadcasting vary significantly from those in other parts of the world and require that the introduction of DTTV should be handled differently to its introduction elsewhere. There are enormous technical, policy, and economic aspects to be considered and these vary from country to country in Europe. The two editors bring a perspective to this study as media economists who come to the European scene from other parts of the world. The book covers DTTV in depth, but it also includes discussions of cable, satellite, broadband, and internet technology for comparison.