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| WDR e-Brief No. 02 |
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| Thursday, 28 February 2002 | |
In this e-Brief* Welcome * Interaction Highlights * Question of the Week : Public service broadcasting in a converging environment * New WDR Working Paper Released: * Dialup Participation in the Online Dialogue * Other news: New WDR Corporate Liaison Director - WDR in the News - Information and Communication Technology in Africa * Questions and support * Subscribing and unsubscribing The WDR  No. 02, 28 February 2002 Welcome to the second issue of the WDR e-Brief, a bi-weekly bulletin from the World Dialogue on Regulation for Network Economies (WDR). The WDR e-Brief is designed to help you keep informed of new documents and ongoing discussions on our website at http://www.regulateonline.org/ and of other WDR activities. For more information on any of the items discussed here, go to the web addresses provided. Interaction Highlights During the last two weeks, the online discussion has moved from issues of structure and conduit to issues related to content. Commenting on the first WDR Discussion Paper, Building the Regulatory Foundations for Growth in Network Economies, Walter Bolter argues that network conduit is not "the kingpin for regulatory schemes," rather the "public interest" lies in regulating privacy rights and who controls information content. See Bolter's complete comments in the WDR Framework and Objectives Forum at: http://www.comunica.org/w-agora/index.php?bn=wdr_framework Gunilla Larsson posed the question of the week by expressing her concern about the survival of public broadcasting services in a converged environment and asking how convergence regulation can ensure plurality and diversity of television programming. Anders Henten and Morten Falch from the convergence regulation research team, take turns to address this issue. Anders Henten's response is highlighted later in the e-Brief. Follow the debate in the ICT Convergence Regulation Forum at: http://www.comunica.org/w-agora/index.php?bn=wdr_convergence Question of the Week In each WDR e-Brief we select one or more of the questions or comments posted to the Online Dialogue at http://www.regulateonline.org/dialogue/ and ask our research teams to comment. The featured question in this week's e-Brief was posted in the Forum ICT Convergence Regulation. Gunilla Larsson asked how one an be sure that public service channels will survive in a converging environment where TV broadcasting is regulated just like any other telecom service. Will we not "end up in a situation where we can only get access to commercial channels dominated by quiz programs and low-cost American series?" The question sparked two comments from the ICT Convergence Regulation research team. In his comments below, Anders Henten first summarises Morten Falch's answers and then goes on to further explore the issue. You are invited to add your own comments to this and other issues raised in the ICT Convergence Regulation discussion at: http://www.comunica.org/w-agora/index.php?bn=wdr_convergence Public service broadcasting in a converging environment In an answer, Morten Falch (a member of the ICT Convergence Research Team at the Centre for Tele-Information) fully appreciated the concern whether a free market will be able to ensure public service and stated that existing public broadcasting models are challenged by technological developments and that it is, therefore, important to discuss other models for ensuring public service. Falch wrote that regulation of broadcasting services traditionally has been related to licensing of scarce spectrum resources. License holders have had certain obligations with regard to the content distributed. An essential criterion has been to ensure pluralism and diversity in the limited choice of programs that limitations of the radio spectrum allow. However, in a situation where an almost unlimited number of broadcasting channels can be delivered through a wide range of infrastructures such as cable, Internet, satellite and terrestrial networks, it is much more difficult to argue for this kind of regulation, says Falch. Pluralism and diversity can be obtained through a choice between a large number of TV channels rather than through pluralism and diversity in one or a few publicly funded channels, is the argument. With these concerns and analytical elements, questions regarding content have entered the World Dialogue on Regulation. Often, discussions are confined to the infrastructure side, but broadcasting is certainly an area where relationships between infrastructure and content questions are apparent. The strong position of public service channels in the broadcasting picture in many countries is partly based on their terrestrial networks. But only partly! Presently, where the large majority of people in many countries rely on terrestrial networks to access national public service channels, holders of terrestrial licenses are in an advantageous position. However, in the longer run, where other means of access get a broader penetration, the importance of terrestrial networks will decline. The really decisive issue is the funding of the providers of public service programming. How large is the funding of public service programming and in which ways are these funds acquired ? by means of license fees, payments for advertisements, or different pay-TV arrangements? If funding is sufficient and dependency on income from commercials is not too heavy, there is a good chance that quality public service broadcasting will continue to develop. The conclusion is, therefore, that the continuing development of public broadcasting services is inherently a political question. It is true that the present institutions of public service broadcasting are challenged by technological developments. But changing technology is not a sufficient reason to change policy objectives. Even if there is a multitude of access means to broadcast programs and a multitude of different channels and programs, there may still be room for public service broadcasting and a necessity to financially support programming that is independent of commercial interests and that does not have to attract large crowds for all programs in order to obtain high advertisement income. Anders Henten WDR ICT Convergence Regulation Research Team Follow the dialogue post a question or make a comment at http://www.regulateonline.org/dialogue/ . New WDR Working Paper released Multi-Utility Cases: Vivendi, Eskom & Williams is a paper, by Andrew Barendse, a member of WDR's Multisector Utility Regulation research team, provides case studies of three multi-utility companies with international operations: Vivendi (France), Eskom (South Africa) and Williams (USA). Download it at: http://www.regulateonline.org/wp/wp0201.htm Dialup Participation in the Online Dialogue Many WDR users connect via unstable international connections or dialup lines. The software we use makes it easy for you to download an entire forum then close the dialup connection (i.e. by hanging up the phone) and browse the forum offline. To download a forum: 1. Go to the Online Dialogue page at http://www.regulateonline.org/dialogue/ 2. Click on the forum you want to download (e.g. Multisector Utility Regulation) 3. Once inside the forum, click on download forum 4. Choose the time frame you want (e.g. messages posted in the last week, the last 2 months, or select all 5. Once the page is downloaded, you can close your dialup connection and read all the contributions at will. For more tips on using the forums, check the Frequently Asked Questions Forum. http://www.comunica.org/w-agora/index.php?bn=wdr_tech Other News New WDR Corporate Liaison Director Wolter Lemstra has joined LIRNE.NET in a part-time capacity as Director, Corporate Liaison. He will be focusing his early attention on the WDR project. His many years experience at Executive Management level in the telecom sector, and in management training and education, will strengthen LIRNE.NET and WDR links to industry. WDR in the News Want to know what the world has to say about the World Dialogue on Regulation? See WDR in the News, a new forum on the WDR site with news items and reviews of WDR. http://www.comunica.org/w-agora/index.php?bn=wdr_news Information and Communication Technology in Africa WDR researchers Anders Henten and Morten Falch are guest editors, with Amos Anyimadu, of a special issue of Telematics and Informatics to appear in the Spring of 2003. The issue will focus on "Information and Communication Technology in Africa: Markets and Policies". Submission deadline is October 2002 and the Call for Papers can be downloaded in PDF format. http://www.regulateonline.org/pdf/cfp-tm.pdf Questions and support If you have questions about WDR, send them to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it For technical matters, contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or see the Frequently Asked Questions section in the Online Dialogue. http://www.regulateonline.org/dialogue/ Subscribing and unsubscribing The WDR e-Brief is a bi-weekly bulletin from the World Dialogue on Regulation for Network Economies <http://www.regulateonline.org>. Subscribe from the site or by sending a message to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it with the subject wdr e-brief list . To unsubscribe, send a message to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it The WDR e-Brief is the bi-weekly electronic newsletter of the World Dialogue on Regulation. Editor: Bruce Girard ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) with assistance from Divakar Goswami. Archives: http://www.comunica.org/w-agora/index.php?bn=wdr_ebrief World Dialogue on Regulation c/o LIRNE.NET Technical University of Denmark Center for Tele-Information, Building 371 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, DENMARK Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Phone: +45 4587 1577 - Fax: +45 4596 3171 http://www.regulateonline.org |
