Comparing Public Policies for Digital Terrestrial Television: Sweden vs Spain within the framework...

IAMCR 2008 Conference – Media and Global Divides – Stockholm

Comparing Public Policies for Digital Terrestrial TelevisionSweden vs Spain within the framework

defined by the European Union

Roberto Suárez CandelResearcher and Lecturer (PhD Candidate)

Department of CommunicationPompeu Fabra University – Barcelona, Spain

Communication Policy & Technology Section

IAMCR 2008 - Stockholm

Roberto Suárez | Pompeu Fabra University – Barcelona, Spain

Comparing Public Policies for DTT

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Public Policy for Digital Television in the European Union

Comparative study of Sweden and Spain

PhD dissertation




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Paper Structure

1. Introduction: Questioning the need for Public Policy

2. The terrestrial platform as an object of public policy, even in the digital scenario

3. Implementing Digital Terrestrial Television, the need for public policy.

4. EU Policy for DTT: guidelines, coordination and subsidiarity

5. Sweden and Spain, two necessarily different approaches to a common issue.

6. Final remarks




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1. Introduction: Questioning the need for Public Policy

• The evolution of the role of the State within society

Provider Regulator Enabler

• The peak of neoliberal ideology

• Power relationships between the State and the Media

• Internationalisation and convergence of markets

• Homogenization of public policy




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Are public interest goals still attributed to terrestrial television after its digitalisation? Is that necessary?




4


Are public interest goals still attributed to terrestrial television after its digitalisation? Is that necessary?

Does digitalisation transform television in such a way that public policy is not necessary to achieve those objectives?




5


Public administrations were not enthusiastic about getting further involved than creating the necessary basic legal framework and controlling the granting of licenses.




6



Market-led strategies and business models




6



Market-led strategies and business models

…that failed.




7


CAUSES & OBJECTIVES of digitalisation

Legitimation for Public Policy

Lack of coherence in the political discourse

Hidden agendas




8


What were the ‘triggers’ for public intervention in order to implement DTT?




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4. EU policy for DTT: guidelines, coordination and subsidiarity

Polyhedral nature of television

Multiplicity of policies and institutions

Variety of intervention perspectives and mechanisms

Diversity of policy instruments

Lack of consistence, coherence and effectiveness??




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Policy focused on infrastructures and market behaviour interoperability, competition.

Harmonisation and soft policy instruments

Subsidiarity




12


Coordination of the switch-off process in order to ensure the creation of a single European market

Ideological framework

Certainty and guidelines




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5. Sweden and Spain, two necessarily different approaches to a common issue

Why Sweden and Spain?




13


Galperin (2004) / Hallin & Mancini (2004)

Why Sweden and Spain?




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• Legitimation of DTT and public intervention

• Policy decission-making structures

• Licensing and definition of a business model

• Planning of the transition from analogue to digital

Issues compared




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• Legitimation of DTT and public intervention

Similarities

Objectives: competition, pluralism and diversity

PSB and Universal Service

Hidden agendas maintain control over the television market

Differences

Public policy ethos




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• Policy decision-making structures

Lack of NRA

Political confrontation

Several political levels

Media parallelism

SPAIN SWEDEN

Distribution of responsibilities

Transparency

Collaboration




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• Licensing and Business Model

Lack of transparency

Clientelism

Replication of the analogue market

Post-switchover already defined

SPAIN SWEDEN

6 licensing contests

Short licenses

Transparency




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• Licensing and Business Model

From Pay-Tv to FTA

Different regional markets

Uncertainty about the future: Pay-tv?

SPAIN SWEDEN

FTA + Pay-TV (but encrypted)

Competitive and attractive offer




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• Planning the transition

Regional basis

Focused on DTT

Public and Private players

Communication needs to be improved

SPAIN SWEDEN

Regional Basis

Platform neutrality

Independent Authority

Focus on Communication

Market collaboration




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6. Final remarks

• DTT implies a re-birth for national public policy

• Political tradition determines public intervention

• National media particularities are still relevant

One international issue, several national approaches




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6. Final remarks

• Terrestrial television still maintains its link to public interest

• Public policy is still necessary

• Industrial mechanisms to achieve social goals?




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6. Final remarks

Comparing national experiences allows detecting best practices, key drivers and obstacles.

Adaptation to national scenarios




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6. Final remarks

• Independence of policy actors

• Transparency

• Collaboration

• Communication

Common key elements of successful migration plans

IAMCR 2008 - Stockholm Comparing Public Policies for DTT

TACK!

Roberto Suárez Researcher and Lecturer (PhD Candidate)

Department of CommunicationPompeu Fabra University – Barcelona, Spain

www.robertosuarez.es

[email protected]

Comparing Public Policies for Digital Terrestrial Television: Sweden vs Spain within the framework...

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