Series:

Media Culture & Society

1 total work

Cover of The Economics of Television
How television is to be financed in the last years of this century is a question of major concern to governments, broadcasters and the private sector. The Economics of Television is a detailed examination of the real costs of television production in the United Kingdom and a critical analysis of those political and economic factors that impinge upon broadcasting's future. The book addresses three equally pertinent questions. First, what is the nature of the television market? Second, what is happening to broadcasting costs and why? Third, what is the United Kingdom's role in the internationalization of television and in the international trade of television programmes? The authors review the recent Peacock Committee's Report and its implications for licence fee and advertising revenues, the production costs of television, the internationalization of the television programme market and the overall financing of broadcasting. The broadcasting environment is rapidly changing under the influence of new distribution technologies (such as satellites) and new ideologies (such as the challenge of the private sector to public service authority). Given these new influences, the authors' discussion highlights the imperfectly competitive character of the broadcasting market, the outstanding cheapness of terrestrial broadcasting and the particular economic characteristics of television programmes and other information commodities. The Economics of Television is an essential guide to the finance of television and will be required reading for anyone concerned with the future of broadcasting.