New Television, Old Politics: The Transition to Digital TV in the United States and Britain

Description

This book examines the economic, political, and technological forces that are shaping the future of broadcasting in advanced industrialized nations by comparing the transition from analog to digital TV in the US and Britain. Digital TV involves a major reordering of the broadcast sector that requires governments to rethink governance tools for the digital media era. By looking at how the transition is unfolding in these nations, the book uncovers the political underpinnings of the emerging governance regime for digital communications and explores the implications of the transition for the development of the Information Society in the US and Europe. The findings challenge much conventional wisdom about media deregulation and the globalization of communications. The transition to digital TV has not weakened but rather reinforced government control over broadcasting. Moreover, contrary to what many globalization theories would predict, it has reinforced preexisting differences in the organization of media across nations.

Hernan Galperin is an Assistant Professor at the Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California. He holds a B.A. in Social Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a Ph.D. from Stanford University. Dr Galperin's research and teaching focus on the international governance and impact of new communication and information technologies. His research has been published in article collections and scholarly journals such as the Federal Communications Law Journal, Telecommunications Policy, the Journal of Communication, and Media, Culture, & Society. He is a frequent participant to numerous academic and industry conferences, including the Telecommunications Policy Research Conference (TPRC), the International Communication Association (ICA), and the American Political Science Association (APSA). Dr Galperin is a former fellow of the Stanhope Centre for Communication Policy Research in London.

'The book gives a detailed overview of the digitalization processes of the two countries, and this comparative approach enables a thorough and interesting discussion about the forces that drive political change in the area of television. ... an important contribution to the literature about digital television. ... Galperin's New Television, Old Politics is an interesting book. It is to be recommended to all interested in how digital technology affects the political economy of television in general - and to those interested in the specific developments in Britain and the US.' European Journal of Communication 'This is an important contribution to the debate on PSB that will also be profitably studies by those concerned with the wider issue of the cultural impact of the free market.' Political Studies Review