Joint Research on Policy in Converging Telecom and Broadcast

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Digital convergence poses a challenge to broadcasting and telecommunications policy on a global scale. Particularly digital innovation in the broadcasting sector enhances a rapid market convergence, which makes the boundary between the carriages of telecommunications and television signals blurry. Not only does digital convergence change the size and scope of telecommunications and broadcasting markets but it also has a great impact on our economic society. In order to enjoy the potential benefits of digital convergence, the public policy should be a pro-competitive one, since competitive pressures in the markets will bring opportunities for market players to provide new services and improve the quality of services, It is important to let competition work and let the players experiment with new ideas because it is competition that stimulates efficiency and ensures consumer sovereignty. We have organized an international research group to examine the current situation of digital converg … More ence of telecommunications and broadcasting in Japan, United Kingdom and Germany, and to study the major policy issues, focusing on regulatory challenges those nations face from the international comparative point of view. The major implication that were distilled from our international comparative study is that a new regulatory paradigm is needed because competition can no longer be defined in terms of traditional markets alone. Competition policy must be analyzed across broadcasting and telecommunications industries. Since it is difficult to envisage the future deployment of digital convergence, reliance on competition policy would be the best solution. The immediate task of the government is to set the rules of the game as a way of enhancing fair competition and innovation. It is competition rather than regulation that simulates efficiency and diversification. Our study is published a book entitled Convergence of Telecommunications and Broadcasting in Japan, United Kingdom and Germany, Curzon Press, UK, 2001. Less