Europes Digital Revolution focuses on the increasingly urgent issue of the European Unions, and its member states, broadcasting policies, and the challenges posed by digital broadcasting. Examining the European Unions record in the field of broadcasting policy - its desire to become a more central actor in the regulation of the converging communications sector - this book analyses the extent to which technological change and globalisation are aiding those ambitions, as they have already done in related areas such as telecommunications. David Levy explores the particular problem that broadcasting poses for European policymakers. The economic, political and cultural importance of broadcasting have fuelled attempts to develop an EU broadcasting policy, but they also explain the determination of key governments to retain control on a national level. Europes Digital Revolution explores the latest thinking to emerge from the EU in response to digital broadcasting, including the recent attempt to promote regulatory convergence or a common approach at the EU level to the regulation of telecoms, IT and broadcasting.
Whilst in other areas, technological change has been cited as justifying the transfer of regulatory responsibility to the EU level, digital broadcasting is unlikely to lead to a rapid Europeanisation of broadcasting policy. David Levy argues that EU-wide approaches should focus on anti-competitive practices rather than on matters of cultural and content regulation. This book provides an industry insiders personal analysis of a particularly complex area of EU and national policymaking. It is the most up to date analysis of the impact of digital broadcasting in the UK, France and Germany, and on EU regulatory approaches. It will interest students of the EU policymaking process as well as those involved in the regulation of the media. Europes Digital Revolution throws new light on the wider debate about how technological change and convergence affect public policy.