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Government Failure: Why the Majority View is Not Heard?
Free-to-air TV Licensing
1. Policy Background
a. 1957-1998
A total of 3 free television licenses granted and 2 television stations survive
In 1957, Rediffusion Television Limited (RTV, now known as Asia Television Limited, ATV) was the first company in Hong Kong granted a television license to operate a wired subscription service. Eight years later, wireless television broadcasting was available, and the first license was granted to Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) and it started providing free television service in 1967. Before 1973, TVB was the only operator in the free television industry but the monopoly market structure changed as the government decided to issue two more free-to-air television licenses to RTV and Commercial Television Limited respectively in 1973 and 1975. However, Commercial Television Limited ended its operation and declared bankruptcy in 1978. Since then, the government never re-issued the licenses and the whole free television market was dominated by both TVB and RTV (or ATV).
b. September 1998
Review of Television Policy
In 1998, the government started reviewing the whole television policy in Hong Kong, claiming that the objective is to encourage and promote expansion, create a fair, flexible and pro-competition environment in the free television industry.
c. November 2007
A new era of Digital Broadcasting
In fact, analogue television broadcasting was the only broadcasting method before 2007. However, digital technology changed the way of transmitting television program signal. The Commerce and Economic Development Bureau first announced in November 2007 that Hong Kong would adopt the national digital terrestrial tele...
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...n for the government to worry the market cannot sustain if a total of five licenses co-exist in the free television market. It is suggested to grant the license to those which meet the relevant requirements, for example, financial capability, expertise and transmission infrastructure.
6. Conclusion
Why the majority view is not heard? After analyzing the case of the free-to-air television policy, the major problem is we have no democracy in Hong Kong, and the Chief Executive is given too much power. Hence, Introducing universal suffrage and avoid China government blatantly intervening in the affairs of Hong Kong is the best way to correct such political system failures,
As to deal with the market failure, it is suggested that the Commerce and Economic Development bureau set up a list of criterion and grant a license to those who fulfils the basic requirements.
"We have an extremely antiquated Broadcasting Act," he said. "Things get old. People get old. Legislation gets old. We 're looking for a refresh of the Broadcasting Act. It 's a reasonable request." Entwistle suggested that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission(CRTC) should displace the Canadian Television Fund with a fund created and manage by company such as TELUS. (POST, 2006)Although his suggestions drew the CRTC’s attention, the Conservative government had already set the plan to the CRTC. However, Entwistle is brave and astute to strive for the maximum benefits, not only for TELUS, but also the Canada government and the whole
Perhaps no other company has benefited more from this deregulation than the company which is the focus of this essay – Clear Channel Communications, Inc (CC). The Telecommunications Act and the actions of the FCC paved the way for the rise of this radio industry behemoth. In 1995, the company owned 43 radio stations nationwide. By 2002, it owned 1,239, making it the largest radio company in th...
McNeil, Alex. Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present, 4th Edition. New York, New York. 1996. Penguin Group Inc. Print.
Over the centuries, the media has played a significant role in the shaping of societies across the globe. This is especially true of developed nations where media access is readily available to the average citizen. The media has contributed to the creation of ideologies and ideals within a society. The media has such an effect on social life, that a simple as a news story has the power to shake a nation. Because of this, governments around the world have made it their duty to be active in the regulation and control of media access in their countries. The media however, has quickly become dominated by major mega companies who own numerous television, radio and movie companies both nationally and internationally. The aim of these companies is to generate revenue and in order to do this they create and air shows that cater to popular demand. In doing so, they sometimes compromise on the quality of their content. This is where public broadcasters come into perspective.
Due to compression, TV audio and video require less bandwidth and multiple digital TV channels can fit unto one satellite transponder as oppose to a single analogue channel occupying the whole transmission line.
In this paper, I will explain why public support is important, but not essential for the Public Broadcasting Service to fulfill its mission to provide alternative programming to the American public. I will show how public broadcasting would exist without the support of the federal government, and then explain why the positive externalities created by public broadcasting lead to market failure and suggest that government support of PBS is in the best interest of society.
Broadcasting involves specific rules and regulations that must be followed. The paramount justification for regulating broadcast is the scarcity rationale. The radio spectrum is extremely large, and cannot assist the needs of everyone who wants to broadcast. The spectrum as a whole relies on the government to manage and operate it. It is up to them to decide what broadcasters will best serve the public. A scarcity rationale case, NBC v. United States arose when regulations and restrictions were put on radio stations that were to protect “public interest.” Radio Networks proceeded to test the guidelines and licensing laws, resulting in the FCC gaining strong power over regulations of the radio spectrum. Although the Communications Act provides equal opportunities to all candidates with equivalent broadcast time, it still did not confine the FCC from having overall control.
The market penetration of TiVo has been very poor. Fourteen months after its introduction only 0.04% penetration has been achieved out of the total of 102million TV watching population. This is also reflected in the poor revenue position of the company. Exhibit 3 shows that the company recorded a loss every quarter since the introduction of the product in September 1999 and has been getting worse.
The premise was based on data from a Nielsen report, State of the Media: Consumer Usage Report (2011) which indicated a dropping level of time spent watching linear television across a number of different demographic groups. It would seem that two years since that report and things have only gotten worse for broadcast media. In fact, according to a lot of new data from a variety of sources, the days of broadcasters seem to be numbered.
Before television existed people had to depend on Radio stations to receive their little bit of entertainment and news. But in 1878, the invention of TV began. The first TV made didn’t look anything like the way TV’s look today. It was a mechanical camera with a large spinning disc attached to it (Kids Work). But as over the years, of course, inventions of different TV’s progressed and by the 20th century about 90 percent of our population had a TV in their household (MGHR). Television today is mainly used for people take a break from their life by relaxing and enjoying some entertainment.
In analysis of market failure, a distinction should be drawn between partial and complete market failures. While the later implies a functional market with ineffective function the former describes a complete non-functional market with inability to supply the market with required goods o...
Nightingale, V & Dwyer, T 2006 ‘The audience politics of ‘enhanced’ television formats’, International Journal of Media and Cultural Politics, vol. 2, no.1, pp. 25-42
Majority rule can often lead to tyranny because of the pursuit of the majorities’ interests; however, with the Supreme Court and its interpretation of the Constitution, minority groups are often able to rule over the unjust majority. Majority rule is essential in a democracy and having limits does not contradict the majority’s power. The principles of majority rule can be upheld while the rights of minorities are protected as long as justice is maintained through the checks on majority factions and justified court rulings.
There has always been controversy as to whether there should be regulations on reality tv shows or not It would be a positive gesture to hold regulations on reality tv. Although having regulations on reality tv limits violence, decreases bad ratings, and makes the show more family oriented, it can make the show less intriguing because it wouldn’t be as melodramatic, it wouldn’t be real if it had rules, and it limits the freedom of the people on the show.
...stop growing. Although United State has a good regulatory organization called the FCC, but still it needs to be fixed to make a regulation that reflects public needs. By trying to make better media system, people in the United States must have better information than these days.