Overview
Since the early 1990s, supervisory systems for broadcasting in most Western countries have undergone significant change. In this meticulously documented and clearly written book, leading media scholar Wolfgang Hoffmann-Riem presnts a comparative study of the governmental licensing and supervision of commercial and public broadcasting in six Western countries. The work focuses on the influence of the state on the development of regulation, the effects of current regulatory techniques, and the reaction of governmental authorities to changed circumstances in the industry. Examining both current and past programs of supervision in each country, and tracing the links between supervisory bodies and larger political, legal, and economic systems, the book contributes to a broader sociopolitical understanding of broadcasting regulation in industrial democracies. As such, it is an invaluable resource for broadcasting and government professionals, as well as instructors and students with an interest in broadcasting regulation and international communication. It also serves as a text in advanced courses on mass communication and international communication.Synopsis
Since the beginning of the 1990s, supervisory systems for broadcasting in most Western countries have undergone significant change. Meticulously documented and clearly written, this book comprises a comparative study of the licensing and supervision of commerical and public broadcasting in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, and Germany. The author, a leading media scholar, highlights central issues in broadcasting supervision, such as the different ways that free speech and the free market have been conceptualized, and the consequences of these ideas. Examining both the historical and the contemporary degree of supervision in each country, and tracing the links between supervisory bodies and larger political, legal, and economic systems, the book contributes to a broader sociopolitical understanding of broadcasting in industrial democracies.
Booknews
Presents a comparative study of the governmental licensing and supervision of commercial and public broadcasting in six Western countries, focusing on the influence of the state on the development of regulation, the effects of current regulatory techniques, and the reaction of governmental authorities to changing circumstances in the industry. Part I examines each country's system. Part II analyzes various approaches to regulation, free speech, and the free market. For students and professionals in broadcasting and communication. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Editorials
From the Publisher
"There is hardly another field of law characterized by an equally broad range of differing regulatory approaches and techniques as they are found in the various national broadcasting regimes. Professor Hoffmann-Riem, top authority in German media law and experienced comparativist, offers a concise and comprehensive introduction to the most developed broadcast systems. In addition, this book presents a unique comparative analysis of the most important features, which are common to all these systems. Thus, he succeeds to provide a very sophisticated and well-organized bulk of information which should be enormously helpful for better understanding how these systems operate. At the same time, the summary and assessment of the governing principles can serve as a guide for broadcasting policy reform. Anyone who cares about the future of broadcasting will find this book and invaluable source for what we should look for and what we might be able to achieve." --Friedrich Kübler, Dr., Professor, University of Frankfurt and University of Pennsylvania"Regulating Media will be an invaluable book for anyone interested in national electronic media regulation. Broad in scope and yet precise in detail, this comparative analysis of the broadcast regulatory principles and practices of six major industrial nations is clearly the most significant research effort of its type ever published." --Don R. Le Duc, J.D., Ph.D., Professor of Mass Communications, University of Wisconsin-Madison, coauthor of Law of Mass Communications, 8th Edition (1994)
"This authoritative six-country study of the regulation of commercial broadcasting is both thorough in detail and powerful in broad-ranging analysis. Its comparative treatment highlights diverse approaches to many common problems and trends (e.g., how to justify regulation when channels are abundant; the shift from cultural to economic concerns; the vulnerability of regulators to political and industry pressures). The book's conclusion pivots on a profound dilemma: Whereas market-driven television tends to flout the public interest, regulation can close the gap to only a limited extent. The author's assessment of the resulting policy implications and options deserves wide attention." --Jay G. Blumler, Ph.D..., Emeritus Professor of the University of Leeds and Emeritus Professor of the University of Maryland