Public Television and Pluralistic Ideals

“It is very rare that debates over the future shape of UK Public Service Broadcasting look beyond Britain. This is particularly true of the plurality discussion which tends to focus on the threats to the existing UK system. Yet the trends that are being considered, whether in terms of changing technology, consumer behaviour or business models, transcend national boundaries. So it is particularly helpful to view the UK debate in its wider context and to be reminded how history shapes institutional structures. Petros Iosifidis provides a broad pan-European perspective on the UK debate which highlights the distinctiveness of the UK approach even compared with other countries that have a long tradition of intervention in the broadcasting market. Ellen P. Goodman and Monroe E. Price offer a view from the USA on the way that issues of pluralism have been addressed there, in a system with very strong local roots but with a relatively weak national public broadcaster. Robert Picard concludes with an interesting comparative view of the economics of plurality in Europe and the US that allows him to draw some broader lessons for both systems.”