sou · GKB325d2 · 1997-01-01 00:00:00 — When the dividing line between different media becomes blurred, players who have earlier been in separate markets will re- appear on the same playing field. Three main different groups of players together make up the information society. The production and distribution of network based services for information, entertainment and other purposes involves (1) companies within telecommunica- tions, cable TV and satellite in terms of transfer and distribution, (2) computer companies within the hardware and software areas and (3) media companies for the production of channel content in terms of picture, text and sound. Integration between these different groups of players depends on a change in technological gear, with digital TV as a starting point and the multimedia society as a more distant destination point. I agree with this view that this shift takes place in three phases. During the transitional phase now being introduced, TV will be distributed in both analogue and digital form. In the next phase the majority of all TV programmes will be digital. How long this will take depends very much on the strategies adopted by the Government. My proposal is that in we should be in this phase within approximately 10 years. The third phase sometimes referred to as the multimedia phase can be characterised by network communication open to such applications as the Internet . In this phase there will be full interactivity between networks including the fibre optical network. Difficulties in predicting how digital technology can be exploited when the requisite infrastructural conditions are created depend on the nature of the breakthrough technology. These are the technologies that provide and inventions within wide areas of use. The breakthrough technologies are of central importance for maintaining productivity increases and stimulating economic growth with repercussions on the whole of society. In this area, digital transmission technology promises significantly greater opportunities than purely TV broadcasting. The breakthrough technology should be capable of being an engine of economic growth and thus be of importance for overall societal development. This creates new opportunities for information and development of com- petence, two essential components for the development of society. The question of the transition to digital terrestrial TV broadcasting in is thus of considerably greater importance than whether TV viewers should get better picture quality and a larger number of channels to choose from. I welcome digital TV as a gateway that will allow us to exploit the benefits of a breakthrough technology. in this context can provide advantages in international goods and service markets. is in a position to become a pioneering country in digital services. Swedish households rank at the top in terms of ownership of TV, telephones and home computers. The broadcasting network for the new technology can be constructed rapidly and cover the whole country. We have enterprises with the necessary competence to develop the industrial products required for this technology. At the same time, is such a limited market that the larger industrial nations can accept us as a pioneering country. There is thus no risk from the viewpoint of these countries that we would develop an unacceptable advantage. To realise this vision of a digital breakthrough, infrastructural systems that are accessible, consistent with societal interests and open to competition are required for broadcasting and receiving. The con- verse i.e. a closed, private and monopolised infrastructure would seriously worsen the conditions for benefiting from the new techno- logy on a broad front. The developments that occur concerning societys terrestrial broadcasting network are thus of strategic significance. Expert group for Multimedia Issues As pointed out earlier, my proposals are intended to chart a route for the strategic decisions to be taken by the Government. The proposals of the Commission are thus not a final action plan for digitalisation. In a number of areas, further analysis is required. Much work remains before a national action plan can be brought into existence. I have also stated that the development of digital technology provides great opportunities for a country such as ours, but that no one possesses sufficient knowledge of the future to make totally accurate judgements on possible applications and digital services . In addition during the investigatory work, I have noted that there is a conflict of interest within this area. This applies not only to the authorities, but also other players within the public sector. Naturally there is a risk that these conflicts of interest could slow development down and make it more difficult. The Government should keep development within this area under strict observation and maintain a high degree of readiness for changing circumstances which are now beginning to become increasingly clearer. This is especially important since digitalisation overlaps the areas of a number of Ministries and Authorities. I propose that an expert group for multimedia issues be established as soon as possible to carry out a more detailed analysis of the issues which I have considered from a principle point of view in this Commission. The expert group should on an ongoing basis provide the foundations for the political decisions which development within the multimedia area requires. To be able to identify at an early stage the directions in which development is going, the expert group should focus explicitly on what is taking place on the technological development front. I propose that the expert group should in addition be given the following tasks. –deepening the industrial-commercial analysis of the digitalisation of television in against a background of the Governments principal positions in this area. It is of particular interest to ana- lyse the socio-economic consequences of different kinds of eco- nomic stimuli to households and the industrial and commercial sector which can both facilitate and accelerate development. –analysing the need for international frequency agreements as a consequence of the position of the Government. –analysing the need for changing the division of responsibility and organisation of the authorities and state enterprises all of which have tasks in this area. –making an in-depth analysis of the technical and frequency consequences of a decision to digitalise television. –facilitating the links between different players within this area. –connecting the development of digital TV and other media to edu- cation, and other areas of central importance for society. –working out proposals for action plans in the areas presented in this report.