Through the digital television legislation, Australia's commercial television broadcasters have had their oligopoly protection extended to the year 2006 and have been loaned additional spectrum without charge. Digital terrestrial television holds out the hope that free to air broadcasters can use technology to maintain and enhance their competitive position. The book's analysis of these issues is excellent. It is enhanced by Jock Given's detailed knowledge of trends in the film and television production industries and the rights markets where some of these battles are being fought out. Here is the content and here are the copyrights that all of these media are vying to exploit.
Recent statistics highlight the importance of having an exclusive right to transmit good content.
This is clear and accessible. It is here that it is explained why the debate about digital broadcasting becomes a debate about media and communications more broadly. The Australian Government's decisions are compared with the decisions of the US and the UK governments to facilitate the introduction of digital television and radio. The final chapter seeks to identify the important public interest elements in the Digital Information Age and suggests broad policy approaches that should be followed in the face of yet another phase of unprecedented change in communications. The information and communication industries are likely to be the greatest growth industries on the planet in the next twenty years.