Reinventing Public Service Television for the Digital Future (Book)

Since the 1980s there has been much speculation about the demise of public service television, initially because of the advent of cable and satellite television and the variety of entertainment channels they offer. While the proliferation of global niche media might seem to accelerate the demise of public television, in reality, public broadcasters are undergoing a reinvention. Reinventing Public Service Television for the Digital Future draws on fifty interviews with media industry and academic specialists from four countries to discuss on how public service broadcasting institutions are responding to the changes in digital media. This seminal work offers superior insights into the constraints and possibilities of the public service system and its prospects for survival in the age of on-demand media.

Edition

Once regarded as a system in decline, public service broadcasters have acquired renewed legitimacy in the digital environment, as drivers of digital take-up, innovators and trusted brands. Exploring this remarkable transformation, Reinventing Public Service Television for the Digital Future engages with the new opportunities and challenges facing public service media, outlining the ways in which interactive technologies are now expanding the delivery of diverse goals and enhancing public accountability. Drawing on 50 interviews with media industry and academic specialists from four countries, this seminal work explores the constraints and possibilities of the public service system and its prospects for continued survival in the age of on-demand media.

Mary Debrett is a lecturer in media industries at La Trobe University in Australia. She has worked as a senior editor for Television New Zealand and as a freelance documentary maker and researcher.

The Need for Reinvention
 
The BBC: 'The Cornerstone of National Culture'
 
Channel Four: 'A Service with a Difference'
 
The ABC: 'The National Broadcaster'
 
SBS: 'A Multicultural Service'
 
American Public Television: 'A Non-commercial Service'
 
Television New Zealand: 'A Crown Owned Company'
 
Public Service Media 
 
Trust and Public Service Media
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