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The Impact of Convergence on European Television Policy

Pressure for Change — Forces of Stability

University of Oslo, Norway, tanja.storsul{at}media.uio.no

Trine Syvertsen

University of Oslo, Norway, trine.syvertsen{at}media.uio.no

Over the last decade, questions regarding the implications of digitalization and convergence have dominated European media debates. One aspect of the debate has concerned regulation: to what degree would existing regulations have to be modified in order to accommodate digital production and distribution technologies? In this article we examine the arguments for regulatory change from the mid- and late 1990s and show that the actual changes have not been as far-reaching as predicted. We will argue that this reflects a general pattern in media development whereby the forces of stability and continuity are often underestimated and too much emphasis is placed on factors pointing towards change. The article draws on empirical evidence from the European Union, Britain and the Scandinavian countries Norway and Sweden.

Key Words: convergence • digitalization • regulation • technology • television policy

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