This paper was released in April 1991. In the paper, the Office of Regulation Review (ORR) analyses arguments advanced for government control of Pay TV, in an economic social welfare framework.

It attempts to sort out those characteristics of the market and service which both require and are likely to be amenable to regulation. Its objective is to provide a focus so that the regulatory regime developed for Pay TV strikes an appropriate balance between the objectives and practical limits of regulation.

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Pay TV: Why Regulate (PDF 214.8 KB)

Contents

Preliminaries
Copyright, Preface, Contents, Overview

1 Introduction

2 The Market Environment
Pay TV technologies
Pay TV's target market

3 The Regulatory Environment

4 Assessing Economic Rationales for Pay TV Regulation
The ORR's approach
Natural monopoly issues
Externalities in related technologies
Protecting free-to-air services
Siphoning
Balance of payments effects

5 Assessing Rationales for the Social Regulation of Pay TV
The ORR's approach
Program content
Advertising
Ownership issues
Licensing arrangements

6 Conclusion

References

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