Quality television goes down the tube

With the introduction of digital television by the British Sky Broadcasting company on October 1 of this year, British television viewers had instant access to hundreds of channels.
European-wide digital television stations will soon follow, with individual countries already preparing to introduce digital services. Citizens will soon have access to an infinite number of television channels, showing everything from interactive poker to gardening.
However, the introduction of new television stations in Belgium and Ireland has made people realise that digital television will not mean higher quality television. Different channels may be introduced to cater for specialist tastes, but highly commercial channels are more likely not to follow public service models for broadcasting. Instead, American dominated, low-budget programming with a high ratio of advertising may become the most popular form of entertainment broadcast by television companies.
Currently, there are no European regulations governing the quality of television channels. There exists a European Broadcasting Union, which is not under the control of the European Parliament, and is largely concerned with frequency bands of stations. Almost all public service stations and some commercial stations in Europe are members of the Union. The Eurovision Song Contest also falls under its remit, and it is involved in bidding for and distributing broadcasting rights for big events, including sports, to its member companies throughout Europe.
One Belgian commercial television station, VT4, started broadcasting in 1995, and to date has been scorned equally by Belgian commentators and a large number of the public. Nevertheless, it now has a 15 percent share of the Belgian terrestrial television share, and carries a high level of American soap operas, light entertainment and no news.
The station was refused a licence by the Belgian Government at first because of it's poor program schedule, but the Scandinavian-owned station routed transmissions through the UK, where regulations are less strict, and now broadcasts in Belgium with a non-domestic licence.
In Ireland, the first terrestrial commercial television station was launched on September 20 of this year. The station, TV3, has largely been a mix of 'Jerry Springer' type shows bought in from America, and films. There is a one hour news bulletin each week day, but this has been slammed by many.
The public service broadcaster, Radio Teilifis Eireann and its subsidiary Teilifis na Gaeilge, which is part owned by the Irish Government had been the only Irish broadcaster. English television including BBC and Sky was available to about 60 percent of the Irish audience, but the Irish stations were more popular as a whole.
Talk of the introduction had been ongoing for some time, with several failed attempts at applying for a licence from different investors.
It was finally achieved earlier this year, and the new station went into operation after receiving a licence from the Irish Government.
However, it has been a big disappointment. Already it has been nicknamed 'Poor mans Sky' indicating the commercial nature of the station. However, the owners are not worried. The intent of the station is completely commercial, and the owners are quite happy to settle for seven to eight percent of the market, and "have no intention of inputting any resources into documentary or public service television".
Hugh Linehan, Irish Times Columnist, said he thought the Irish commercial station would have to change if it were to succeed. "The station is in it for the long haul, but it may need to excite us a little more if it wants us to take any notice."
Member countries' policies tend to vary a lot, as public service channels are generally charged with offering the public a service in news, current affairs and education, while commercial television stations are left to their own devices.
These states have their own policies on television content, and the European Commission has no plans to harmonise the individual restrictions on television quality, or to introduce new directives requiring content to be improved and to include a certain percentage of news and current affairs. Exceptions could then be made for stations who apply for 'special content' licences, including music and film channels.
In Australia, the ABA, (association which regulates television quality) enforces similar standards in both public service and commercial station. Chief Executive of the ABA, Mr David Flint said he believed government had a duty to ensure the public it served was receiving the quality of television deserved. "Content on commercial television and children's television are regulated by compulsory standards... codes of practice for subscription television broadcasting services are being developed."
The digital age will undoubted revolutionise television. The future of the way in which we receive information has changed permanently, but without the proper regulation over this medium, commercial television may indeed become a very potent force in the market, with unknown consequences for viewers.
Thomas Felle
Leslie Dehauwere