NEW MEDIA - THE LIKELY DEVELOPMENT PATH AND FUTURE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS

There has been widespread discussion of how the perceived convergence of the telecommunications, media and information technology industries might affect the way we all lead our lives. This article suggests tha t on-line services, rather than the TV market, will drive the developm ent of new media markets. In particular, it suggests that switched bro adband networks will not be established on a wide scale for the forese eable future. The article also identifies guiding principles to be use d in defining regulatory regimes of the future. It suggests that confl icting consumer and commercial Interests can only be balanced if a cou ntry's regulator is free to create a stable, yet flexible, regulatory environment. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd