New Media, New Policies

Richard Collins is Professor of Media Studies at the Open University UK. Cristina Murroni is a consultant in media and communications economics and policy and lives in Italy.

• Preface. Introduction.1. Market Forces in Telecommunications.2. Essential Facilities, Third Party Access and the Problems of Interconnection.3. Concentration of Ownership.4. Universal Service Obligation in Broadcasting and Telecommunications.5. Freedom of Expression.6. Audiovisual Policies: Too Much or Not Enough?.7. Public Service Broadcasting: a Better BBC.8. Convergence and Change: Reforming the Regulators.Conclusions.Appendix One.Appendix Two.Notes.References.Glossary.Index.

"The convergence of media technologies and industries is racing ahead of a maze of fragmented and increasingly obsolete policies rooted in the preconvegence era. New Media, New Policies lays down an integrated policy programme that challenges conventional thinking and provides an essential foundation for the forthcoming debates on policies for the UK information society." Professor W Melody, Center for Tele Information, Technical University of Denmark "A key book - and a key to new Labour thinking." James Curran, Goldsmiths' College"Much of what they have to say about policy is thoughtful and to be welcomed ... Collins and Murroni seek to provide a coherent perspective and clear policy guidelines for the future. Whether you are "new" or "old" labour, this is an important book that deserves to be widely read." Tribune"Their comprehensive and timely book is the first fruit of a major study of the media and telecommunications industries." The Times Higher Education Supplement"The scope of the book is wide, dealing with press, broadcasting and other audiovisual media ... it is all clearly written and explained in a reasonable and no-nonsense style which will make it both useful and attractive to students of British media policy, who need a short and reliable introduction to a wide range of issues. It should also appeal to politicians of the centre left who want some ready-made answers to questions about media policy." European Journal of Communication"The quality of its analysis of current UK communication policy issues ... is both cogent and clear ... A valuable contribution to the continuing debates on UK communication policy and a highly recommended text for teaching on these policy issues." LSE Magazine"This book is not simply an academic text ... [it is] a resource for government ... Many statements in the book translate into policies recently enacted or, perhaps, are about to be so." Screen