Transnationalization of Television in West Europe. Working Paper No. 13.

Based primarily on data from public service broadcasting, this study had two major purposes: to develop a framework for understanding, conceptualizing, and measuring international television flows and the effects associated with these flows; and to establish a background of facts on international television flows in Western Europe. Secondary purposes include an evaluation of the "media imperialism" thesis as an explanation of the patterns of flow that can be observed; and an investigation of the validity of researchers' and politicians' claims that the United States dominates Western European television. The first of five chapters in the report describes the purposes of the study and provides a review of earlier research. The second chapter outlines the conceptual framework of the study and describes transnationalization of supply and consumption of television broadcasting. Addressing the second major purpose of the study, the third chapter provides data on transnationalization of television in Europe. Discussions of the media imperialism thesis and both positive and negative effects of transnationalization are presented in the fifth chapter. The final chapter outlines policy and research implications of the study. The report includes 28 tables, an extensive list of references, and three appendixes which include a review of the empirical research on which the study is based and the absolute data from which the tables were derived. (GL)