European HDTV Strategy: Muddling Through or Muddling Up?

Abstract

Following a successful technology R&D programme, the European High Definition Television (HDTV) system was the only one available. Despite this, it will never reach the market. In June 1993 the great strategy of the EC to conquer the world with its own transmission system was officially abandoned. This article examines the strategy and the policy-making process that aspired to promote the European model of HDTV but failed. It argues that divergent and conflicting national and industrial interests, as well as divergent policy approaches, are in part to blame for this failure. Mismanagement of time in the policy process due to these conflicting approaches and interests was fatal as concurrently swift technological innovations led to the development of the competing digital HDTV model. It further argues that policy making was not flexible enough — and therefore not incremental — and that it ignored factors such as consumer demand. The HDTV strategy and policy goals were unrealistic and incongruent with available means as, for example, those who sought subsidies for the production of HD-MAC were concurrently developing the antagonistic digital model.