Telecommunications Companies as Digital Broadcasters: The Importance of Net Neutrality in Competitive Markets. (July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meese, James
• Is Part Of: Television & new media. Volume 21:Number 5(2020)
• Page Start: 530
• Page End: 546
• Publication Date: 2020-07
• Subjects: postbroadcast -- network neutrality -- vertical integration -- Australia -- telecommunications -- streaming video -- distribution; Télévision -- Aspect social -- Périodiques; Télévision -- Aspect économique -- Périodiques; Médias -- Publics -- Périodiques; Civilisation -- Histoire -- Périodiques; Television broadcasting -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Digital media -- Periodicals; 302.234505
• DOI: 10.1177/1527476419833560
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1527-4764

Abstract

This article examines the recent phenomenon of telecommunications companies distributing screen content over-the-top (OTT). It begins by localizing this international trend through an Australian case study and exploring how this process manifests in a relatively competitive telecommunications market. The article reveals that telecommunications companies going OTT contributes to increasing concentration among Australian Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and also raises a series of consumer issues. I go on to argue that the ownership or provision of telecommunications infrastructure must be separated from content distribution and that net neutrality needs to be embedded as a central media policy concern, even in markets with a relatively strong level of competition. However, the article also notes that such policies do not address the long-term profitability of telecommunications companies that are not already vertically integrated, a problem that future research needs to address.