ABSTRACT
“Tele-Education via Satellite” presents a strong argument for the use of satellites and other electronic media to promote education at all levels of society. Presenting an economic critique requires going beyond the problems of costs into the relation of costs and institutional organization and behavior. Using any technology in the educational process entails a series of capital and operating costs which must be borne by some agency. The experience in educational media has generally been that budgetary resources tend to evaporate quickly for the support of educational media, while continuing for traditional educational programs. A major problem with specialized educational communications systems is that the sponsoring institution may be placed in the position of providing its own telecommunications capacity. New electronic media, particularly satellites, offer the possibility of major changes in the quality and extension of education. The effectiveness of educational media will rest on the commitment of each government to promoting specific educational goals.
