ABSTRACT
The historical reasons for the regulation of broadcasting are based on a number of principles, which are interdependent and which have been extended to control satellite broadcasting:
TV has always been seen as a politically important medium —not least as a cypher for social persuasion
technically, it has been necessary to control frequencies, to avoid interference with other parts of the radio spectrum
'new media', ie cable and satellite, have assumed a special importance for reasons of industrial strategy, and thus must be made to fit into policies on employment, exports, etc
the original link with telecommunications authorities, for licensing purposes remains in most countries, so that regulation of cable and satellite still falls within the remit of telcommunications organisations/P'ITs (Posts, Telegraphs and Telephone companies)
broadcasting has long been seen as a 'public service' (in some cases, like utilities, such as gas and electricity), which must serve the 'public good', in terms of requirements not to offend public decency and taste, avoid political bias, provide a range of programmes for different sectors of society.
