ABSTRACT
The changing face of Western European broadcasting provides a fascinating subject of study for the contemporary observer. In part this is because the structures of different national broadcasting systems have altered over the past few years with the growth of new radio stations and television channels. A by-no-means exhaustive checklist of such developments would include inter alia the creation of Channel 4 in Britain, the recent launching of Canal plus in France, the de facto establishment of private television networks in Italy, the introduction of a second channel in Ireland, the beginnings of regional television in Spain, the introduction of cable television in West Germany and its expansion in the Netherlands, as well as the legalisation of private local radio in France, Italy and Spain among others. The general trend is towards an increase in the number and type of radio and television outlets, with previously excluded political and economic actors actively seeking, and in some cases gaining, a foothold in the broadcasting field.
