Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1999

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Communication

Major Professor

Benjamin J. Bates

Committee Members

Babara Moore, Herbert Howard

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to understand how local broadcasters are approaching the era of digital broadcasting. The researcher surveyed a census of ABC,CBS, ABC, and Fox affiliates. Out of a population of 715 broadcast television stations.188 surveys were returned for a response rate of 26.33 percent.All indications are the move to digital broadcasting is popular among broadcasters. Broadcasters express dissatisfaction towards Congress and the FCC for their handling of digital broadcasting, and they egress high levels of concerns over such matters as financing new digital equipment, willingness of advertisers to fund digital programming, and the costs to consumers that digital television poses.Among the important finds from this study is the discovery of a possible shift in the business definition for local broadcasters. Initially, 163 respondents indicated that their current business definition is as broadcasters, compared with only 13 who said they are information providers. However, when respondents were asked what they envision their future definition to be, the number of respondents who identified themselves as future information providers had grown to 63 while the number of future broadcasters was down to 107.The researcher uncovered several key differences among future information providers and future broadcasters in how they view the future of their industry. Among The differences are how great of an impact digital television will have on their business definition and the levels of interests the two groups have in providing additional digital services. Overall, future information providers felt that digital broadcasting will have a greater impact on their business definition than did future broadcasters. Also, future information providers expressed greater levels of interest than future broadcasters in providing additional digital services.This study also explored progress in planning for digital broadcasting. All Indications are that broadcasters are only doing what is necessary to comply withCongress and the FCC by planning to purchase digital transmitters in order to broadcast a digital signal. All other areas of planning, including purchasing digital studio equipment and planning for digital programming, lags far behind planning for purchasing digital transmitters.

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