This paper investigates the incentives of broadcasters to use subsidies and sunset dates to affect the viewers’ decisions to switch from analog to digital television. It is shown that when viewers have identical preferences for digital television, it is never optimal for the broadcaster to subsidize just a fraction of viewers. When instead viewers have different valuations, broadcasters might want to induce viewers to switch gradually. Implications for welfare and effects of universal service requirements on equilibrium outcomes are also discussed.
Switching to digital television: business and public policy issues
OTTAVIANI, MARCO M.
2006
Abstract
This paper investigates the incentives of broadcasters to use subsidies and sunset dates to affect the viewers’ decisions to switch from analog to digital television. It is shown that when viewers have identical preferences for digital television, it is never optimal for the broadcaster to subsidize just a fraction of viewers. When instead viewers have different valuations, broadcasters might want to induce viewers to switch gradually. Implications for welfare and effects of universal service requirements on equilibrium outcomes are also discussed.
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
