Regional Public Television in the Digital Age: The Case of the Compañía de Radio-Televisión de Galicia TVG (2000)

Object of Study: The Television of Galicia (TVG) and its transformation, necessary in the light of two present-day phenomena: digitalisation of television and convergence of telecommunications (television, telephony and Internet). The Galician government —Xunta de Galicia— must consider adopting new media policies and implementing new strategies for the TVG to keep up to date in the new multi-channel, multi-service world of communications. Goals: My doctoral work will try to analyse and provide an alternative to the role currently played by the TVG so that it can successfully meet the challenge posed by the convergence era and develop a new model of media corporation, delivering not only broadcasting but also a variety of value-adding services (line and mobile telephony, data transmission services, etc.). This transformation should directly affect the policy pursued by the TVG —a regional public service broadcaster with a general-content programming strategy directed at promoting Galician linguistic and cultural heritage— and involve exploring new funding possibilities through TVG's share, minimal so far, in Vía Digital, one of Spain's commercial multi-channel digital satellite operators. Current Galician television policies involve justifying the existence of a regional public television system on the basis of its financial viability. Consequently, the alternative for the TVG to current management policies is becoming a pathfinder and initiator in today's move towards a digital scenario. This would bring forth new funding possibilities through greater participation in pay-TV companies. In the light of the decline of the traditional television model, the reason d'être of a public television system should consist in making maximum use of digital technology by providing the widest possible range of extra services such as telephone, online and communication services.