Public Service Broadcasting for Economic Growth and Language Development

The history of public service broadcasting (PSB) has been dominated by critical questions about its remit, the best funding mechanism to sustain the broadcasting system, the defining elements that distinguish PSB from commercial channels, what its role should be in democratic societies, and latterly its relevance in the age of new technologies in which information is openly available on the Internet. The emergence of the World Wide Web has not eased the debate. Concerns have persisted because of the central role that PSB is believed to play in facilitating deliberative democracy, free expression of diverse views and equal access to information, and in serving as a vehicle for cultural expression and language preservation.