SRA - Strategic research agenda

About

The Strategic Research Agenda of the iMinds Digital Society Department focuses among others on the (evolving) configurations of power and control in broadcaster-to-distributor markets. As established power relationships in television become challenged, channel interactions between broadcasters and distributors may incur tensions and conflicts of interest.

Whereas distributors are slightly moving towards commissioning and creating original content, broadcasters are bypassing traditional distributors to team up with over-the-top services and create a direct customer relationship.

Nevertheless, one main assumption of the thesis is the mutual dependency between broadcasters and distributors. This might lead us to conclude that broadcaster-to-distributor markets are characterised by bilateral bargaining power, and need to deal with double-marginalisation problems.

The major research objective of this PhD is to study the competitive and cooperative interactions (mutual dependencies) between broadcasters and television distributors. Goal is to identify, in a qualitative manner, the relationships between market structure, strategic firm behaviour, policy framework and carriage negotiation outcome.

This results in the following research question: 'what contextual factors and parameters determine bargaining power in broadcaster-to-distributor markets?'

Duration of the project

The project runs from 01/01/2012 - 31/12/2015.

Staff involved

Financed by

  • iMinds