"Who\´s Afraid of High Def?\´ Institutional Factors Influencing HDTV Diffusion in the Netherlands

Since digital HDTV has made an entrance in the Netherlands, HD ready´ TV sets are sold and HDTV cable subscription services are available. In contrast, no Dutch TV channel offers HD content and publicity is mostly negative. This paper analyses the economical, organizational, historical and cultural background of HD diffusion in the Netherlands. Results show that the diffusion of HDTV is influenced by international standardization of peripheral equipment, competing TV uses and a deadlock in content broadcasting.