A Comparative Study on the Media Policies of Asian Countries While Encountering with Satellite Televisions

Understanding the way other countries react to the phenomenon of satellite television can help Iran improve its policies in this regard. Comparative studies on media policies can help us understand changes and trends in such policies. We used two studies conducted in the Hijri years of 1373 and 1381 and chose 17 Asian countries using targeted sampling. After conducting a literature review in the field of media policies we draw a trajectory of policy-making.
The results show that policy makers in the countries under question considered satellite television channels as (1) a disturbance to local media market and (2) a threat to national interests.
These countries adopted two policies: (a) acceptance, which means the government shouldn’t interfere; (b) limiting the free flow of information. Comparing the results of the study with the results of another study which was conducted 21 years ago, we can see than the countries that used to be in the second category have gotten closer to the first one.