Kabelfernsehen

Cable Television (cable broadcasting), system for transmitting radio and television programmes by means of a high-frequency conductor (coaxial or fibre-optic cables). Originally used to rectify the scarcity of terrestrial frequencies, numerous cable television networks were established in Austria from 1975, both in metropolitan areas and in remote areas where the terrestrial conditions restricted reception. The cable networks, provided by private companies (in Vienna there were 6 of them in 1992, with 315,000 subscribers) grew rapidly from 1980 to 1993 (6% of Austrian households had cable television in 1981 and 34% in 1993). Since then, development has stagnated due to the rapid expansion of satellite broadcasting systems (27% of all households had satellite receivers in 1994). Altogether, 61.3% of all households in Austria had either cable or satellite television in 1994.

Literature: Massenmedien in Österreich, Medienberichte 1-4 (1977-1993).