根據美國發展經驗來看，直播電視服務（Direct To Home, DTH）的出現已對整個電視服務市場生態，尤其是有線電視業，產生不小的衝擊，因此有線電視業如何面對台灣直播電視服務的出現，以及彼此間如何在市場上採取有效的經營與行銷等策略，以積極手段防範訂戶流失，或甚至爭取更多消費者，相信都會是相當受關注的傳播產業議題。 以行銷學者波特（Michael Porter）的替代性（substitution）產品的分析觀點來看，直播電視與有線電視的市場競爭，兩者間可說存在著替代性，因此如何強化彼此的產品差異性，以及其服務在消費者眼中的差異性便成為市場競爭策略的重點。因此本研究在面對直播電視的積極進軍電視服務市場，擬採用行銷研究的產品差異化理論，針對有線電視與直播電視的市場競爭來分析傳播產品的差異化策略，亦即希望（一）、檢驗產品差異化理論應用於傳播媒體服務的適用性，並建立適用於分析媒體服務的差異化策略指標；（二）、瞭解消費者對電視服務差異化指標的重要性評價；（三）、瞭解消費者對有線電視與直播電視服務的滿意度；最後（四）、提供電視服務市場現有業者或新進入者擬定市場競爭策略之參考。
英文摘要
Broadcast satellite services serve American customers since 1980s. The direct-to-home (DTH) service, or called the broadcast satellite service (BSS), has become the strongest competitor of cable television since the advent of pizza-size satellite receivers and digitalization satellite technology. The struggle for subscribers between cable television and DTH has come to a head. Although cable television has served Taiwan ’s audience for more then 20 years, DTH is new to television service market in Taiwan. Even though the growth rate of DTH subscribers is somehow lower than expectation at the outset, industry experts predict that DTH will become the strongest competitor of cable television in Taiwan in the near future. Facing severe competition, product differentiation is the key for them to success in the television market under the circumstance. This study is about to apply the theory of product differentiation and the strategy of product differentiation to analyze market competition between cable television and DTH in Taiwan. In addition, the study is about to answer four questions: First, what are significant criteria of the product differentiation between two services from audience ’s viewpoint? Second, how do two television service operators satisfy their subscribers? Third, what is the market strategy of product differentiation between two services? The last, is it appropriate to apply the theory of product differentiation to mass media?
中文關鍵詞
電視服務，直播電視，有線電視，產品差異化，市場競爭
英文關鍵詞
television services, direct-to-home, cable television, product differentiation, market competition