This discussion of the audience for European television argues that satellite television has taken an upside-down approach, i.e., it has begun by focusing on the hardware, and then the software, before checking to see if there would be a user at the end of the line willing to pay for the whole operation. "European television" is then defined as being pluri-national in origin and multilingual in transmission, and some of the technical, organizational, and programming problems that must be solved are discussed. The characteristic features of the European audience are described, and the issues involved in finding an audience that is both receptive and productive are considered. Actions taken by the Council of Europe in an effort to strike a balance between the necessary development of media technologies and the defense of the audience's fundamental rights and freedoms are briefly described. The paper concludes by suggesting some ways of finding an audience while respecting its basic human rights. (CGD)