One in a series of papers by the Rural Research Agency devoted to the study of telecommunications services and systems sponsored by the State of Alaska, this paper concentrates on the technology of television delivery and distribution to the citizens of the state. It most closely scrutinizes entertainment television, but much of its analysis is equally applicable to instructional telecasts. The study is structured into sections addressing areas of interest including: (1) Satellite Television Today; (2) Technology in the Future; (3) Systems in the Practical Sense; (4) Programming Issues; and (5) The Costs of Alternative Systems. The document contains both an executive summary and individual chapter summaries. The latter are somewhat more specific than the executive summary and contain recommendations developed through research. A bibliography and list of persons interviewed are included. Appendices include lists of commercially and community-owned cable systems in Alaska; a list of communities without commercial television arranged by 1982 population; a partial list of satellite television programs available to viewers in Alaska by type of programming; satellite television program fees; and requests for/complaints about lack of public television service as received by Alaska's four public television stations during 1984. (THC)