Online harms a key focus on the agenda of EPRA´s 49th meeting

The detailed Agenda for the 49th EPRA meeting, which will take place on 29-31 May in Sarajevo, is now available. This closed event, hosted by CRA, the converged regulatory authority in Bosnia Herzegovina, will gather about 150 delegates representing 50 member authorities, permanent observers and invited media experts who will discuss current issues pertaining to audiovisual media regulation in Europe and exchange on topics of common interest.

Further to the EPRA Work Programme, the plenary sessions in 2019 will focus on key challenges for audiovisual regulation by addressing “the Protection of minors in the online world & focus on evidence of harm” (Plenary 1) and “sports’ rights” (Plenary 2).

• Plenary Session 1, on 30 May, will focus on challenges that audiovisual regulators will face to define and assess the level of harm for children on online media. The session will open with a keynote by Prof. Brian O’Neill from the Technological University Dublin. A panel composed of Ľuboš Kukliš, CBR (SK), Roger Loppacher, CAC (ES) and Richard Wronka, Ofcom (UK) will then share experience, research findings and recent initiatives

• Plenary Session 2, on 31 May, will start with a keynote by Roland Belfin, KommAustria/RTR, focusing on the changing ecosystem of sports’ rights and emerging regulatory challenges. A panel composed of Oliver Quast from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU – Legal Department) and Elias Gallego Garcia (Mediapro) will share their experience with the audience and engage in a debate on whether new regulatory approaches are needed.

Three parallel working groups will allow regulators to actively exchange experience and best practices:

• WG I "Media literacy" will present the results of the media literacy taskforce set up last year by EPRA and exchange on top tips and best practices, highlight recent media literacy actions undertaken in the Western Balkans and take stock of NRAs' initiatives during the first European Media Literacy Week. Under the expert guidance of Martina Chapman (Mercury Insights) and of Robert Tomljenović (AEM Croatia) we are expecting a lively and interactive session enriched by input from many EPRA members.

• WG II on “European works and prominence: discussing definitions and methodology” will discuss the best practices and the practical challenges encountered when identifying and measuring European works quotas and prominence on VOD catalogues. Maja Cappello from the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO) will present some key findings of the recent mapping exercise conducted for the EFADs. A panel discussion with Christian Grece (EAO), Lucile Petit, CSA (FR) and José Ángel García Cabrera, CNMC (ES) will debate on methodology &  dilemmas.

• WG III on "The prevention of hate speech in the media in countries with multicultural communities" will discuss current issues of concern for regulators with regard to hate speech, with a focus on video-sharing platforms, now in the scope of the new AVMS Directive. After an introduction from Prof. Bojan Šošić from the Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, EPRA members will discuss recent case studies and ongoing initiatives on European and national level to fight hate speech online.

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EPRA provides an independent and transparent forum for 53 audiovisual regulators in wider Europe to share relevant information, best practice, experience and expertise. It explores innovative means of regulating and analysing the audiovisual sector and sharing that with a wider audience of stakeholders.

Source: EPRA Secretariat