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Regulation News

Digital Single Market Strategy: consultations on geo-blocking and the role of platforms
posted on 25 September, 2015   (public)
Digital Single Market Strategy: consultations on geo-blocking and the role of platforms On 24 September 2015, the European Commission has launched two further consultations as part of the Digital Single Market Strategy issued on 6 May 2015: one on geo-blocking and one...
Media & Elections : French CSA publishes 15 proposals
posted on 21 September, 2015   (public)
Media & Elections : French CSA publishes 15 proposals With a view to better reconciling freedom of communication with rules on political pluralism in the audiovisual media, the French regulatory authority (Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel - CSA) has...
Digitisation in Germany - 2015 DLM Report
posted on 15 September, 2015   (public)
Digitisation  in Germany - 2015 DLM Report The Directors Conference of the Media Authorities (DLM) has recently published its 2015 report on Digitisation, measuring the digitisation of the German broadcasting market and comparing it also to the international one. The...
French data protection authority highlights insufficient protection of children's privacy on the Internet
posted on 08 September, 2015   (public)
French data protection authority highlights insufficient protection of children's privacy on the Internet In May 2015, 29 data protection authorities in the world (of which the French CNIL - Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés), gathered in...
Digital Single Market Strategy: two follow-up consultations launched this summer
posted on 07 September, 2015   (public)
Digital Single Market Strategy: two follow-up consultations launched this summer On 24 August, the European Commission has launched a public consultation on the "Cable and Satellite" Directive, which is part of the reform policy of European copyright law. All...
BAI fosters Irish skills in quality TV drama
posted on 07 September, 2015   (public)
BAI fosters Irish skills in quality TV drama Big Stories on the Small Screen is a new initiative, funded by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and Screen Training Ireland, focused on developing Irish skills in quality long-form screen drama. Big Stories will support...
New Media Online case - Opinion of Advocate General
posted on 01 September, 2015   (public)
New Media Online case - Opinion of Advocate General On 1 July 2015, Advocate General Maciej Szpunar delivered his non-binding opinion in the case New Media Online. In June 2014, the Austrian Supreme Court of Administration had requested a preliminary ruling from the...
ERC reports on news consumption in Portugal
posted on 01 September, 2015   (public)
ERC reports on news consumption in Portugal On 19 May 2015, the Portuguese regulator ERC published an extensive report on news consumption in Portugal. This document represents the first report of the ERC project on audiences and media consumption which was launched in late...
Ofcom’s communications market report: smartphones are the most popular online devices
posted on 25 August, 2015   (public)
Ofcom’s communications market report: smartphones are the most popular online devices Smartphones have overtaken laptops as the most popular device for surfing online, Ofcom research has revealed, with record ownership and use transforming the way we communicate....
CNMC and Autocontrol agree on joint regulation of TV advertising
posted on 24 August, 2015   (public)
CNMC and Autocontrol agree on joint regulation of TV advertising The Spanish regulator CNMC announced on July 6 2015 an agreement with the industry group Autocontrol (Association for Self-Regulation of Commercial Communications) on joint regulation of advertising on TV. CNMC...
Protection of minors: new age classification criteria adopted by the Spanish CNMC
posted on 24 August, 2015   (public)
CNMC adopted new age classification criteria for protection of minors On July 9 2015, the Spanish regulator CNMC adopted new criteria for rating audiovisual content. These new criteria were agreed by the CNMC, TV broadcasters and for the first time, social organizations were...
CoE Parliamentary Assembly calls for Increasing transparency of media ownership
posted on 23 July, 2015   (public)
CoE Parliamentary Assembly calls for increasing transparency of media ownership The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe has recently asked the CoE member States to review their legislation to ensure transparency of media ownership, so that the public has...
Public Service Broadcasting in the Internet Age - Ofcom's 3rd PSB Review
posted on 17 July, 2015   (public)
Public Service Broadcasting in the Internet Age - Ofcom's 3rd PSB Review On 2 July 2015, British Regulator Ofcom published the conclusions of its third review of public service broadcasting. The review examines how the BBC - but also ITV, STV, UTV, Channel 4, Channel 5...
Independence of NRAs: Chair of Latvian Broadcasting regulator dismissed
posted on 09 July, 2015   (public)
Independence of NRAs: Chair of Latvian Broadcasting regulator dismissed The Saeima, the Parliament of Latvia, in an extraordinary session held on 8 July 2015 voted to dismiss Mr Ainārs Dimants, Chairperson of the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP), the...
Local TV not keeping pace with nationwide broadcasting in Germany
posted on 24 June, 2015   (public)
Local TV not keeping pace with nationwide broadcasting in Germany   Nationwide TV broadcasting remains the key medium in Germany and consolidates its supremacy in the advertising market even further. This is one of the main findings of the new edition of the Yearbook...
Changing patterns in the consumption of news in Ireland
posted on 23 June, 2015   (public)
Changing patterns in the consumption of news in Ireland New research commissioned by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), which was published on 23 June, highlighted significant changes in the way in which Irish people access news. This new report is based on data...
Swiss voters approve change in licence fee model
posted on 17 June, 2015   (public)
Swiss voters approve change in licence fee model On 14 June, Swiss citizens voted by referendum on the partial review of the Federal Radio and TV Act (RVTA), which was approved by a very narrow margin (Yes: 50.1%, No: 49.9 %). The main objective of the RVTA review is to ...
Sweden: Press Subsidies Council becomes part of the Broadcasting Authority
posted on 15 June, 2015   (public)
Sweden: Press Subsidies Council becomes part of the Broadcasting Authority As of 1 July, the Press Subsidies Council (Presstödsnämnden) will cease to exist as a separate agency and its functions transferred to the Swedish Broadcasting Authority (Myndigheten...
A modified structure for the French CSA
posted on 08 June, 2015   (public)
A modified structure for the French CSA Echoing the far-reaching changes of the media environment and as a consequence of its new duties on public service broadcasting and economic regulation introduced by the Law of 15 November 2013, the French regulator CSA announced a...
Ofcom looks back at 10 years Adults’ media use
posted on 26 May, 2015   (public)
Ofcom looks back at 10 years Adults’ media use Ofcom published, in May 2015, its Adults’ media use and attitudes Report 2015. The Report provides data on adults' (aged 16 and over) media use and attitudes across TV, radio, games, mobile and the internet, with...
EPRA Berne: Presentation of the Swiss Media Landscape
posted on 21 May, 2015   (public)
EPRA Berne: Presentation of the Swiss Media Landscape On the occasion of the 41st EPRA meeting in Berne held on 13-15 May 2015, Mr. Roger Blum, Chairperson of the Independent Complaints Authority (ICA) and Mr. Philipp Metzger, Director General of the Federal Office for...
Ofcom revises signing arrangements for low audience channels
posted on 19 May, 2015   (public)
Ofcom revises signing arrangements for low audience channels Ofcom has revised the arrangements for signing on domestic TV channels in the UK with an audience share between 0.05% and 1%. Ofcom’s decisions take account of responses to the consultation published in July...

Archived Regulation News

Ofcom publishes its 11th Communications Market Report
posted on 26 August, 2014   (public)
Ofcom publishes its 11th Communications Market Report Ofcom’s 11th Communications Market Report into the UK’s TV, radio, broadband, telecoms and postal industries, published on 7 August 2014, reveals that a 'millennium generation' of 14 and 15 year olds...
Ofcom fines Discovery Channel £100,000
posted on 16 July, 2014   (public)
Ofcom fines Discovery channel £100,000 On 16 July, Ofcom has fined Discovery Communications Europe Ltd £100,000 for broadcasting unsuitable and violent material on TV before the watershed. Under Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code, all licensees must protect...
Over 3,000 on-demand audiovisual media services now on offer in the EU
posted on 16 July, 2014   (public)
Over 3,000 on-demand audiovisual media services now on offer in the EU A new report edited by the European Audiovisual Observatory on On-Demand Audiovisual Markets in the European Union has been published on 10 July by the DG Connect of the European Commission. The report,...
Council of Europe regional seminar adopts key indicators on Independence of NRAs
posted on 30 June, 2014   (public)
Conclusions from the Council of Europe Regional Meeting “Defining specific indicators for establishing and monitoring the transparency, responsibility and operational efficiency of media regulatory bodies”, which was held on 4 June 2014 in , Budva, Montenegro,...
Andalusian regulatory authority announces awards promoting media literacy at schools
posted on 19 June, 2014   (public)
Andalusian regulatory authority announces awards promoting media literacy at schools The Audiovisual Council of Andalusia (CAA) announced, on 6 June 2014, the first edition of the Audiovisual Andalusian Award aiming at promoting media literacy at schools in the year...
Access Rules: Irish BAI opens consultation on Rules for 2014-2018
posted on 16 June, 2014   (public)
Irish BAI proposes changes to Rules on Television Subtitling, Sign Language & Audio Description The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) launched on 26 May 2014 a public consultation on proposed changes to the Rules governing the levels of subtitling, sign language...
French CSA study on viewing figures for television fiction in major European countries
posted on 06 June, 2014   (public)
French CSA analysis on audience figures for TV fiction in major European countries in 2013 On 2 June 2014, the French Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA) published an analysis summarising the viewing figures for fiction television programmes in major...
French CSA Report on the representation of diversity in television and radio broadcast content
posted on 05 June, 2014   (public)
French CSA Report on the representation of diversity in television and radio broadcast content On 23 May 2014, the French Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA) published its Report on the representation of diversity in the French society in television and...
Sound & Vision II Scheme: Irish BAI unveils successful projects
posted on 22 May, 2014   (public)
Sound & Vision II Scheme: Irish BAI unveils successful projects The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) announced on 20 May 2014 the list of projects funded from the Sound & Vision II Scheme. A funding total of €5.136 million has been allocated to 29 TV...
Access services: Ofcom’s first report on the quality of live TV subtitles
posted on 12 May, 2014   (public)
Access services: Ofcom’s first report on the quality of live TV subtitles On 30 April 2014, Ofcom published its first report relating to the quality of live TV subtitles provided by broadcasters in the UK. Subtitles are used by over a million people with hearing...
New Edition of Ofcom's Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes Report
posted on 07 May, 2014   (public)
New Edition of Ofcom's Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes Report Ofcom has published, on 29 April 2014, its Adults’ Media Use and Attitudes Report 2014, which provides detailed information concerning media use, attitudes and understanding among adults (aged 16...
Green Paper on Convergence: European Parliament highlights key policy guidelines
posted on 25 April, 2014   (public)
Green Paper on Convergence: European Parliament highlights key policy guidelines On 12 March 2014, the European Parliament adopted a Resolution on “Preparing for a fully Convergent audiovisual World” as a response to the eponym Green Paper on Convergence...
Latvian regulator issues temporary ban to Russian TV channel Rossiya RTR
posted on 10 April, 2014   (public)
Latvian regulator issues temporary ban to Russian TV channel Rossiya RTR On 3 April 2014 the National Electronic Mass Media Council of Latvia decided to restrict the rebroadcasting of television channel Rossiya RTR on the territory of Latvia for a period of three months...
CoE Regional Conference looks at Indicators for Independence of Regulatory Bodies
posted on 08 April, 2014   (public)
Council of Europe Regional Conference looks at Indicators for the Independence of Regulatory Bodies The Council of Europe under the Project “Promoting freedom of expression and information and freedom of the media in South-East Europe (SEE)” organised a regional...
Inaugural Meeting of the ERGA
posted on 12 March, 2014   (public)
Inaugural Meeting of the ERGA  (Article updated on 20 March with a link to the ERGA Rules of Procedures) The inaugural meeting of the Group of European Regulators for audiovisual media services (ERGA) took place on 4 March  2014 at the European Commission's...
When law meets practice: EBU study on the legal regime of Article 10 ECHR and public service media
posted on 25 February, 2014   (public)
When law meets practice: EBU study on the legal regime of Article 10 ECHR and Public Service Media The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has recently entrusted a study concerning public service media under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to...
Advertising for e-cigarettes: waiting for a legal framework
posted on 12 February, 2014   (public)
Advertising for e-cigarettes: France is waiting for a legal framework The French audiovisual regulator (“Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel”) was recently faced with advertising spots or product placement for electronic cigarettes. Not being in a...
New EU group of regulators of Audiovisual Media Services established
posted on 11 February, 2014   (public)
New EU group of regulators of Audiovisual Media Services established On 3 February 2014, the European Commission adopted a formal Decision establishing a group of national regulators in the broadcasting area: “the European Regulators Group for Audiovisual Media...
Accessibility: ERC defines TV broadcast obligations vis-à-vis viewers with special needs
posted on 05 February, 2014   (public)
ERC defines television broadcast obligations vis-à-vis viewers with special needs - Multi-year plan approved The Regulatory Board of ERC, the Portuguese Media Regulatory Authority, approved on 2 January 2014 the multi-year plan of obligations to allow television...
French CSA report warns about extremely unequal representation of female sport in the media
posted on 04 February, 2014   (public)
French CSA report warns about extremely unequal representation of female sport in the audiovisual media A recent report of the French audiovisual regulator (“Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel”), which was published on 31 January 2014, warns about...
Ofcom reports on strategies of parental protection for children online
posted on 27 January, 2014   (public)
Ofcom reports on strategies of parental protection for children online On 15 January 2014, Ofcom, the converged regulator in the UK, published a report on the safety of children on the Internet which takes stock of the current situation regarding children’s use of the...
eur§reg 2014 in Zurich
posted on 27 January, 2014   (public)
eur§reg 2014 in Zurich The internet enriches media markets with new players and business models. The audiovisual world has also gone global. What are the implications? Are we headed for a limitless audiovisual market? Are barriers to free trade needed to preserve social...
Belgian CSA reports on audiovisual sector
posted on 24 January, 2014   (public)
On 11 January, the CSA of the French Community of Belgium published a report on "new media" (web TV, web radio, VOD, SVOD, catch-up TV and radio, etc). The 72 pages document provides a snapshot of the sector of new media by looking at the consumption of new...
On-demand services: French CSA advocates simpler and more flexible rules
posted on 23 January, 2014   (public)
On-demand services: French CSA advocates simpler and more flexible rules On 23 December 2013, the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA), the French regulatory authority in charge of broadcasting regulation, published a report on the first year of application of...
Reform of the independence of the public audiovisual sector - Reinforced powers for the French CSA
posted on 15 January, 2014   (public)
Reform of the independence of the public audiovisual sector -  Reinforced powers for the French CSA On 31 October 2013, the French National Assembly adopted the new legislation on the independence of the public audiovisual sector. The main purpose of these...
Ofcom publishes International Communications Market Report 2013
posted on 13 January, 2014   (public)
Ofcom publishes International Communications Market Report 2013 On 12 December 2013, Ofcom, the converged regulator in the UK, published its eighth International Communications Market Report. The report examines the availability, take-up, price and use of TV, radio,...
Prospects for commercial DTT in Ireland - BAI review published
posted on 09 January, 2014   (public)
Prospects for commercial DTT in Ireland - BAI review On 7 January 2014, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) published the findings of a review undertaken regarding the future prospects for the licensing of commercial Digital Terrestrial Television further to Section...
Polish regulator decides to establish Digital Library of Public Media
posted on 29 November, 2013   (public)
Polish regulator decides to establish Digital Library of Public Media On 18 November 2013, the National Broadcasting Council of Poland (Krajowa Rada Radiofonii i Telewizji) and 19 public media companies signed a letter of intent establishing the Digital Library of Public...
EU Council stresses need for reinforced cooperation between independent regulators
posted on 28 November, 2013   (public)
EU Council stresses need for reinforced cooperation between independent regulators The Council of the European Union, which gathered on 25 - 26 November 2013 in Brussels in its Education, youth, culture and sport configuration, adopted key Conclusions on media freedom and...
Major Events: Report submitted to the Swedish government
posted on 25 November, 2013   (public)
Major Events: Report submitted to the Swedish government On 15 November 2013, the Swedish Broadcasting Authority (SBA) submitted a Report on a List of designated events considered to be of major importance for society to the government. In February 2013, the SBA was...