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Regulation News

The 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation: A broader and strengthened set of commitments
posted on 21 June, 2022   (public)
A wider range of stakeholders committed to more transparency, reporting and integrity On Thursday 16 June 2022, the 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation was signed by 34 stakeholders, all involved in online disinformation but with very various profiles: online...
Arcom launches a public consultation on access to data from online platforms for research
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 13 June, 2022   (public)
Consultation to help shape new model of regulation for platforms, acknowledging researchers' crucial role in assessing systemic risks On 25 May 2022, Arcom launched a public consultation on access to data from online platforms for research purposes. In the context of a...
Latest reactions by media regulatory authorities to the war in Ukraine
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 09 June, 2022   (public)
Further measures taken by several media NRAs, different stances on combatting disinformation and propaganda Following a series of articles on media regulators' reactions to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia published earlier this year, the EPRA Secretariat has...
New package of EU sanctions targeting Russian state-controlled channels
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 07 June, 2022   (public)
EU ban extended to new channels, ban of all means of broadcast and transmission to reduce possibilities of circumvention [ADDENDUM: Important information added on 13 June] The European Commission announced the adoption of its sixth package of sanctions against Russia...
IRIS Special report "Transparency of media ownership"
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 14 April, 2022   (public)
Harmonising media ownership transparency currently impossible at EU-level, but transparency a key component in several upcoming EU regulations The European Audiovisual Observatory published an IRIS Special report on 31 March 2022 entitled "Transparency of media...
Council of Europe adopts a recommendation to create a favourable environment for quality journalism
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 31 March, 2022   (public)
Sustainable funding, trust built through quality media and media literacy are key to promote quality journalism, recommendation says The Council of Europe has adopted on 17 March 2022 Recommendation CM/Rec(2022)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on promoting a...
The Swedish Media Council has a new director
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 24 March, 2022   (public)
New Acting Director for the SMC, pending decision on a potential merger with the Swedish Press, Radio and Television Authority Kalevi Pitkänen will succeed Anette Novak as Director of the Swedish Media Council (SMC), effective 1 April 2022, following her appointment as...
Ofcom revokes RT's licence to broadcast in the UK
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 18 March, 2022   (public)
ANO TV Novosti – RT's licensee – found not fit and proper to hold a UK broadcast licence Ofcom announced on 18 March 2022 the revocation of RT's licence to broadcast in the UK, with immediate effect. The decision comes as Ofcom is still conducting 29...
National Television and Radio Council (NTRC) becomes the Audiovisual Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan (ACRA)
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 14 March, 2022   (public)
The ACRA to carry out the missions of its predecessor, the NTRC Following the approval by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, of the new law "On Media" on 8 February 2022, a presidential decree abolished the National Television and Radio...
New reactions by media regulatory authorities to the crisis in Ukraine
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 07 March, 2022   (public)
NRAs communicate the EU regulation and decision to ban RT and Sputnik to stakeholders, some extend ban further Following the initial article published by the EPRA Secretariat on 1 March reporting on the measures that some media regulators had undertaken with regard to the...
Xevi Xirgo i Teixidor elected new President of the Catalan Audiovisual Council
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 01 March, 2022   (public)
A brand new composition for the CAC Mr Xevi Xirgo i Teixidor was elected on 10 February 2022 by the Parliament of Catalonia as President of the Catalan Audiovisual Council (CAC). He is joined by four new Council Members who were also appointed on the same day:    ...
Media regulatory authorities react to the crisis in Ukraine
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 25 February, 2022   (public)
Situation in Ukraine prompts reactions from NRAs across Europe   In reaction to the events unfolding in Ukraine, the Ukrainian regulator, the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting (NCTRB) decided on 25 February to suspend...
AI & freedom of expression: OSCE-RFoM releases policy manual
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 31 January, 2022   (public)
SAIFE policy manual finds urgent need  to address surveillance-based advertising ecosystem to protect freedom of opinion and expression   On 26 January 2022, the Office of the OSCE Representative of Freedom of the Media (RFoM) released a policy manual, as part of...
Ownership and concentration: European Audiovisual Observatory releases report on top players in the European AV industry
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 31 January, 2022   (public)
Report highlights: SVOD the most concentrated AV market in terms of subscriptions; PSBs account for one third of global viewing consumption   On 18 January 2022, the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO) released a report on “Top players in the European audiovisual...
Celene Craig appointed as Chief Executive of the Irish BAI
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 20 January, 2022   (public)
A new Chief Executive for the BAI, ahead of the transition to the Media Commission On 19 January 2022, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) announced that Celene Craig had been appointed as Chief Executive further to a competitive independent recruitment process....
PSM contribution to media diversity: Norwegian regulator assesses NRK positively
posted on 17 January, 2022   (public)
Risk of negative competitive effects considered to be low in the short/medium term In a report published on 29 November 2021, the Norwegian Media Authority (NMA) concludes that the public service media provider NRK contributes positively to...
European Media Freedom Act: European Commission launches public consultation
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 11 January, 2022   (public)
First stages towards a European Media Freedom Act On Monday 10 January 2022, the European Commission published an open public consultation, of a scope rarely seen before, on the upcoming European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). The concept of EMFA was first...
Media Concentration & plurality: focus on the Netherlands
posted on 05 January, 2022   (public)
Digital transition and increased media concentration: key trends from the Dutch Media Monitor 2021 The Dutch Media Monitor closely monitors media developments in the Netherlands and provides insights into media concentration, media plurality and independence of...
French CSA merges with Hadopi and becomes Arcom
by Eric Munch (Observer) posted on 05 January, 2022   (public)
Arcom: the new French regulator redesigned for a better regulation of the online sphere As of 1st January 2022, the French Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA - media regulator) and the Haute autorité pour la diffusion des oeuvres et la protection des...
VSP Regulation: Ofcom publishes final guidance on advertising
posted on 13 December, 2021   (public)
Two final guidance documents for both controlled and non-controlled advertising on video-sharing platforms On 7 December 2021, Ofcom published its statement and final guidance on the regulation of advertising on video-sharing platforms (VSPs). Aimed at providing...
Ofcom (UK): Its plan for the future of media plurality
posted on 25 November, 2021   (public)
Ofcom publishes next steps in its work related to the future of media plurality On 17th November 2021, Ofcom published its latest considerations on the subject of media plurality. Alongside its regular review of media ownership rules, Ofcom decided this year to look at the ...
Ofcom (UK): A novel qualitative study to understand minority ethnic audiences' expectations and views
posted on 17 November, 2021   (public)
Generational trends, the preservation of cultural heritage, stereotypes, harmful content and the role of Ofcom: the perceptions and expectations of minority ethnic audiences in the UK On 3 November 2021, Ofcom released a new report aimed at understanding the expectations,...
Evaluating Media Literacy in Europe: presentation of the EduMediaTest
posted on 29 October, 2021   (public)
EduMediaTest: A tool to evaluate the skills of pupils aged 14 to 18 in media and digital literacy Funded in part by the European Commission's Media Literacy for All programme, the EduMediaTest is a project conducted by eight national public bodies in Europe,...
EPRA cooperation: The Illiberal Turn project issues recommendations for media policies and journalistic practices
posted on 26 October, 2021   (public)
Policy and journalistic practices recommendations to tackle polarisation and rebuild trust in media On 8 October, the Illiberal Turn project released its report titled "Rebuilding trust and countering polarization in (post)pandemic times". The Illiberal Turn is...
VSP Regulation: Ofcom publishes final guidance on harmful material
posted on 20 October, 2021   (public)
A flexible and proportionate approach to ensure transparency both with regard to regulatory expectations and to the measures that VSPs are taking to protect viewers On 6 October 2021, Ofcom published its final guidance for video-sharing platform (VSP) providers...
Disinformation & online platforms: focus on two reports from France and Ireland
posted on 28 September, 2021   (public)
Standardised procedures, more transparency and collaboration with researchers: the recommendations of the French CSA and the Irish BAI On 21 September, the French Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA) released its second assessment report on the measures...
Hateful comments online: ECHR ruling tackles the liability of Facebook account holders
posted on 22 September, 2021   (public)
Facebook users can be held liable for third parties hateful comments in specific circumstances   On 2 September 2021, the European Court of Human Rights confirmed that the conviction of a politician for failing to promptly delete unlawful comments published by third...
Two European Court of Human Rights' decisions on pluralism & political programmes on public service media
posted on 13 September, 2021   (public)
The Court recalls the crucial role of pluralism and takes the evolution of the Italian public broadcaster practice into account On 31 August 2021, in two cases - Associazione Politica Nazionale Lista Marco Pannella v. Italy (application no. 66984/14) and in ...
European works & financial contribution: focus on the recently published French Decree
posted on 07 September, 2021   (public)
An ambitious and complex set of rules to promote European and original French-language works in the hands of the CSA Stemming from Article 13 of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and following the transposition, a French Decree sets out (since 1st July) the new rules...
Discoverability of general interest content: German media regulators publish call for application
posted on 06 September, 2021   (public)
Implementing new provisions to strengthen plurality and take into account the increasing importance of findability in an online environment   On 1st September 2021, the German Regulatory Authorities (“Die Medienanstalten”) issued a call for application for the...

Archived Regulation News

Loudness on TV: Catalan Regulator takes steps
posted on 17 October, 2012   (public)
In line with the recent trend towards loudness normalization in several European countries, the Catalan Audiovisual Council (CAC) has recently been tackling the issue of sudden changes in volume on television during advertising breaks further to complaints from the public. A...
Creation of a new regulatory authority in Luxembourg: Draft Law
posted on 16 October, 2012   (public)
On 15 October 2012, Luxembourg's Minister for Communication and Media, Mr. François Biltgen, announced a - long awaited - reform of media law and the creation of the Independent Audiovisual Authority of Luxembourg (l’Autorité luxembourgeoise...
Irish BAI signals new rules for advertising of food and drink in children’s programmes
posted on 16 October, 2012   (public)
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) announced on October 12 the outcomes of a public consultation launched in March 2012 on a Draft Children’s Commercial Communications Code and a Draft General Commercial Communications Code. The Draft Codes concern regulatory...
Towards a convergent NRA in France? ARCEP's point of view
posted on 16 October, 2012   (public)
In the context of a consultation launched by the Prime Minister during summer, ARCEP, the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Communications and Post, published its position on the merger between the CSA and ARCEP, the two French regulatory authorities in charge of...
Update on SEE Digi.TV activities
posted on 11 October, 2012   (public)
The Second SEE Digi.TV International Conference which is organized by the lead partner of the project, the Post and Electronic Communications Agency of the Republic of Slovenia (APEK), will be held in Ljubljana on 18-19 October 2012. During this event (upon invitation...
Ofcom’s supplementary advice on media plurality
posted on 05 October, 2012   (public)
On 5 October 2012, Ofcom published supplementary advice to the Secretary of State on media plurality. This follows the report on the feasibility of measuring media plurality across platforms, presented to the Secretary of State for Culture in June 2012. Ofcom recommended to...
Access services: Ofcom's statement on new requirements for non-domestic channels
posted on 01 October, 2012   (public)
On 1 October 2012, Ofcom, the communications regulator in the UK, published a statement on new requirements for TV channels licensed by Ofcom and made available in other Member States of the European Union to provide access services such as subtitling, signing and audio...
Short extracts: Draft Decision by French CSA
posted on 01 October, 2012   (public)
The Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA), the French regulatory authority, notified the European Commission of its draft Decision setting up the conditions for the transmission of short extracts of sport events and other events of high interest to the...
European Commission report on the promotion of European works
posted on 26 September, 2012   (public)
The European Commission published its report on the promotion of European works in television and on-demand audiovisual media services on 26 September 2012. The report examines how the Members States complied with the requirements of Articles 13, 16 and 17 of the Audiovisual...
4th CERF meeting convenes in Bratislava
posted on 25 September, 2012   (public)
From 20 to 21 September 2012, the Central European Regulatory Forum (CERF) held its 4th meeting in Bratislava, hosted by the Council for Broadcasting and Retransmission of the Slovak Republic. More than 30 representatives from regulatory authorities in the Czech Republic,...
MEDIADEM publishes comparative findings on media policy
posted on 20 September, 2012   (public)
MEDIADEM, an EU funded research project on media policy-making processes in EU member states and candidate countries, recently published its comparative findings. The purpose of the research project is to identify which policy processes, tools and instruments can best support...
Report of the EU Media Futures Forum
posted on 20 September, 2012   (public)
On 20 September 2012, the EU Media Futures Forum, commissioned by Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for the Digital Agenda, released its final report on trends, opportunities and challenges in the media sector. This report complements the...
Community Media: Czech Regulator opens a public debate
posted on 19 September, 2012   (public)
The Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting, the Czech regulatory authority, recently opened a public debate on Community Media by commissioning a report mapping out the possibilities for introducing "Third Sector" (non-profit) media in the Czech Republic. ...
Ofcom awards first local TV licences
posted on 13 September, 2012   (public)
On 12 September 2012, Ofcom (UK) awarded the first licences to run local TV services on DTT in Brighton and Grimsby. This was done following new legislation which enabled Ofcom to issue local TV licences. Local TV has been previously licensed on a limited basis by the...
Loudness on TV: French CSA report
posted on 06 September, 2012   (public)
On 5 September 2012, the French regulator CSA published its first report to Parliament on loudness levels on television. This report derives from Article 177 of Law No. 2010-788 of 12 July 2010, which requires that channels ensure an equal loudness level during...
New President and new Board for the Catalan Authority
posted on 26 July, 2012   (public)
The Catalan Authority, Consell de l'Audiovisual de Catalunya (CAC), has a new President and a partly renewed Board. Roger Loppacher i Crehuet began his term of office as President on July 9, 2012. He replaces Mr Ramon Font, who resigned from his position to facilitate...
New President and new Board for the Italian AGCOM
posted on 26 July, 2012   (public)
The constitutive meeting of the new Board of the AGCOM, the Italian regulator in charge of broadcasting and telecommunications, took place on 26 July 2012 at the authority's headquarters in Naples. The new President is Angelo Marcello Cardani who replaces Corrado...
Ofcom's Communications Market Report 2012
posted on 26 July, 2012   (public)
On 18 July 2012, Ofcom published its 9th Communications Market Report on the UK’s TV, radio, broadband, telecoms and mobile industries. This year’s report shows that viewers watched television an average of four hours per day in 2011 – up from 3.7 hours in...
Looking beyond the AVMS Directive: the challenge of Connected TV, Limassol, 25-26 October
posted on 25 July, 2012   (public)
The European Commission and the Cyprus Radiotelevision Authority are organizing a conference entitled Looking beyond the AVMS Directive: the challenge of Connected TV in Limassol, Cyprus, on 25-26 October 2012.  The aim of the meeting is to stimulate thought and action...
Prominence of European works on VOD: Assessment by Belgian CSA
posted on 09 July, 2012   (public)
On 3 July 2012, the CSA of the French speaking Community of Belgium handed over to Parliament a global assessment report of its policy measures on the promotion of European works and works of the French Community of Belgium on VOD services. The CSA Recommendation of 24 June...
PSB funding changes in Finland
posted on 27 June, 2012   (public)
On 20 June 2012, the Finnish Parliament approved legislation on the new public service broadcasting tax. According to the new Acts, as of 1 January 2013, the activities of the Finnish public service broadcaster Yleisradio (YLE) will be funded from the state budget. The...
Access and disability: CSA study on DTT devices with voice features
posted on 24 June, 2012   (public)
The French CSA published on June 22 the results of the Mediatvcom study on the DTT devices with voice features. The study was commissioned by the CSA after the associations for the blind and visually impaired had stated that no DTT device designed for blind people existed in...
Commission asks ECJ to fine Poland for not fully implementing AVMS Directive
posted on 21 June, 2012   (public)
European Commission has decided to refer Poland to the European Court of Justice for failing to fully implement the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. Poland has partially implemented the Directive but not the provisions concerning on-demand services. The Commission...
Compensation for the use of short extracts - ECJ
posted on 19 June, 2012   (public)
The Advocate General of the European Court of Justice, Mr. Yves Bot, issued on June 12 a legal opinion in the case Sky Österreich GmbH v Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF). The case concerns compensation payable by Austrian public broadcaster ORF to the holder of...
Measuring Plurality across platforms: Ofcom report
posted on 19 June, 2012   (public)
In October 2011, the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport asked Ofcom to provide advice on the feasibility of measuring media plurality across platforms. On 19 June 2012, Ofcom published a report  giving an answer to the five questions raised by...
Media Pluralism: ECHR judgment in Centro Europa 7 and Di Stefano case
posted on 19 June, 2012   (public)
The European Court of Human Rights delivered the judgment in the case of Centro Europa 7 S.R.L. v. Italy and Di Stefano v. Italy on June 7. The case concerned an Italian TV company’s inability to broadcast for nearly ten years, despite having a broadcasting licence, due...
Belgian CSA workshop: "New Screens, new Regulation" - Brussels, 5-6 July
posted on 13 June, 2012   (public)
On 5 and 6 July 2012, the CSA of the French Community of Belgium and the MEDIADEM project jointly organise a workshop entitled "New screens, new regulation". This conference on the future of television, which will revolve around issues such as Connected TV, social...
REFRAM meets in Portorož at the eve of EPRA meeting
posted on 30 May, 2012   (public)
On the eve of the 35th EPRA meeting and with the support of the International Organization of la Francophonie, the seven broadcasting regulators that are also members of REFRAM, the network of French speaking media regulatory authorities, met on 29 May in Portorož (Slovenia)...
Pan-European Forum on Media Pluralism and New Media: Brussels, 27 June
posted on 22 May, 2012   (public)
The Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn (UK), University of Leuven (Belgium) and the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (Italy) are organising the Pan-European Forum on Media Pluralism and New Media. The event will take place on June 27 at the premises of the...
Consultation on revision of Swiss Radio and Television Act
posted on 16 May, 2012   (public)
The Federal Council of Switzerland has opened a consultation procedure concerning the revision of the Radio and Television Act. The partial revision of the Act focuses on the replacement of the current reception fee by a universal radio and television fee. Today, when smart...