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Regulation News

Finnish Regulator to change name and merge with traffic safety authority
posted on 19 December, 2018   (public)
Finnish Transport and Communications Agency starts operations on 1 January 2019 As of January 1, 2019 FICORA, the Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority, will merge with Finnish traffic safety authority and certain functions of the Finnish Transport Agency to form...
Irish BAI Consults on draft Media Plurality Policy
posted on 19 December, 2018   (public)
Draft provides clarification on definition of Media Plurality and on framework of action for Irish regulator On 11 December 2018, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) launched  a public consultation on a new draft Policy on Media Plurality. The Mission in...
Belgian CSA and French INA engage in twinning project with Tunisian HAICA
posted on 18 December, 2018   (public)
Ambitious twinning project to support strategic and technical evolution of young Tunisian regulator On 13 December 2018, the Belgian "Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel" (the audiovisual regulator of the French speaking Community in Belgium - CSA) and the...
Diversity in the Broadcasting Sector: Creative Diversity Network publishes second report
posted on 17 December, 2018   (public)
While progress is apparent on-screen, changes seem to be happening more slowly behind the camera The Creative Diversity Network (CDN), a forum which brings together member organisations across the UK TV industry, and creates a common standard for monitoring diversity across...
Austrian study on Children, adolescents and young adults in the age of VOD provides background for lively debates
posted on 17 December, 2018   (public)
Outcomes of KommAustria/RTR event: "What do we believe: Living in a web of communications, commerce and artificial intelligence" Panel "Freedom of expression and ensuring diversity: what can we expect of regulation in the age of algorithms?" © David...
Comparing AVMSD provisions: updated legal tool
posted on 11 December, 2018   (public)
EMR updates Synopsis of Audiovisual Media Services Directive As previously reported, on 28 November 2018, the consolidated text of the revised Directive (EU) 2018/1808 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 November 2018 amending Directive 2010/13/EU on the...
New composition for the Moroccan audiovisual regulator
posted on 10 December, 2018   (public)
New composition for the Moroccan audiovisual regulator On 3 December 2018, the Moroccan King Mohammed VI appointed Ms. Latifa Akharbach as President of the "Haute autorité de la communication audiovisuelle" (HACA) who took over the position from Ms. Amina...
Austrian regulator organises event on future of regulatory policy based on new research findings
posted on 05 December, 2018   (public)
KommAustria/RTR event: "What do we believe: Living in a web of communications, commerce and artificial intelligence", Vienna 5 December The Austrian Regulator KommAustria is organising with RTR Media Division an event titled "Living in a web of communications,...
EAO reports on Brexit impact on the European audiovisual market
posted on 03 December, 2018   (public)
Legal report highlights Brexit's impact on  flow of persons, goods, services and funds The United Kingdom is by far the largest European audiovisual market and its withdrawal from the European Union would have a profound impact on the entire sector. It is against this...
Revised AVMSD: publication in the Official Journal of the EU
posted on 28 November, 2018   (public)
Member States will have until 19 September 2020 to transpose the text On 28 November 2018, the consolidated text of the revised Directive (EU) 2018/1808 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 November 2018 amending Directive 2010/13/EU on the coordination of...
Assessing Media Pluralism across Europe: MPM2017 results published
posted on 27 November, 2018   (public)
This year's MPM edition highlights a general trend of stagnation and even deterioration On 26 November 2018, the European University Institute's Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) in Florence has released the 2017 edition of the Media Pluralism...
Hate speech Council of Europe Conference: presentations and conclusions now available
posted on 26 November, 2018   (public)
National audiovisual media regulatory authorities should play an important role in promoting democracy, a culture of tolerance and diversity The Council of Europe, in partnership with the Croatian Agency for Electronic Media organised a regional conference on "Addressing...
Transparency of media ownership and opinion-forming power: OFCOM launches monitoring tool
posted on 19 November, 2018   (public)
Analysis for 2017 shows a sufficiently diversified market and no media with a dominant position On 13 November 2018, the Federal Office of Communications (OFCOM) launched the Swiss Media Monitoring, an interactive Website which aims to document the degree of influence of the...
Media developments in Denmark: Summary and Discourse 2018
posted on 24 October, 2018   (public)
Shift in media use points to Danes' acceptance of new media and adaptability to new ways to access media content In early October 2018, the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces published the fifth edition of its annual Report on media development in Denmark. The Summary...
EAO reports on localised, targeting and language media offers in Europe
posted on 24 October, 2018   (public)
One third of all AV media services established in the EU exist as locally adapted versions On 16 October 2018, the European Audiovisual Observatory issued its annual report based on data gathered in the MAVISE Database. This year’s edition is entitled “Audiovisual...
Licensing systems for AVMS in EU-28: in-depth analysis by the EAO
posted on 27 September, 2018   (public)
Reinforced cooperation between NRAs is crucial given the variety of licensing procedures The European Audiovisual Observatory published a Mapping of licensing systems for audiovisual media services in EU-28 on 26 September 2018. This very comprehensive study, the first...
Addressing Harmful Content Online: Ofcom's contribution to the online regulation debate
posted on 26 September, 2018   (public)
Broadcasting content frameworks cannot be transferred wholesale to the online world even though principles from broadcasting regulation could be relevant On 18 September 2018, Ofcom published a discussion document examining the area of harmful online content.  Intended as...
Combatting hate speech in the media: OIF publishes practical guide
posted on 20 September, 2018   (public)
A comprehensive instrument of particular relevance for broadcasting regulators On the occasion of the International Conference for the Dialogue of Cultures and Religions, held in Fez, Morocco, from 10 to 12 September 2018, l’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie...
CoE issues comparative analysis and recommendations on "Media regulatory framework and the online media - the Macedonian case"
posted on 22 August, 2018   (public)
Submitting online media to audiovisual media regulation is not compliant with European practice On 20 August 2018, the Media and Internet Division of the Council of Europe has published a study titled "Media regulatory framework and the online media - The Macedonian case...
French CSA study highlights disruption in the advertising market
posted on 31 July, 2018   (public)
Study identifies turning point for the advertising sector On 25 July 2018, the French Ministry of Culture and the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA) the French regulatory authority for the media have jointly published a study titled "Media and online...
Ofcom's New Reference Publication unveils decline of Pay TV revenues
posted on 26 July, 2018   (public)
High level of investment in original content is a key driver On 18 July 2018, Ofcom published the very first edition of Media Nations 2018, a comprehensive study of major trends in the UK’s television, radio and audio sectors. Media Nations is a reference publication...
Digital News Report 2018: there is hope for the news industry
posted on 14 June, 2018   (public)
Use of social media for news overtaken by messaging apps The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has published on 14 June 2018 its seventh annual edition of the Digital News Report. The report focuses on the issues of trust and misinformation, new online business...
EAO identifies Key Trends of Audiovisual Sector for 2017/2018
posted on 05 June, 2018   (public)
Convergence, disintermediation and uberisation among latest trends The European Audiovisual Observatory has issued in May 2018 its annual Key Trends publication, which is available for free for the first time. This 70-page compact report presents an overview of the major...
Accessibility of television programmes: report by French CSA
posted on 30 May, 2018   (public)
CSA continues its work to encourage  accessibility of programmes and of audiovisual sector in general On 29 May 2018, the French CSA published its annual report on Accessibility of television programmes and the portrayal of disabled persons on-air, which provides an...
Public value test: KommAustria rejects ORF plans for exclusive YouTube channel
posted on 14 May, 2018   (public)
Exclusive presence of ORF on YouTube means discrimination against other platforms and weakening of existing ORF TVthek ORF plans to set up its own channel on the online video platform YouTube and to set up the commercial online video library "Flimmit", which it owns...
Adults' media use and attitudes: latest Ofcom research
posted on 25 April, 2018   (public)
While online services are becoming more prevalent, awareness of their funding and regulation remains low On 24 April 2018, Ofcom, the British communications regulator, has published two research reports related to how people use, understand and relate to different media in the...
Quality journalism as a response to disinformation online: MSI-JOQ Meeting
posted on 25 April, 2018   (public)
MSI-JOQ entrusted to prepare a Draft recommendation and a study on a possible standard-setting instrument The first meeting of the newly formed Committee of experts on Quality Journalism in the digital age (MSI-JOQ) was held on 8-9 March 2018 in Strasbourg. The committee...
Combatting disinformation online: launch of Journalism Trust Initiative
posted on 24 April, 2018   (public)
Transparency standards as a means to promote quality journalism and counter disinformation online The Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), which is an innovative media self-regulatory initiative designed to combat disinformation online, was launched on 3 April 2018 by Reporters...
Diversity in the media: Belgian CSA releases findings of Barometer 2017
posted on 23 April, 2018   (public)
Analysis covers gender representation in commercial communication for the first time On 24 April 2018, the broadcasting regulator from the French speaking Community of Belgium, the CSA of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, unveiled the findings of the 2017 edition of its "...
Gender issues in broadcasting: AAAMS publishes in-depth analyses
posted on 17 April, 2018   (public)
Analyses revealed a low level presence of gender-related topics and issues The  Agency for Audio and Audiovisual Media Services (AAAMS), the broadcasting regulator based in Skopje, published in March 2018 two in-depth analyses related to gender issues in ...

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...