Standard Settings for Media Freedom: European Parliament adopts Resolution
posted on
21 May, 2013
(public)
On 21 May, the European Parliament approved the initiative report of Romanian MEP Renate Weber (PNL, ALDE) on the EU Charter by adopting a resolution on standard settings for media freedom across the EU. The resolution calls on Member States and the Commission to take...
Accessibility: Ofcom's proposals to improve the quality of subtitling
posted on
17 May, 2013
(public)
On 17 May, Ofcom has published proposals for consultation aimed at improving live subtitling to provide a better viewing experience for people who are deaf and hard-of-hearing in the UK. While pre-prepared subtitling is generally of a good quality, viewers have made clear...
Belgian CSA publishes study on representation of homosexuality in the audiovisual media
posted on
17 May, 2013
(public)
On the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia, the CSA of the French speaking Community of Belgium has published the outcome of its first assessment of stereotypes related to the sexual orientation in radio and TV broadcast content. The CSA has been monitoring...
European Commission consults on rapidly converging audiovisual market
posted on
25 April, 2013
(public)
The European Commission adopted on 24 April 2013 a Green Paper inviting stakeholders and the wider public to share their view on issues related to the rapid convergence in the audiovisual market and growing importance of the connected television in Europe. The changes in the...
ECHR rules that ban on paid political advertising in the UK justified
posted on
23 April, 2013
(public)
The European Court of Human Rights held on 22 April 2013, by nine votes to eight, that there was no violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights in the case of Animal Defenders International v. the United Kingdom. The case...
Irish BAI launches Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs
posted on
12 April, 2013
(public)
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has launched on 9 April 2013 a Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs. The Broadcasting Act 2009 requires broadcasters to ensure that all news broadcast is presented in an objective and impartial...
Ofcom publishes updated rules on party political and referendum broadcasts
posted on
02 April, 2013
(public)
On 21 March 2013, Ofcom published updated rules on party political and referendum broadcasts (PPRB Rules). The revision of the rules was preceded by a consultation carried out by Ofcom between November 2012 and January 2013. The review of the PPRB Rules was related to recent...
New chairperson for Dutch CvdM
by
Marcel Betzel (CvdM - NL)
posted on
27 March, 2013
(public)
Prof. Dr. Madeleine de Cock Buning, commissioner at the Commissariaat voor de Media (CvdM) since July 2009, has been appointed chairperson of the Dutch regulatory authority CvdM as of 1 April 2013 by the State Secretary of Media Affairs. In addition to her work for the CvdM,...
Measuring Diversity on Television - Outcome of French and Belgian assessment for 2012
posted on
26 March, 2013
(public)
The French and Belgian (French-Speaking Community) regulatory authorities have recently published the outcome of their assessment of diversity in television broadcast content for the year 2012. The objective of the research was to assess the perception of diversity in...
Independence of Audiovisual regulators: Commission launches public consultation
posted on
22 March, 2013
(public)
Pursuant to the 30 policy recommendations contained in the report of the High Level Group (HLG) on Media Freedom and Pluralism, which was made public on 21 January 2013, the European Commission launched two public consultations on media freedom and pluralism and on the...
Protection of minors in Romania: CNA launches public hotline
posted on
21 March, 2013
(public)
The National Audiovisual Council of Romania (NAC) launched a new public hotline number where cases of violation of the protection of minors in the field of television broadcasting may be reported. The free of charge hotline was launched as a result of a debate organised by...
DTT in Europe in 2012: Trends and Developments
posted on
12 March, 2013
(public)
the European Audiovisual Observatory, based on figures from the Yearbook 2012 and the MAVISE database, has published a press release highlighting the salient trends and developments of digital terrestrial television in Europe in 2012. According to the Observatory: 22 - out...
Live Internet streaming of free-to-air channels may be prohibited: CJEU Judgment
posted on
10 March, 2013
(public)
Further to a request for a preliminary ruling on the interpretation of Directive 2001/29/EC on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) held on 7 March 2013 that TV...
Gender Equality: REFRAM awards pilot project to Moroccan HACA
posted on
08 March, 2013
(public)
Further to the internal call for tender for a pilot project in favour of gender equality launched in October 2012 by the Francophone Network Media Regulators (REFRAM), the jury unanimously selected the project presented by the HACA, the Moroccan regulator on 8 March 2013. ...
OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media Dunja Mijatović reappointed
posted on
07 March, 2013
(public)
Picture credits: OSCE/Curtis Budden On 7 March 2013, the 57 OSCE participating States unanimously agreed to reappoint the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to a second three-year term. Dunja Mijatović was appointed...
Social media: A first analysis by the French CSA
posted on
26 February, 2013
(public)
The Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA), the French regulatory authority in charge of broadcasting, published on 19 February 2013, a first analysis of the phenomenon of "social TV," which focuses on the delimitation of its scope, its development,...
Processing complaints: Refram publishes toolbox
posted on
05 February, 2013
(public)
On 29 January 2013, the Network of French-speaking media regulatory authorities (REFRAM) published a toolkit on how to process complaints - a mission at the core of the daily work of regulatory authorities. It is intended to help members of the network by providing them...
Jürgen Brautmeier appointed new Chair of German DLM
posted on
31 January, 2013
(public)
As of 1 January 2013, the chairmanship of the Conference of Directors of the Media Authorities (DLM) was taken over by Dr. Jürgen Brautmeier for a term of two years. The DLM, which is composed of the legal representatives of the media authorities in Germany, acts...
A new chairperson and two new members for the French CSA
posted on
24 January, 2013
(public)
Mr Olivier Schrameck has officially been appointed as chairman of the French regulatory authority, the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel (CSA), as of 24 January 2013. He was nominated by French President François Hollande and replaces Michel Boyon for a 6...
High Level Group reports on Media Pluralism
posted on
23 January, 2013
(public)
On 21 January 2013, the High Level Group on Media Freedom on Pluralism convened by the European Commission delivered a 51 page report entitled A free and pluralistic media to sustain European democracy. On the basis of hearings and the analysis of recent research and studies...
Protection of minors on VOD: Ofcom fines Playboy
posted on
16 January, 2013
(public)
On 16 January 2013, Ofcom imposed a fine of £100,000 on the service provider Playboy TV/Benelux Limited for failing to protect children from potentially harmful pornographic material. Two on demand programme services (ODPS) owned by Playboy (Playboy TV and Demand Adult)...
Belgian CSA reports on New Media
posted on
11 January, 2013
(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...
EPRA co-organises MEDIADEM's final conference
posted on
07 January, 2013
(public)
In the wake of the success of the joint public workshop between EPRA and Cullen International on regulatory aspects of Connected TV held in May 2012, EPRA will be one of the co-organisers of another public event - together with the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign...
Ofcom's 7th International Communications Market Report published
posted on
13 December, 2012
(public)
On 13 December 2012, Ofcom published its seventh International Communications Market Report. The report examines the availability, take-up, price and use of TV, radio, broadband, telephone and postal services. The aim of the report is to benchmark the UK communications...
Regional TV beyond regional coverage: consultation of Swiss OFCOM
posted on
11 December, 2012
(public)
On 4 December 2012, the Federal Office of Communications of Switzerland (OFCOM) launched a public consultation on a draft law that would enable the licensed regional TV stations to transmit their programmes digitally outside their regional coverage areas. The public would be...
Protection of minors on VOD: Ofcom fines Strictly Broadband Limited
posted on
10 December, 2012
(public)
On Friday 7 December 2012, Ofcom imposed a financial penalty of £60,000 (GDP) on Strictly Broadband Limited in respect of its on-demand programmes service, provided through its website, “Strictly Broadband”. Between 31 May - 1 August 2012 users of the...
Belgian CSA assesses compliance of non-linear TV services with legal obligations
posted on
03 December, 2012
(public)
On 27 November 2012, the CSA of the French speaking Community of Belgium published its assessment on how non-linear television services complied with their legal obligations in 2011. The CSA assessed how four video-on-demand services fulfilled their obligations with regard...
Access of VOD services to people with disabilities: ATVOD report
posted on
29 November, 2012
(public)
On 28 November 2012, ATVOD (the independent co-regulator for the editorial content of video on demand services in UK) published its report on the accessibility of VOD services for people with disabilities of sight or hearing. The report is based on the ATVOD's annual...
Consultation on the review of the Ofcom rules on political broadcasts
posted on
23 November, 2012
(public)
On 19 November 2012, Ofcom opened a consultation on the review of the Rules on Party Political and Referendum Broadcasts and on the Guidance for broadcast coverage of elections. The review of the Rules is related to recent amendments of the Communications Act, requiring the...
A new Board for the Belgian CSA
posted on
22 November, 2012
(public)
On 8 November 2012, the Government of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation appointed for a five-year mandate four new members of the Board of CSA of the French community of Belgium. Dominique Vosters was appointed as Chairman of CSA. He replaces Marc Janssen. The mandates of...