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Regulation News

UK: The Online Safety Act is now law; Ofcom’s powers as online safety regulator have officially commenced
posted on 03 November, 2023   (public)
Ofcom publishes implementation roadmap outlining its systemic approach News item updated with link to consultation on illegal harms On 26 October 2023, the Online Safety Bill, which aims to establish a new regulatory regime to address illegal and harmful content...
Ofcom (UK): call for evidence on the future of TV distribution
posted on 25 October, 2023   (public)
A call for evidence to better understand the impact of internet and how to adapt broadband networks Internet has changed the ways users watch TV programmes, creating a wide range of content but a more fragmented experience. The UK Government has asked the regulator Ofcom to...
IMC (XK*): new chairman
posted on 11 September, 2023   (public)
Jeton Mehmeti was elected Chairman of the Independent Media Commission from Kosovo* Former member of the Independent Media Commission that he joined in 2022, Jeton Mehmeti was elected Chairman on 7 June 2023 for a two-year mandate. With a long experience in media as a...
DSA: Provisions on VLOPS enter into force
posted on 06 September, 2023   (public)
Online harms on major online platforms: the Commission now officially in the game On 25 August 2023, the provisions of the Digital Services Act applying to very large online platforms and search engines (respectively VLOPs and VLOSEs) entered into force. For the first...
Arcom's report on 'hateful content online & platforms': more efforts are needed
posted on 28 August, 2023   (public)
Very Large Online Platforms: efforts to comply with the Digital Services Act must be consolidated In July 2023, the French media regulator Arcom released a report on hateful content online, as requested by the French law of August 24, 2021*. Based on observations and...
Regulation of online media providers: Greek Council of State submits preliminary reference to CJEU
posted on 28 August, 2023   (public)
Shall the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive* lead to an extension of provisions applying to traditional broadcasters to online broadcasters? The Council of State, the Greek supreme administrative court, in its decisions 1349/2023 and 1350/2023, has recently referred...
A media guide on how to report on sexual abuse involving minors.
posted on 21 July, 2023   (public)
Raising awareness, showing empathy and promoting collective responsibility: the role played by journalists when reporting on sexual violence against children. As part of a project carried out by the World Vision Romania Foundation and the associations Vedem Just and Ecpat...
Ofcom: call for evidence on research to categorise regulated services
posted on 18 July, 2023   (public)
Preparing to regulate Online Safety On 11 July 2023, Ofcom published a call for evidence on the research it needs to carry out to prepare advice for the UK Government on categorising regulated services under new Online Safety laws. The Online Safety Bill, which is...
MPM 2023: Media Pluralism Monitor published
posted on 06 July, 2023   (public)
This year's overall results show a continuity with previous mappings despite an increase of the risk associated with market plurality        The Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM) is a project co-funded by the European Union and...
Reuters Digital News Report 2023: a declining engagement and an uncertain business environment
posted on 04 July, 2023   (public)
Online platforms: inevitable partners in the battle for attention? The 12th edition of the Reuters Digital News Report was released on 21 June 2023. It covers 6 continents and 46 markets and emphasises the complex platforms environment and the shift in behaviour...
Arcom (FR): Summary of the public consultation on researchers' access to platform data
posted on 29 June, 2023   (public)
New data access mechanisms are required to tackle inconsistencies, ensure transparency and secure sensitive data    In May 2022, Arcom launched a public consultation on access to data from online platforms for research purposes. The French...
AKOS (SI): a new Director General
posted on 27 June, 2023   (public)
A new Director General for the Slovenian authority On 9 June 2023, Mr. Marko Mišmaš was appointed by the government to the position of Director of the Agency for Communication Networks and Services of the Republic of Slovenia (AKOS), for a period...
Online platforms and harmful content: Slovak regulator investigates users' reporting mechanisms
posted on 27 June, 2023   (public)
Failures and lack of transparency: the Slovak regulator investigates the role played by platforms in the spread of harmful content   Following the terrorist attack in Bratislava outside a LGBTQ+ bar on 12 October 2022, the Council for Media Services (CMS) published a...
EPRA/Cullen International joint event in Brussels: New Podcast
posted on 16 June, 2023   (public)
Tune in to an exciting podcast featuring a discussion with Maria Donde on the impact of adtech and platformisation on public interest media   On 29 March 2023, EPRA organised a joint event with Cullen International "Media...
Mental health: the role of media literacy – A study by Ofcom (UK)
posted on 12 June, 2023   (public)
Impact of online life on mental health: what could be the role of media literacy?   As part of the Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK – from 15 to 21 May 2023 –, UK regulator Ofcom has published a study "Listening to experts: Mental...
Disinformation: AEM Croatia publishes landmark study
posted on 22 May, 2023   (public)
A comprehensive, well-structured report to inform public policy to strengthen resilience to disinformation On 8 May 2023, the Agency for Electronic Media (AEM), the Croatian media regulatory authority, released the English edition of the study “...
Investigating the role of online platforms before/after the Bratislava shooting - Slovak regulator publishes report
posted on 16 March, 2023   (public)
A concise, well structured report deploring slow and inadequate content moderation, pointing at the shortcomings of online platforms, and calling for more consistent and enforceable regulatory oversight On 9 March 2023, the Council for Media Services in...
Maria-Monica Gubernat appointed President of the Romanian authority
posted on 09 March, 2023   (public)
Maria-Monica Gubernat confirmed as President of the Romanian authority   On 8 March 2023, the Romanian Parliament has appointed Maria-Monica Gubernat, former Vice-President Ad Interim, President of the National Audiovisual Council (NAC). Valentin-Alexandru...
Unhealthy food and regulation: a public consultation and a charter
posted on 01 March, 2023   (public)
Unhealthy food behaviour & regulation: focus on Ofcom’s consultation (UK) and Arcom’s Charter (FR)   According to the World Health Organization (WHO), obesity rates have reached “epidemic” proportions across Europe, leading to increasing health...
Ofcom (UK): new report on emissions of OTT and DTT services
posted on 20 February, 2023   (public)
Climate change and increasing energy costs: the carbon impact of TV distribution   Ofcom recently commissioned a research from Carnstone to look at the energy consumption between Over-the-top (OTT) and Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) services...
Media literacy and evaluation: Ofcom releases toolkit
posted on 20 February, 2023   (public)
Assessing the impact and sharing the learnings to strengthen the media literacy sector Developed within its media literacy programme “Making Sense of Media” (MSOM), Ofcom's toolkit was designed as a practical guide to allow all media literacy practitioners,...
ARCOM (FR) welcomes two new Board members
posted on 10 February, 2023   (public)
Recent appointments reinforce ARCOM's expertise in the French audiovisual sector Further to a Decree of 6 February 2023, two new members have recently joined the Board of ARCOM (“Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et...
UNESCO: Guidelines for regulating digital platforms & Global Conference
posted on 08 February, 2023   (public)
A multistakeholder systemic regulatory approach under the supervision of independent regulatory bodies   EPRA input: Maria Donde, EPRA Chairperson Ad Interim, will represent and intervene on behalf of EPRA at the conference. In this regard, please feel free to send...
Ireland: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill signed
posted on 18 January, 2023   (public)
A new multi-person authority to regulate media services Signed into law on 10 December 2022, the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 transposes the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive and establishes the Coimisiún na Meán (Media Commission). ...
Latest reactions to the war in Ukraine: update
posted on 16 January, 2023   (public)
A new package of sanctions by the EU and further measures taken by some media regulators The EPRA Secretariat continues to monitor the various measures taken by media NRAs in the EPRA network and by the European Union. Since our last news on 9 June 2022, here are some updates...
Protection of children online: Ofcom publishes call for evidence
posted on 13 January, 2023   (public)
New call for evidence focuses on harmful legal content On 10 January 2022, Ofcom published a call for evidence focused on the protection of children online. This call for evidence is now open, with written responses accepted until 21 March 2023.   Ofcom is seeking...
CSA (BE) reports on consumption patterns of audiovisual media services
posted on 13 January, 2023   (public)
While TV remains the most popular mode of consumption in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, VOD is now indispensable for French-speaking Belgians For the 2nd time, the CSA (BE) has released, in English, the results of its study on the patterns of consumption of audiovisual...
Media concentration & plurality: key trends from the Dutch Media Monitor 2022
posted on 05 January, 2023   (public)
New edition of Dutch Media Monitor confirms the shift to online and stresses crucial need for high quality news and information content   The Dutch Media Monitor closely monitors media developments in the Netherlands and provides insights into media...
New Vice President (ad interim) for the Romanian National Audiovisual Council
posted on 19 December, 2022   (public)
On 15 December 2022, Ms. Maria Monica Gubernat, Member of the Council, was appointed by the members as interim Vice President of the Romanian regulatory authority, the National Audiovisual Council (NAC). Ms. Gubernat suceeds Mr. Nicolaie Bălașa-Sorescu, who...
Media plurality and online news: Ofcom publishes report
posted on 18 November, 2022   (public)
The impact of online intermediaries on the assessment and regulation of media plurality: an in-depth analysis of Ofcom As part of a process launched in Summer 2021, Ofcom published, on 16 November 2022, a discussion document to take into account the role played by online...

Archived Regulation News

Baltic regulators met in Riga
posted on 05 November, 2012   (public)
On 11 October 2012, the representatives of Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Swedish regulatory authorities met in Riga to share their experience and to discuss practical questions related to media regulation. The Baltic regulators' meeting takes place every year...
Towards a convergent NRA in France? CSA's contribution
posted on 31 October, 2012   (public)
In the context of a consultation launched by the Prime Minister during summer, the Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel, (CSA), published its contribution on the envisaged merger between CSA and ARCEP, the two French regulatory authorities in charge of broadcasting...
FICORA publishes market review on audiovisual content services in Finland
posted on 29 October, 2012   (public)
On 26 October 2012, The Finnish Communications Regulatory Authority (FICORA) published a market review on the audiovisual content services. The review looks at the different ways how Finns watch audiovisual content, and is based on the data reported by operators and on the...
SEE Digi.TV: outcome of second international conference
posted on 24 October, 2012   (public)
On 18-19 October 2012, the Post and Electronic Communications Agency of the Republic of Slovenia (APEK) held the 2nd international conference of the SEE Digi.TV project in Ljubljana. The event gathered more than 90 participants from regulatory authorities, TV and electronic...
Digital TV switchover completed in Ireland and UK
posted on 24 October, 2012   (public)
On 24 October 2012, Ireland and the United Kingdom turned off the analogue television signal. Now the television services in both countries are fully digital. In Ireland, the old TV network was replaced by a free-to-air digital terrestrial television service Saorview,...
CMFE publishes first mapping of Community Media in Europe
posted on 24 October, 2012   (public)
On 22 October 2012, the Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE), an international non-profit organisation which provides a common platform for networks, national federations and projects active in the "third media" sector, unveiled the outcome of its mapping exercise of...
On-demand services: Ofcom publishes consumer research results
posted on 23 October, 2012   (public)
Ofcom published results of the consumer research commissioned from the Essential Research Ltd on 23 October. The aim of the research was to explore consumer attitudes and behaviour in relation to on-demand audiovisual services and to help Ofcom understand which services are...
Digital Radio - Outcome of French consultation on standards for digital terrrestrial radio
posted on 22 October, 2012   (public)
Following a public consultation on standards for digital radio launched in April 2012 to seek the views of stakeholders, the French Minister of Culture and Communication published a summary of the responses to the consultation on 11 October 2012. The consultation...
ATVOD’s submissions concerning protection of minors on VOD and media convergence
posted on 19 October, 2012   (public)
On 17 October 2012, the Authority for Television On Demand (ATVOD), which is the independent co-regulator for the editorial content of VOD services in UK, published its submissions to the consultation by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety on parental controls and to the...
Ofcom’s Digital Radio Report 2012
posted on 18 October, 2012   (public)
On 17 October 2012, Ofcom published its Digital Radio Report 2012. Following the Government’s Digital Radio Action Plan launched in July 2010, Ofcom was requested to report annually on the availability and take-up of digital radio services. The Action Plan set the...
Gender Equality: REFRAM launches an internal call for project and publishes a handbook
posted on 18 October, 2012   (public)
The Francophone Network Media Regulators (REFRAM) has launched a call for tender among its members for a pilot project in favour of gender equality. This call seeks to identify and fund projects that encourage and support the promotion of gender equality in the broadcast...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...