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Regulation News

Ofcom’s first yearly report on video-sharing platforms
posted on 20 October, 2022   (public)
Report provides unprecedented transparency into what VSPs are doing to protect users from harmful content online; shedding light on positive steps and exposing gaps On 20 October 2022, Ofcom published its first report on the 19 video-sharing platforms...
New composition for the KRRiT in Poland
posted on 19 October, 2022   (public)
A new Chairman and new members at the Polish National Broadcasting Council  On 10 October 2022, Mr. Maciej Świrski, former  Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Polish Press Agency (PAP), was elected the Chairman of the National Broadcasting Council of Poland...
Gender-based violence: Belgian CSA launches code to tackle sexist commercial communications
posted on 19 October, 2022   (public)
A co-regulatory tool to fight gender-based harms  [NEW] Updated version with link to English version of the code of conduct The Advisory Board* of the Belgian Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel (CSA) adopted on 14 July 2022 a "Code of conduct on...
Amma Asante is the new chair of the Dutch Commissariaat voor de Media
posted on 14 September, 2022   (public)
Appointed by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science – Gunay Uslu – Amma Asante succeeds Renate Eringa-Wensing – currently interim chair - as the Chairperson of the Dutch media regulator, the Commissariaat voor de...
European works quotas on on-demand services in the UK: Ofcom releases guidance
posted on 08 September, 2022   (public)
European works quotas and prominence: new guidance in line with the European Commission's guidelines   Since the transposition of the AVMS Directive in UK law on 1 November 2020 – required under the terms of the EU Withdrawal Agreement –, European works...
Online gambling advertising: Agcom (IT) adopts heavy penalties on Google and Top Ads Ltd
posted on 01 September, 2022   (public)
Agcom issues heavy penalties on the video-sharing platform YouTube with a "notice and take down" order for 625 illegal content and, for the first time, a "notice and stay down" order for prohibited gambling advertising of similar...
Promoting an evidence-based approach: French Regulator Arcom issues call for papers ahead of research seminar
posted on 29 August, 2022   (public)
Deadline for applications is 11 September Arcom, the French Authority for the regulation of audiovisual and digital communication, is organising its first research seminar on 17 November 2022 in Paris, with several thematic sessions moderated by guest participants or members...
Media Pluralism Monitor 2022: confirmation of the trends observed in recent years
posted on 24 August, 2022   (public)
The Media Pluralism Monitor 2022: growing threats against journalists, high level of media concentration and the issue of political advertising online The Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM) is a project co-founded by the European Union and developed since 2014 by the Centre for...
Online safety regulation: Ofcom's roadmap and call for evidence
posted on 28 July, 2022   (public)
Ofcom's plan to regulate online safety on platforms: a systemic risk-based approach On 6 July 2022, Ofcom released its 'Roadmap to regulation', which provides an overview of how the media regulator plans to implement the forthcoming Online...
Media regulation in the Netherlands: Influencers under the supervision of the CvdM
posted on 15 July, 2022   (public)
Influencers under the supervision of the media regulator in the Netherlands It is now official, as of 1 July 2022, video uploaders must register and comply with the Dutch Media Act. As a first step, influencers on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok with more than 500,000 followers...
Reuters Digital News Report 2022: Innovative journalism vs. news fatigue and disconnection
posted on 29 June, 2022   (public)
News avoidance, generational gap and the limits of the news business model On 15 June, the 2022 Reuters Digital News Report was released, providing a broad and in-depth picture of the last year's news consumption. Based on surveys launched early February in 46...
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...

Archived Regulation News

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...
First report on the application of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive
posted on 07 May, 2012   (public)
The European Commission today presented a report on the application of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD). This is the first application report on the AVMSD and covers the period 2009-2010. The first part of the report looks retrospectively at the...
Study on the implementation of the AVMS Directive - Promotion of European works
posted on 07 May, 2012   (public)
The European Commission today published the Study on the implementation of the provisions of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive concerning the promotion of European works in audiovisual media services. The study provides an analysis of national legal measures...
New audiovisual media services under the jurisdiction of Luxembourg
posted on 07 May, 2012   (public)
The Conseil national des programmes (CNP), the regulatory authority in Luxembourg, has been informed by the Department of Media and Communications of the Government that the following audiovisual media services now fall under the jurisdiction of the Grand Duchy: Broadcast...
Freedom of press : OIF calls for vigilance
posted on 02 May, 2012   (public)
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, celebrated on May 3, Mr. Abdou Diouf, Secretary General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), states that the legal guarantees and effectiveness of freedom of press have improved in a number of French-speaking...
Irish BAI publishes Ownership and Control Policy (2012)
posted on 27 April, 2012   (public)
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) published its new Policy on the ownership and control of broadcasting services on April 26. The policy reflects the contents of the BAI Strategy Statement 2011-2013 and the legislative provisions of the Broadcasting Act 2009 which...
French CSA consults on short extracts of sport events
posted on 18 April, 2012   (public)
On 17 April 2012, the Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA), the French regulatory authority, has launched a public consultation on the right to make available to the public, by way of electronic communication, short extracts of sport events’...
COE Recommendations to protect human rights on search engines and social networks
posted on 16 April, 2012   (public)
The Council of Europe adopted two Recommendations on the protection of human rights, notably freedom of expression, access to information and the right to private life, with regard to search engines and social networking services on 4 April 2012. The Committee of Ministers...
Irish BAI consults on draft general and children's commercial communications codes
posted on 04 April, 2012   (public)
The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has launched a public consultation on a new Draft Children’s Commercial Communications Code and a new Draft General Commercial Communications Code on 30th March 2012. Under existing rules, commercial communications which are...
AVMS scope: Recommendation of Belgian CSA
posted on 30 March, 2012   (public)
In order to ensure full legal certainty for market players - notably on the internet - with regard to legal provisions which may be applicable to them and with the view of providing a level playing field, the CSA of the French Community of Belgium adopted a ...
Ofcom - Adults: media use and attitudes report published
posted on 29 March, 2012   (public)
Ofcom, the UK’s independent communications regulator, has today published its latest report on adults’ media use and attitudes. The report covers the use and attitudes of UK adults across the key platforms of the internet, television, radio, games and mobile...
French CSA selects six new HD channels for DTT network
posted on 28 March, 2012   (public)
Further to the call for tenders of 18 October 2011 with the view of launching of six  HD channels on the DTT network,  the  Conseil supérieur de l’audiovisuel (CSA), the French regulatory authority, has selected, on 27 March 2012,  the...
Protection of Minors & Media Convergence: Report of French CSA
posted on 27 March, 2012   (public)
The French CSA (Conseil supérieur de l'audiovisuel) has just published a report  on the protection of minors in the era of converging audiovisual media and the internet. The report was prepared at the request of Mrs Claude Greff, Secretary of State for...
Ofcom invites contributions to its review of its Designation of ATVOD
posted on 26 March, 2012   (public)
Ofcom is inviting contributions to its review of its Designation of ATVOD (the Authority for Television on Demand) as co-regulator of editorial content included in video-on-demand (VOD) services. The Designation, which came into force in March 2010, is subject to formal...
Political advertising - ECtHR hearing in the case of ADI v. United Kingdom
posted on 08 March, 2012   (public)
The European Court of Human Rights ECtHR held a Grand Chamber hearing on 7 March in the case of Animal Defenders International v. the United Kingdom. The case concerns the complaint by a non-governmental organisation that it has been denied the possibility to advertise on TV...
Digital Radio: Belgian CSA publishes outcome of public consultation
posted on 24 February, 2012   (public)
On 14 February 2012, the CSA of the French Community of Belgium, published a summary of the answers they  received on the occasion of their public consultation on terrestrial digital radio in order to reflect on the variety of the points of view but also on the concensus...
CICA Declaration on the need for independent regulators in the field of broadcasting
posted on 20 February, 2012   (public)
The Iberian Conference of the Audiovisual Councils (CICA), which convened in Barcelona for its annual meeting on 6 February 2012, made a public statement on the need for independent regulatory authorities in the field of broadcasting. The statement recalled that broadcasting...
Adoption of the first Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP)
posted on 17 February, 2012   (public)
On 15 February 2012, the European Parliament agreed upon the common position of the Council allowing for the formal adoption of the first Radio Spectrum Policy Programme (RSPP). The RSPP establishes a five-year policy programme with the aim to promote efficient radio...
CoE Declaration and Recommendation on the Governance of Public Service Media
posted on 16 February, 2012   (public)
In a Declaration and a Recommendation adopted by its Committee of Ministers on 16.02.2012, the Council of Europe urged its member states to renovate the governance framework of public service media in order to adapt to the new communication environment. The Appendix to the...
World Radio Day
posted on 13 February, 2012   (public)
13 February is a date proclaimed by UNESCO to celebrate radio broadcast, improve international cooperation among radio broadcasters and encourage decision-makers to create and provide access to information through radio, including community radios. It’s an occasion to...
Danish Radio and Television Board opens new proceedings in Roj TV case
posted on 09 February, 2012   (public)
On 10 January 2012, the Copenhagen Municipal Court  delivered a verdict in the case vs. ROJ TV and Mesopotamia Broadcast A/S, METV. The court ruled that ROJ TV and Mesopotamia Broadcast are in violation of the Penal Code's provisions about terrorism. More...
Irish BAI consults on Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs
posted on 02 February, 2012   (public)
On 1st February 2012, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) has launched a public consultation on a Draft Code of Fairness, Objectivity and Impartiality in News and Current Affairs. The draft code sets out the underpinning principles and a range of more specific rules...