Norway

[NO] New Regulatory Authority

IRIS 2003-8:1/39

Peter Strothmann

Institute of European Media Law (EMR), Saarbrücken/Brussels

The existing Norwegian regulatory authorities, the Media Ownership Authority - Eigarskapstilsynet, the Mass Media Authority - Statens medieforvaltning and the Norwegian Board of Film Classification - Statens Filmtilsyn, are being combined to form a joint authority (Medietilsynet). Despite the misgivings that have been expressed about the effectiveness and independence of a new authority, the newly formed institution is set to be more capable of meeting the need, thrown up by the development of the electronic media, for the regulation of media content in times of convergence. The authority will be starting work on 1 January 2005.