Denmark

[DK] Broad Agreement Reached for Future Media Policy

IRIS 2006-8:1/19

Elisabeth Thuesen

Law Department, Copenhagen Business School

On 6 June 2006, the Government reached an agreement on media policy with the political parties: Socialdemokratiet (the Social Democratic Party), Dansk Folkeparti (The Danish Popular Party), Det Radikale Venstre (The Social Liberal Party) and Socialistisk Folkeparti (The Socialist Popular Party). Radio and TV legislation shall be amended correspondingly during the 2006/2007 parliamentary session. The agreement shall be in force for the period from 6 June 2006 to 31 December 2010. The main features of the agreement are the following:

- The Danmarks Radio (DR) channel must offer public service programmes which satisfy cultural, social and democratic needs in Denmark. The channel’s development as the leading public service broadcaster must be continued. The production of Danish dramatic works and broadcasting for children and youth as well as the broadcasting of small sections of sports must be increased. The DR channel must also broadcast news in the most widely-spoken languages in Denmark. The part of production outsourced to private producers must be increased and the channel’s archives must be digitalized. A listeners and viewers’ representative shall be appointed in order to enhance the independence of the complaints procedure concerning the programming. The appointment of the members of the channel’s management board must be amended in order to decrease political influence and to increase DR ‘s staff representation.

- Channel TV2 must be privatised when the circumstances allow for it. This depends, among other things, on the decisions resulting from the cases pending before the EC Court of Justice concerning TV2’s resources (see IRIS 2005-5: 3)

- A public service fund shall be established in order to support the development of Danish television dramatic works and documentary programmes produced by TV companies not financed by the radio/TV licence. A media licence instead of the existing radio/TV licence shall be established. The development of digital radio (DAB) shall be continued. As for regional programmes, they must be broadcast daily during one hour between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. in a multiplex together with grassroots-TV. Finally, the funds supporting non-commercial local radio and TV must be increased.

- A report on public support of the media (radio, TV, the press, new media) shall be elaborated in order to improve the cohesion of the support granted to the different media.