Netherlands

[NL] Relaxation Media Act allows local and regional commercial broadcasting

IRIS 1996-5:1/12

Marcel Dellebeke

Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam

On 2 April 1996 the Dutch Parliament approved the proposed change to the Media Act, which now allows commercial broadcasting local and regional level. This result is attained by removing the limitation that commercial broadcasters have to broadcast nationwide. The new Media Act also renders permanent the up to 1 January 1996 experimental advertising regime, by which the local and regional broadcasters were allowed to broadcast advertisements and keep the advertising income themselves. Furthermore, the modified Media Act appoints the Dutch Media Authority supervisory power in conflicts concerning access to cable networks; the Media Authority now has the power to decide whether, and under which conditions, a broadcaster must be admitted to a cable network. The Media Act grants this power for a limited period only (until 1 July 1996), but the Senate has unanimously carried a motion that requests the Cabinet to extend the supervisory power until a 'fitting replacement' for this mediation has been made in the media- or telecommunications legislation.