European Parliament: Resolution on Public Service Broadcasting in the Digital Era

IRIS 2011-2:1/6

Christina Angelopoulos

Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of Amsterdam

On 25 November 2010 the European Parliament adopted a resolution entitled “Public Service Broadcasting in the Digital Era: The Future of the Dual System”. The Parliament emphasised in the recitals the special importance attached to the dual system, characterised by the coexistence of public service and commercial broadcasters, in the European audiovisual landscape. This tradition has ensured a diverse range of freely accessible programming with both broadcasting modes, while playing a crucial role with regard to audiovisual production, cultural diversity and identity, information, pluralism, social cohesion, the promotion of fundamental freedoms and the functioning of democracy. While the Parliament noted that changes in the audiovisual landscape in recent years, particularly with the development of digital technologies, proprietary pay platforms and new online media actors, have had an impact on the traditional dual broadcasting system and on editorial competition, it cautioned that these developments should not serve to make the dual system obsolete.

Through the Resolution, the Parliament called on Member States to ensure that sufficient resources are provided to enable public service broadcasters to take advantage of new digital technologies and secure the benefits of modern audiovisual services for the general public. PSBs should be structured in such a way as to offer attractive, quality online content so as to reach young audiences, who mainly access the media via the Internet. The Parliament also encouraged Member States to address the digital divide, ensuring that all persons in all regions have equal access to public service broadcasting. It underlined the principle of technological neutrality, in accordance with which PSBs must be offered the opportunity to take advantage of all available platforms. Political interference with the content of services offered by public service broadcasters should also end; members of public service broadcasters’ boards should be appointed on the basis of their competence and acquaintance with the media sector. With regard to private broadcasters, the Parliament noted that transparent ownership must be guaranteed in all Member States.

The EP reminded Member States of their commitment to European standards concerning PSB, as set out in Council of Europe recommendations and declarations. It thereby called on the Commission and Member States to give the European Audiovisual Observatory a mandate and resources to gather data and conduct research on the way in which Member States have applied these standards, with a view to determining whether the desired effects have been achieved. Finally, it called on Member States to intensify cooperation between national media regulators within the European Platform of Regulatory Authorities (EPRA) and step up the exchange of experience and best practice.