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Legislation enacted on 20 December 2016 abolished commercial advertising during children’s programmes on public-sector television channels. In application of this legislation, a Decree adopted on 22 December 2017 added Article 27‑1 to France Televisions’ contractual specifications. It is worded as follows: “Advertising spots in programmes primarily intended for viewing by children under the age of 12. The following may not include any advertising other than generic advertisements for goods and services in respect of the health and development of children: 1. Programmes primarily intended for viewing...

On 26 April 2018, the European Commission published the Communication on "Tackling online disinformation: a European approach", setting out the views of the Commission on the challenges associated with disinformation online. It was developed in consideration of consultations with citizens and stakeholders and of the report of the High Level Expert Group published on 12 March 2018 (see IRIS 2018-1/8 and IRIS 2018-5/7). Recognising the threat of online disinformation, particularly on policy making and electoral processes, and the cross-border dimension of online disinformation, the Communication...

On 25 April 2018, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a Resolution on the protection of editorial integrity. The Resolution opens with PACE noting that several challenges to the editorial integrity and independence of the media had arisen in the member states. PACE also recalled that the emergence of online media and media-like information sources had triggered a decline in revenue for traditional media. According to PACE, this factor, coupled with less profitable obsolete business models and increased threats from organised crime, terrorism and armed conflicts, compromised...

On 13 March 2018, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) published updated Guidelines in Respect of Coverage of Referenda (for previous Guidelines, see IRIS 2015-5/19, IRIS 2013-8/27 and IRIS 2011-9/24). The guidelines have been published in advance of the planned referendum on the 36th Amendment of the Irish Constitution and further referenda on constitutional amendments and reforms to local government over the next number of years. The Broadcasting Act 2009 details the legal requirements placed on broadcasters in respect of their coverage of news and current affairs issues, including referenda....

In a decision of 1 March 2018 (Case no. 7 A 11938/17), the Oberverwaltungsgericht Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate Higher Administrative Court - OVG Rheinland-Pfalz) ruled that the German broadcasting contribution fee is compatible with European law. A private individual from Trier had complained about the levying of outstanding payments by Südwestrundfunk (SWR), arguing that the fee was incompatible with European law because it gave public service broadcasters an unfair advantage over their private competitors. However, this argument was rejected by the court. In its decision, the OVG stated...