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The European Commission adopted its Fifth Report on the application of the “Television without Frontiers” (TWF) Directive on 10 February 2006. The Commission is required to adopt such bi-annual reports under Article 26, TWF Directive. The period covered by the Fifth Report is 2003 and 2004, a period during which the European Union’s (EU) membership expanded from 15 to 25 Member States. After documenting relevant developments in the television market in Europe and noting that new Member States had to notify their legislation transposing the TWF Directive into national law, the Report embarks on...

On 1 September 2005 the National Broadcasting Council (NBC) adopted a position on the Issues Papers presented by the European Commission, in the framework of the public consultation on the revision of the "Television without Frontiers" Directive. The adopted documents have been sent to the Commission. The NBC supported the basic premise that the new Directive should include regulations that will be technologically neutral and will take into account media convergence, and that a complex and integrated approach to the Information Society and to audiovisual media services was necessary. It also supported...

The stated purpose of Act No. 2006-64 of 23 January 2006 on combating terrorism and making certain provisions concerning security and controls at frontiers is to provide better assurance of the right to safety while respecting freedoms. It points to the threat posed by information and communication technologies as new channels for expression for terrorists. While voting on this, MPs took the opportunity of “tidying up” France’s Audiovisual Act of 30 September 1986 and amending its Article 33-1 to remove the obligation for non-European channels broadcast via Eutelsat - and in consequence governed...

On 13 December 2005, the European Commission published its proposal for an amendment to the Television Without Frontiers Directive (89/552/EEC as amended by Directive 97/36/EC). On the grounds that new technologies in the transmission of audiovisual media services have made it necessary (1) to take into account the impact of structural change and technological developments on business models, especially the financing of commercial broadcasting, and (2) to ensure optimal conditions of competition for European companies and services in the information technology and media industries, the proposal...

In its bid to modernise the rules governing Europe's media industry, the Commission deployed plans a few years ago to revise the Television without Frontiers Directive. In order to do so effectively, the Commission initiated consultations in 2003 (see IRIS 2004-1: 6 and IRIS 2003-2: 5) which drew remarks and analyses from experts and stakeholders on future EU rules for audiovisual content. The findings that emerged from these consultations are that the European audiovisual sector is drastically changing as a result of technological innovations which make media convergence more of a reality. This...