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In three recent decisions, the public broadcaster VRT has been rapped over the knuckles for repeatedly transmitting content that has been deemed unsuitable for minors. The first decision (28 September 2010) was rendered by the Kamer voor Onpartijdigheid en Bescherming van Minderjarigen (Chamber for Impartiality and the Protection of Minors) of the Vlaamse Regulator voor de Media (Flemish Regulator for the Media - monitoring and enforcement of media regulation) and concerned the transmission of a trailer at around 7 pm, just after the popular family quiz programme “Blokken”. The trailer in question...

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...

The Consiliul Naţional al Audiovizualului (National Council for Electronic Media - CNA) fined on 4 and 9 November 2010 several Romanian commercial TV stations and issued public warnings for others due to the violation of audiovisual laws with regard to the media coverage of sensitive cases and to the observance of advertising rules (see inter alia IRIS 2010-10/38, IRIS 2010-8/42, IRIS 2010-7/33, IRIS 2010-1/38). Pro TV and Antena 1 were imposed a fine of RON 20,000 (EUR 4,650) each, Kanal D of RON 5,000 (EUR 1,165), Antena 2 and OTV received public warnings because of breaches of the Audiovisual...

A proposal to amend the Broadcasting Act with provisions intended to grant the Media Authority a more independent role in the broadcasting area was sent to Stortinget (the Norwegian Parliament) on 22 October 2010. The proposal includes the establishment of an independent complaints board with a mandate to handle complaints on decisions made by the authority. The Media Authority is an administrative body placed under the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and is responsible for handling cases relating to the Broadcasting Act, the Media Ownership Act and the Act on Film and Videograms. The Authority is...

Recently the Lithuanian Government adopted a Resolution on new Rules for the categorisation and dissemination of information, which might have a negative effect on minors. The new Rules were prepared to facilitate the implementation of the Law on the Protection of Minors against the Detrimental Effect of Public Information (“Law on Minors”) and came into force on 1 November 2010. According to the new Rules broadcasters themselves are obliged to assess and determine if the to-be-published information might have a negative effect on minors. In doing so they have to follow the criteria provided for...