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The Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Media and Information Society, entitled, ‘Freedom of Expression and Democracy in the Digital Age: Opportunities, Rights, Responsibilities’, was held on 7-8 November 2013 in Belgrade, Serbia. The previous ministerial conference on similar issues (‘A new notion of media?’) was held in Reykjavik in 2009 (see IRIS 2009-8/2). Participating ministers in the Conference adopted a Political Declaration and three Resolutions, entitled: 1. Internet Freedom 2. Preserving the essential role of media in the digital age 3. Safety of journalists The...

On 5 November 2013, the Romanian Senate (i.e. Upper Chamber of the Parliament) rejected the Draft Law on the modification and completion of the Audiovisual Law no. 504/2002 at the request of the President of Romania, with a large majority. The Draft Law included an obligation of the broadcasters to air weekly at least 120 minutes of programmes with cultural and educational content, excepting the period from 1 to 7 a.m. Furthermore, news channels would have had to air weekly at least 30 minutes of cultural and educational shows per week, excepting the same period (1 a.m to 7 a.m.). The decision...

On 20 November 2013, the audiovisual regulatory authority (Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel - CSA) adopted a recommendation on the handing of war situations by audiovisual communication services. Last February, the CSA launched a consultation on the subject with the main audiovisual groups and journalists, after France Télévisions had broadcast particularly distressing images of the war in Mali. The new recommendation repeals the two previous recommendations, one on the conflict in the Middle East (2003) (see IRIS 2003-4/15), and one directed at all television and radio services on international...

On 27 August 2013 the Loi du 27 août 2013 portant création de l’établissement public “Autorité luxembourgeoise indépendante de l’audiovisuel” (Law of 27 August 2013 on the creation of the Independent Audiovisual Authority of Luxembourg, ALIA law) was formally adopted by the Grand-Duke of Luxembourg. The Chambre des Députés (parliamentary assembly) as well as the Conseil d’Etat (State Council) had both given their approval to the creation of the new authority in July 2013. The ALIA Act, which was proposed in October 2012, (see IRIS 2013-1/28) was published on 9 September 2013 in the Mémorial (Luxembourg...

On 7 October 2013, Ofcom’s decided that material broadcast on CBS Reality’s Caught on Camera programme was offensive and not justified by its context. Ofcom derives its statutory authority to regulate the standards of television pursuant to the Communications Act 2003. One of Ofcom’s duties pursuant to section 3(2)(e) of the Communications Act 2003 is to ensure that programmes broadcast on television adequately protect the public from the inclusion of offensive and harmful material. Rule 2.3 of the Broadcasting Code requires broadcasters to ensure that broadcasted material that may cause offence...