Traditional paradigms for new services? : The Commission Proposal for a 'Audiovisual Media Services Directive'

SCHEUER, Alexander (2006): Traditional paradigms for new services? : The Commission Proposal for a 'Audiovisual Media Services Directive'. Published in: International Journal of Digital Economics No. 62 : pp. 71-91.

Abstract

For over 10 years the European Community has strived to develop suitable and proportionate answers to the phenomenon of convergence in its audiovisual regulatory policy. This article outlines the regulatory process at an EU level since the early 1980s as far as media, telecommunications and Information Society services are concerned, and analyses some of the most relevant policy papers specifically related to the adoption of the EC legal framework for the media in the digital age, before focusing on the preparatory phase leading up to the adoption of the Commission proposal for a Directive on "Audiovisual Media Services", issued in December 2005. In addition, the core of this proposal for a revised "Television without Frontiers" Directive, i.e. the extension of its scope to cover new media services provided in a non-linear manner and the introduction of a graduated regime of regulation with a lighter-touch approach in view of such services, is presented along with the main lines of debate among stakeholders.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Institution: COMMUNICATIONS & STRATEGIES
• Language: English
• Keywords: Convergence; digital television; new audiovisual media services; EU media regulatory policy; revision of TWF Directive; electronic communications; broadcasting
• Subjects: L - Industrial Organization > L8 - Industry Studies: Services > L82 - Entertainment ; Media; L - Industrial Organization > L5 - Regulation and Industrial Policy > L51 - Economics of Regulation; K - Law and Economics > K2 - Regulation and Business Law > K23 - Regulated Industries and Administrative Law; L - Industrial Organization > L4 - Antitrust Issues and Policies > L41 - Monopolization ; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices; L - Industrial Organization > L9 - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities > L96 - Telecommunications; D - Microeconomics > D8 - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty > D82 - Asymmetric and Private Information ; Mechanism Design