Advanced television services in Europe - Report on implementation of the European action plan
The European Commission has published a second annual report on the implementation of the action plan for the introduction of advanced television services in Europe. The action plan, which aims to stimulate the broadcasting and production of television services in 16:9 format, will provide funding of ECU 228 million to broadcasters and programme-makers during the period mid-1993 until mid-1997. In response to calls launched in 1995, the action plan will co-finance over 20,000 hours of 16:9 broadcasting by 39 broadcasters in 13 Member States. In comparison to 1994, when 22 broadcasters were transmitting services in 16:9 format in eight Member States, this shows a major increase in use of the format. The sales of 16:9 format television sets in 1995 also show large increases on the 1994 figure, with an EU average increase of 63.7% in sales. In the programme production sector of the action plan, two calls were launched in 1995. Programming funded following these calls amounts to over 6,600 hours for total funding of around ECU 20.5 million. Of the productions supported by the action plan, around half can be considered to be long-life programmes. In particular, a high proportion of documentaries and fiction programmes have been supported. The funding for programme production in 1995 went to both broadcasters (55%) and independent producers (45%).