European Parliament reports on audiovisual policy in the digital age
In a new report on European audiovisual policy in the digital age, the European Parliament calls for revisions to the 'television without frontiers' directive to be made before 2002 The directive must contain general rules for all audiovisual services, regardless of the transmission techniques used, say MEPs. They also call for the inclusion of a requirement for private and public TV stations to invest a certain share of their revenue in the production and acquisition of European audiovisual works. Regulation should be limited to what is 'strictly essential, with the market left to operate in accordance with the rules on competition. The rules must guarantee pluralism as well as cultural and linguistic diversity, while also protecting freedom of choice,' says the report. Parliament is also in favour of further research on programme filtering technology and other parental control methods to protect children. It is calling on the Member States and the Commission to promote a European consultative forum to discuss the economic and social aspects of the content of multi-media services. 'The Commission's competition policy for the audiovisual sector must take into account the cultural uniqueness of the industry and support it at world market level,' it adds.