4. 4
Network operator
Privatisation of VRT transmission departement
Neutral network operator: guarantee of a non-
discriminatory and equitable treatment of all players
Awarding frequencies
Not all frequencies for transmission departement
Tender procedure
5. 5
Content providers: Flemish Media Act
Scope before May 2007
Private broadcasters (particuliere omroepen):
traditional broadcasters
Approval
Detailed obligations
Television services (televisiediensten): video-on-
demand, audiovisual fragments on internet,…
Notification
Less detailed obligations
6. 6
Content providers
Bottlenecks
New media services
subjected to disproportional
obligations
Independency requirement:
no political webTV
=> Ad hoc revision
Flemish Media Act
7. 7
Content providers: Flemish Media Act
Scope after May 2007
Private broadcasters (particuliere omroepen):
traditional broadcasters
Approval
Television services (televisiediensten): Private
broadcasters offering other services to the public.
Those services are services defined by art.49-50 ECT
and their principal purpose is the provision of
programmes.
Notification
8. 8
Content providers: Flemish Media Act
Other private broadcasters (andere soorten
televisieomroepen): no services defined by art.49-50
ECT and the principal purpose is not the provision of
programmes
No approval or notification
No independency requirement
Eg. Political webTV
Eg. user-generated-content
Eg. websites that contain audiovisual elements only
in an ancillary manner
Eg. Video on YouTube, GarageTV
9. 9
Content providers: AVMS Directive
Inspiration for this revision: evolutions at European level
Television without Frontiers Directive (1989)
Scope: traditional broadcasting services
Audiovisual Media Services Directive
Scope: audiovisual media services
Technology neutrality : Linear and non-linear
services
Layered regulation
10. 10
Content providers: AVMS Directive
AVMS is a service
1) as defined by Articles 49 and 50 of the EC Treaty
2) under the editorial responsibility of a media service
provider
3) and the principal purpose
4) is the provision of programmes
5) in order to inform, entertain or educate
6) to the general public
7) by electronic communications networks
11. 11
Audiovisual Media Service
1) Articles 49 and 50 ECT : economic service
Compensation
Excluded: non-commercial websites
(no ads)
Included: videoblogs with
advertising revenues
12. 12
Audiovisual Media Service
2) Editorial responsibility: the exercise of effective
control both over the selection of the programmes and
over their organisation either in a chronological schedule
or in a catalogue
Excluded: YouTube, GarageTV
13. 13
Audiovisual Media Service
3) Principal purpose
Excluded: audiovisual content that is merely incidental
Eg. Animated graphical elements
Eg. Short advertising spots
Eg. Journal websites
Eg. Online games
14. 14
Audiovisual Media Service
4) Programmes: set of moving images with or without
sound
Excluded: radio, blogs
Included: films, series, sports
events, documentaries,…
Included: EPG, subtitles
15. 15
Audiovisual Media Service
5) General public
Excluded: private correspondance, audiovisual content
in metro stations, shops
6) To inform, entertain or educate
Excluded: images of traffic jam, images of snow in
skiing areas
16. 16
Audiovisual Media Service: overview
Source: European Commission, “The Commission Proposal for a Modernisation of the
Television without Frontiers Directive: Frequently Asked Questions”, MEMO/05/475, 13.12.2005 (http://
ec.europa.eu/comm/avpolicy/reg/tvwf/modernisation/proposal_2005/index_en.htm)
17. 17
Regulation: two-tiered approach
Basic tier: all audiovisual media services
Additional basic tier: non-linear (pull) services
Extended tier: Linear (push) services (but simplified
compared to TVWF)
Reasons for differentiation
Degree of choice and control of users
Impact on society
18. 18
Regulation: two-tiered approach
Basic tier
Information obligation/identification of responsible
editor
Prohibition of incitement to hatred based on sex, racial
or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or
sexual orientation
Ensure access for disabled people (‘encourage’)
Respect copyright
Basic qualitative requirements for audiovisual
commercial communications
19. 19
Regulation: two-tiered approach
Additional basic tier
Protection of minors
Cultural diversity: Promotion of European works
20. 20
Regulation: two-tiered approach
Extended tier
Listed events of major importance for society
• Short news reports
• Quota for the promotion of European and independent
works
• Quantitative rules for television advertising
• Stricter rules for protection of minors
• Right of reply
21. 21
Aggregators
New actors between network operator and content
providers: packaging content
E.g. TV Vlaanderen
Flemish Media Act: scope
Broadcasters
Network operators
French Community: scope
Content providers (éditeurs de services)
Aggregator (distributeurs de services)
Network operator (opérateurs techniques)
22. 22
Future: new problems
Revision of Flemish Media Act
Modernisation
Felixibilisation