Media Study - Medija centar Beograd

The Council of Europe dedicates significant attention to standards regarding the organization and
functioning of public service media. In terms of commercial media, the attention is mostly focused on
content regulatory policy as well as on media concentrations:
In the 2004 Recommendation on Public service broadcasting, the Parliamentary Assembly stressed
that such services are under threat by political and economic interests, by increasing competition
from commercial media, by media concentrations and by financial difficulties. It is also faced with the
challenge of adapting to globalisation and the new technologies. It recognizes that the merit of public
services is to operate independently of those holding economic and political power. The same
document underlines that the coexistence of public and commercial media has largely contributed to
innovating and diversifying the supply of content and has had a positive impact on quality. It also
urges that the situation concerning public service broadcasting financing be further clarified following
jurisprudence of the European Courts
For such reasons, the Assembly encourages Member States to define an appropriate legal,
institutional and financial framework for the functioning of public service broadcasting. In this respect,
the Group of Specialists on Public Service Media in the Information Society issued in 2008 a Report on
how member stated should ensure legal, financial, technical and other appropriate conditions required
to enable public service media to discharge their remit. For instance, a Recommendation was made to
design education and training programmes, adapted to the digital media environment, for journalists.
In 2007, the Committee of Ministers adopted a Recommendation on measures to promote the public
service value of the internet.
The Committee of Ministers adopted in 2008 a Declaration on the independence and functions of
regulatory authorities for the broadcasting sector. It outlines the principles of effectiveness,
transparency and accountability of independent broadcasting regulatory authorities.
The conclusions of the Regional seminar on the program-monitoring functions of national regulatory
authorities emphasized that broadcasting regulatory authorities should have adequate and
proportionate powers enabling them to ensure access to networks and services, set standards,
promote quality and ensure a healthy, technologically up-to-date industry. Regulatory authorities
should be closely involved in the development and implementation of national audiovisual and
broadcasting policies and legislation.
In 2003, the Committee of Ministers adopted a Recommendation on measures to promote the
democratic and social contribution of digital broadcasting. The Committee stresses the particular
importance of respecting the principles of the Recommendation on measures to promote media
pluralist, in particular those concerning media ownership rules, access to platforms and diversity of
content.
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