Media pluralism: Commission stresses need for transparency, freedom and diversity in Europe's media landscape
Responding to continuing concerns from the European Parliament and non-governmental organisations about media concentration, and its possible effects on pluralism and freedom of expression, Commissioner Viviane Reding and Vice-President Margot Wallström – presented today to fellow Commissioners three-steps on media pluralism in the European Union. [...]
The 'Reding-Wallström' approach, as presented today to the Commission, has three steps:
1. A Commission Staff Working Paper on Media Pluralism (presented already today [análise sobre Portugal a partir da página 72]). It outlines efforts to promote pluralism by third parties and organisations, notably the essential work undertaken by the Council of Europe, and has a concise first survey of Member States' audiovisual and print media markets. This baseline analysis also includes information on national media ownership regulations and the very diverse regulatory models of the 27 Member States.
1. An independent study on media pluralism in EU Member States to define and test concrete and objective indicators for assessing media pluralism in the EU Member States (in 2007).
2. A Commission Communication on the indicators for media pluralism in the EU Member States (in 2008), on which a broad public consultation will take place. This could lead to an evaluation of the opportunity for applying the media pluralism indicators, for example through a further study.
