| Author (Corporate) | European Commission |
|---|---|
| Series Title | COM |
| Series Details | (2013) 231 final (24.4.13) |
| Publication Date | 24/04/2013 |
| Content Type | Policy-making |
|
The objective of this Green Paper is to open a broad, public discussion on the implications of the on-going transformation of the audiovisual media landscape, characterised by a steady increase in the convergence of media services and the way in which these services are consumed and delivered. Convergence can be understood as the progressive merger of traditional broadcast services and the internet. This results in viewing possibilities extending from TV sets with added internet connectivity, through set-top boxes delivering video content ‘over-the-top’ (OTT) to audiovisual media services provided via PCs, laptops or tablets and other mobile devices. Consumers use tablets or smartphones while simultaneously watching TV, for instance to find out more about what they are watching or to interact with friends or with the TV programme itself. Lines are blurring quickly between the familiar twentieth-century consumption patterns of linear broadcasting received by TV sets versus on-demand services delivered to computers. Moreover, with every smartphone enabling converged production as well as consumption, there might be a future shift from ‘lean-back’ consumption to active participation. As regards usage of the functions enabled through added connectivity to the internet, the reported rate in the UK in 2012 – which is the highest in the EU - was 11% of the installed base, in comparison with 44% in China, 18% in Korea and 17% in India. In the US, an increase from currently 22.5% of US households using connected TVs including OTT connections and game consoles to up to 43.1% is foreseen by 2016. While linear general viewing times are still around 4 hours a day across the EU, the converged experience progressively becomes a reality and market players develop and adapt business models. Technology already allows the user to create, distribute and access all types of content irrespective of time, place or device. The Commission’s vision is to seize the opportunity of this changing technological environment to ensure the widest possible access to European diversified content for all Europeans and, the widest choice of high quality offers. The technological ability to deliver content to be legally accessible to viewers throughout the EU could also incentivise market players to create new types of content. As convergence will become gradually more tangible over the next decade, it might have an impact in future on a number of legal instruments including the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) – focus of this paper, the e-Commerce Directive and the electronic communications framework. The consultation does not presuppose any specific outcome. Nonetheless, it may pave the way towards possible regulatory and other policy responses in the longer term, in particular linking up Commission initiatives such as the Better Internet for Kids Coalition, possible activities to follow up the report of the High Level Group on Media Freedom and Pluralism, as well as work on self-regulatory initiatives. |
|
| Source Link | Link to Main Source http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM:2013:231:FIN |
| Related Links |
|
| Subject Categories | Business and Industry |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
