Monti sparks battle over TV advertising

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Series Details Vol 6, No. 34, 21.9.00, p1
Publication Date 21/09/2000
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Date: 21/09/00

By John Shelley

THE European Commission is set to spark a political storm by calling for a ceiling to be put on the amount of money state-funded broadcasters can earn from advertising.

Competition chief Mario Monti intends to wade into the highly sensitive debate over the role of public service television and the rules which should govern it by proposing new EU-wide restrictions on broadcasters' activities.

The move is designed to ensure that companies which benefit from state funding do not have an unfair advantage over unsubsidised rivals. But the proposals are likely to provoke the wrath of public sector broadcasters in countries such as France, Italy and Spain which traditionally derive a high proportion of their cash from private sources.

The European Commission is set to spark a political storm by calling for a ceiling to be put on the amount of money state-funded broadcasters can earn from advertising.

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