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Reply to Recommendation | Doc. 12213 | 26 April 2010
The funding of public service broadcasting
1. The Committee of
Ministers welcomes the Parliamentary Assembly’s Recommendation 1878 (2009) on “The funding of public service broadcasting” which
it has transmitted to the governments of member states in order
for it to be forwarded to the competent ministries, regulatory bodies
for broadcasting and public service broadcasters. It has also communicated
the recommendation to the Steering Committee on the Media and New Communication
Services (CDMC) (for the comments received, see below).
2. The Committee of Ministers considers the recommendation to
be a timely and useful addition to the arsenal of instruments elaborated
by the Council of Europe in support of public service broadcasting.
It notes in particular the Assembly’s recognition of the need for
public service broadcasters to make full use of all the technologies
and platforms currently available and those of the future in order
to provide high quality programming to the widest audience possible.
3. In its reply to Parliamentary Assembly Recommendation 1641 (2004) on “Public service broadcasting”, the Committee stressed
that public service broadcasting constitutes a vital element of
democracy in Europe and fulfils a specific mission in the areas
of information, culture, education and entertainment. In its 2006 Declaration
on the guarantee of the independence of public service broadcasting
in the member states, the Committee highlighted the specific remit
of public service broadcasting and reaffirmed its vital role as
an essential element of pluralist communication and of social cohesion
which, through the provision of comprehensive programme services
accessible to everyone, comprising information, education, culture
and entertainment, seeks to promote the values of modern democratic
societies, in particular, respect for human rights, cultural diversity
and political pluralism.
4. As to the Parliamentary Assembly’s recommendation that the
European Audiovisual Observatory be asked to collect information
about the funding of public service media in Europe, the Committee
of Ministers notes that follow-up action or future review of developments
in the funding of public service broadcasters is very important.
It further notes that the Observatory has recently published a most
valuable edition of IRIS Plus “The public service remit and the
new media” with much information that directly concerns this recommendation.
5. The Committee of Ministers further notes that the European
Broadcasting Union promotes cross-border co-operation, inter alia, of national public service
broadcasters, joint production of audiovisual works and programmes,
preservation of audiovisual archives, as well as technical co-operation
and training. The large majority of the Council of Europe’s member
states are active members of the European Broadcasting Union. The
Committee of Ministers invites the Secretary General to explore
possible means of increased co‑operation with the European Broadcasting
Union.
6. Finally, the Committee of Ministers recalls that the aim of
the European Convention for the Protection of the Audiovisual Heritage
(ETS No. 183) is to ensure the protection of the European audiovisual
heritage and its appreciation both as an art form and as a record
of our past by means of its collection, its preservation and the
availability of moving image material for cultural, scientific and
research purposes, in the public interest. It notes that so far,
this instrument has been ratified by only five member states, but
signed by another 10 and that it entered into force on 1 January
2008.
Appendix to the reply
(open)Comments of the Steering Committee on the Media and New Communication Services (CDMC)
1. The CDMC warmly welcomes Parliamentary
Assembly Recommendation
1878 (2009) on “The funding of public service broadcasting”. The
recommendation is well-timed, coinciding as it does with the revision
of the European Convention on Transfrontier Television and the recently
published European Commission Communication on the Application of
State Aid Rules to Public Service Broadcasting.
2. The timing of the recommendation is particularly apt given
the current global financial crisis and recession. In member states
where there is either mixed funding or the public service broadcasters
rely solely on state subsidies, governments may be tempted to see
public service broadcasters as fair game for cuts in their subsidies
and indeed, in some member states this has already happened.
3. The CDMC appreciates the Assembly’s reinforcement of the importance
of public service broadcasting and the vital role it plays in a
democratic society through the maintenance of a plurality of opinion,
the provision of unbiased information, educational and cultural
content that private broadcasters could not be expected to provide
without public funding.
4. Similarly, the CDMC notes the Assembly’s recognition of the
need for public service broadcasters to make full use of all the
technologies and platforms currently available and those of the
future in order to provide high quality programming to the widest
audience possible.
5. The recommendation rightly points out the need for public
service broadcasters to provide value for money and for them to
be fully accountable to the public they serve.
6. The reference to developments in the European Union with regard
to public service broadcasting (paragraphs 10 and 11) is a poignant
reminder of the essential difference between the two organisations (Council
of Europe and European Union). Although not specifically mentioned
in the recommendation, the European Commission Communication on
the Application of State Aid Rules to Public Service Broadcasting has,
in the drafting process, highlighted the friction between public
services and private media and was seen by some as a concerted attempt
to weaken the position of public broadcasters and an encroachment
on the member states’ right to determine their own media policy.
Paragraphs 10 and 11, while tactfully formulated, are, nevertheless,
an unambiguous exposition of the problems faced by those Council
of Europe member states that are also bound by European Union rules.
7. Having regard to Recommendation Rec(2007)3 of the Committee
of Ministers on the remit of public service media in the information
society, the CDMC considers that public value in respect of public
service broadcasters or more broadly public media services can only
be assessed if they are considered as an integral whole, rather
than as discrete and disconnected features of public service. More
particularly, public service media cannot be confined to a subsidiary
role, characterised by offering services that do not feature highly
on the agendas of commercial broadcasters.
8. The assertion in paragraph 12 that “public acceptance of funding
public service broadcasting is decreasing” in view of greater content
becoming available on other platforms is, perhaps, to overstate
the case. It might be truer to say that the public has become more
demanding in terms of quality programming and value for money when
it comes to paying either indirectly through taxes or directly through
licence fees. However, this does not detract from the message of
the paragraph in that public service broadcasting is of particular importance
in smaller states.
9. Paragraph 16 calling for action by member parliaments is not
only a useful reminder of what member states have already subscribed
to by way of various instruments but also points out that part of
the public service remit may be allocated to commercial broadcasters
as is already the practice in some member states. Indeed, commercial
organisations may also enjoy the status of being public service
broadcasters, as noted in the Explanatory Memorandum.
10. The CDMC notes the Parliamentary Assembly’s endorsement of
the Ministerial Conference (Reykjavik, 28-29 May 2009) Action Plan
(paragraph 17) and the invitation to ministers to reaffirm their
commitment to it at the national level. The CDMC would, however,
draw attention to part 3 of paragraph 17, which speaks of Europe-wide
co-ordination of national policies for public service broadcasting.
Neither the Council of Europe nor the CDMC is responsible for co-ordinating
national policy and indeed this runs counter to the spirit of paragraph
10 of the recommendation. The CDMC fully supports international
co-operation in the setting of standards but it is the role of the
member states themselves to determine national policy.
11. The Action Plan does not foresee the co-ordination of national
policies but speaks of the possible elaboration of “a policy document
containing guidance for member states on governance approaches for
public service media”. (This task is also within the terms of reference
of the CDMC Ad hoc Advisory Group on Public Service Media Governance
(MC-S-PG). With a view to preparing the work of the latter, a consultation
meeting on the matter was held in Strasbourg on 17 and 18 September
2009. One of the main conclusions of the meeting was that governance
approaches for public service media should respond to technological
and socio-cultural changes; at the same time, principles of openness,
transparency and accountability should be fully respected).
12. The Assembly rightly calls on the Committee of Ministers to
forward the recommendation to the institutions it concerns (ministries,
regulators and the broadcasters) and it might be assumed that the
reference to requesting assistance from the European Audiovisual
Observatory (paragraph 18.2) is the follow-up action or future review
of developments in the funding of public service broadcasters that
is very necessary. The Observatory has recently published a most
valuable edition of IRIS Plus “The public service remit and the
new media” with much information that directly concerns this recommendation.
13. Finally, the CDMC considers this recommendation to be a timely
and useful addition to the arsenal of instruments elaborated by
the Council of Europe in support of public service broadcasting.