Commercial TV launches Blueprint for EU Media policy 2019-2024 to mark 30 years in Europe
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BRUSSELS, 18 NOVEMBER 2019. The Association of Commercial Television in Europe (ACT) is the voice of commercial television in Brussels since 1989. Representing 28 Broadcasters, active across 28 Member States and beyond, the ACT has and continues to defend policies that drive media pluralism and Europe’s global leadership in high quality content. Where certain forces pull us apart, Broadcasters continue to underpin societal debate and democracy, bring diverse communities together, reflect the cultural diversity of Europe and make a major contribution to employment, growth and tax revenue.
ACT celebrates its 30 years as Europe embarks into a new political cycle. ACT’s Blueprint for media policy 2019-2024 sets out our guiding thoughts for what European policy-makers need to focus on if they wish to maintain media plurality, quality news and cultural diversity in Europe.
The Blueprint is launched officially today in Brussels as commercial TV CEOs from across Europe converge on Brussels to deliver a united message. The call for action focuses on Robust, Responsible and Reliable policies that support the great contribution broadcasters make to life in Europe.
We call for a Robust Media policy, which delivers an industrial vision that is more ambitious and joined up with a competition framework that allows us to compete.
We call for Responsible online platform policies with a set of ex ante and ex post measures to deliver a digital environment that rewards rights and allows for innovation. That means online platforms need to deliver on access to data, transparency & quality.
We call for Reliable rights & commercial freedoms that we can count on. Ensure the EU’s policies uphold the drivers of our businesses – territoriality & contractual freedom – and more is done to tackle piracy and protect content so that the creative ecosystem is not irremediably damaged.
Broadcasters look to Europe to foster an environment for media that protects and strengthens the unique characteristics of our sector. Europe has a wonderfully diverse and creative media ecosystem that drives its cultural diversity, media pluralism and leadership in international markets. ACT will continue to engage with European policy-makers to ensure the principles in this Blueprint help foster a political discussion and the creation of impactful public policies.
Commenting on the launch, Dr Fedele Confalonieri, Mediaset Chairman and founding member of the ACT, stated: “We are no longer a small club of European entrepreneurs but our common goal is still a commitment to keeping alive the mission that united us thirty years ago: to be the driver of original content in Europe.”
Guillaume de Posch, ACT President, stated: “I am delighted that after 30 years ACT continues to lead the way on media policy. This forward looking blueprint will set the tone for the next five years. Europe has a big challenge, and many opportunities, ahead. The principles set out in the Blueprint are there to guide European decision-makers to a successful, vibrant and diverse media ecosystem. ACT and its membership looks forward to engage on these critical topics”.
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