8 editors-in-chief of newspapers and magazines at European Commission to discuss the future of the print media
- Belgium
- 10/23/2006
How will the print media evolve in times of increasing Internet use, enhanced cross-media competition, the emergence of “publications for free” and an apparent reduction of interest of the younger generation in newspapers and magazines? These topics are on the agenda of a high-level-meeting in Brussels today between Media Commissioner Viviane Reding and the editors-in-chief of, Helsingin Sanomat (Finland), Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany), La Stampa (Italy), Luxemburger Wort (Luxembourg), Polityka (Poland), Diario de Noticias and Expresso (Portugal) and The Times (United Kingdom). Following a first meeting in autumn 2005 (see IP/05/1164), this is now the second time such a high-level dialogue between the written press and the European Commission is taking place.
“The press is at the heart of Europe’s diverse media landscape, and a corner-stone of freedom of speech and democracy”, concluded Viviane Reding, Commissioner for Information Society and Media. “We must therefore pay attention to the impact of EU policies on the print media. Both journalistic freedom and solid economic foundations are indispensable for newspapers and magazines to flourish in the multi-media age. I was therefore glad to reassure editors-in-chief today that advertising bans are not on this Commission’s agenda.”
Today’s talks between the editors-in-chief and Commissioner Reding cover several broad subject areas, ranging from business models and sources of advertising revenue, to the rules distinguishing editorial content from advertising features, and how they relate to developments in product placement within the audio visual media. Also educational and copyright issues are on the agenda.
The visit also includes a meeting with members of the Commission’s Group of Spokespeople and participation in the press briefing of the European Commission that takes place every day of the week at 12:00 hrs.
Since the Barroso Commission took office, it regularly assesses the impact of its policies on the print media. A Media Task Force under the responsibility of Commissioner Reding is screening all Commission proposals at an early stage and ensures that their impact on the print media is duly taken into account.
On the basis of the work of the Commission’s Media Task force, Commissioner Reding has expressed on several occasions her strong opposition to EU advertising bans (see SPEECH/06/506).
On the work of the Media Task Force, see
http://europa.eu.int/information_society/media_taskforce/index_en.htm
On Commission’s public consultation on competitiveness of the publishing industry, see IP/05/1164 and results.
On the Commission’s consultation on media literacy, see IP/06/1326.
Source: European Union
