EUROPEANMEDIAAND
COMMUNICATIONPOLICIES
2020-2021
MASTERNEWMEDIA&SOCIETY PROF.RAATS
D.L.Y.
, CHAPTERONE
ABRIEFINTRODUCTIONTOMEDIAPOLICYMAKING
1.WHATISMEDIAPOLICY(-MAKING)?
● Policymaking = process that concerns the interaction between differentactors,theinstitutionalstructures
withinwhichtheyworkandtheobjectivesthattheypursue
○ Ideology-driven:cf.servingtheviewsofgovernmentinaspecificcontext
○ Conflict driven: result of power positions, unequal negotiationpositions,lobbyists(conflictual,yet
withaviewonconsensus)
○ There is no such a thing as an ‘ideal’ policy outcome, nor perfect policymaking process; always
⇒
unforeseendysfunctions outcomeofmediapolicyisoftenanultimatecompromise
○ Policymakingispolitical⇒thedefinitionofapolicyproblemisalready‘political’:‘H
owapolicyissue
area is identified is political… because it determines who participates in decision making, he
rhetorical frames and operational definitions used, and theresources,goals,consideredpertinent’
⇒
(Braman, S. 2004:154) either we define Cultural Diversity, plurality, freedom, asachallengeor
policyobjective,orwedon’t(e .g.Netflixinvestingmoneyineurope,headquartersinNL,becoming
⇒
animportantfinancialhub,reluctanttohavestrictrulesonnetflixbecauseintheiradvantage less
problematicforothercountries)
● Whatismediapolicy?
○ Dynamic and changing over time, constant flux (e .g. advertising: countries have ban on sugary
productssurroundingchildren’sprogramming,maybeinfutureformeatorpolitics)
○ Policy problem dependent on different contexts (e .g. Romania: discussions about bureaucracy,
transparency;Norwegia:transparentproceduresootherdiscussions)
○ Notonlyformalpolicydiscussions,butalsoInformal
■ Don’t see all discussions dealt with during negotiations that did notendupinthepolicy
outcome/regulation
■ Whydidsomethingnotendupasapolicyproblem?
● Mostlyabouttrade-offs
● Lotsofthingswedon’tknow
○ Combinationof(different)instrumentsfortacklingsimilarpolicyproblems
○ Basedonconflictstrivingtowardsconsensus:outcome=compromise
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, 2.POLICY,REGULATIONANDGOVERNANCE
1. Mediapolicyisaboutthemediapolicyprinciplesandbehaviouronewantstoachieve(e .g.culturaldiversity
andidentity,cohesion)
2. Media regulation is about the specific laws and rule-making (e .g. European regulation on competition,
national law, directives, policy to culturally preserve European content in Netflix, regulation by European
quotaandnationallawsforNetflix)
3. Mediagovernancerelatesto(1)MLGand(2)multi-stakeholderapproachandconsidering(3)newregulatory
mechanisms such as soft law, co- and self-regulation, as well as (4) formal and informal policy
mechanisms/negotiations
○ Softlaw:guidelines,preparingregulation(e .g.Europeangreenbooksorwhitepapers,reportpushing
inaspecificdirection),unabletograspentiretyoftheproblembecauseofopposingandconflicting
views (e .g. media freedom, press protection, delicate and intertwined with basic working of
⇒ ⇒
democracy difficulttodeveloplawsforthis) goforsoftlaw
2.1.MULTILEVELGOVERNANCE:TENSIONSANDAMBIGUITIES
1. Tensions between cultural, social and economic objectives (e .g. film policy: ultimate example oftryingto
⇒
reconcile two different logics economy and culture constantly returning argument for film fonds ‘you
cannotgivemoneytofilmsthataregoingtobecommercialinthemarket,becausetheydon’tneedsubsidies,
theycanstandontheirown,weneedtosupportsmallfilms’vs.‘whywouldyouinvestsomuchmoneyinfilms
⇒
where less than four hundredpeoplegotothemoviesfor’ overloadincontent,filmfundsarepushedto
onlydoculturalfilms(arthousefilms))
2. Tensions betweensectorspecificrules:harmonisationofcopyright,advertisementrules,EUcontentquota,
childprotectionandhorizontal/transversalregulatoryframeworksas(e .g.competitionpolicies,foreigntrade)
(e.g.regulatingFacebook‘freedomofspeech’vs.‘blockspecificcontenttopreventracism,cyberbullyingand
⇒ ⇒
soon’ rulesbetweenexistingrulesandnewrules discussionwhatisconsideredashatespeech:different
for linear television and online platforms)(e .g.Emmy’sshitscreek(US‘shit’cannotbesaidbeforeaspecific
⇒ ⇒
hour), while no restriction online no equal regulation between different media players platforms
changedthegamebcplatformsnotresponsibleforwhatourusersputontheplatform,butbroadcasterscan
⇒
havebigfinesforthis legacymediafacingbiggestthreat)
3. TensionsbetweenM
LGlevels:local,regional,national,transnational,worldlevel
4. Tensions between centralisation and decentralisation (e .g.Coronavirus different in every country, rules
dependonthecountry,crazythatthisisnotdealtwithonamorecentralisedlevel)
○ Culturalpolicywithinconfinesofmemberstates(includesmediapolicy)
5. Conflictinginterestsofmulti-stakeholderfield
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, 2.2.SO,HOWDOWEAPPROACHMEDIAPOLICY?
● ⇒
Focus1:I,I,andImix(e .g.‘80sprivatemediainsteadofpublicbroadcasting lookatinstitutions(costalot
⇒
ofmoney,criticised who’sinterests?),butalsoideass.a.Postmodernism,ThatcherandRaegan’spolitics)
1. IdeasandIdeologies(cultural,economic,social,fairness,openness,pluralism,diversity)
2. Interests(lobby,whodefines,whoparticipatesinpolicyprocess,whoisleftout?+howbig/smallisa
multi-stakeholderfielddefined,howinclusive?)
3. Institutionsandinstruments(rules,regulatoryframeworkandinstitutions)
4. Individuals?(e .g.internationallevel,headofMMPDA,lobbyistvoicesofAmericanproducers)
● Focus2:historicaltrajectory,path-dependency
● Focus3:acomparativeperspective-differentclassificationsofmediasystems
2.3.DIFFERENTDOMAINS
● 5G ● Independentproduction
● Filmandtelevision ● Privacyandpersonaldata
● Video games (e .g. Lude boxers as a form of ● Mediaownership
⇒
gambling consumerprotection?Violence?) ● Authors’ rights and intellectual property
● Advertisement rights (e .g. format rights can never be
● Freedomofspeech transferred to the broadcaster; Netflix
● Youtube, influencers (e .g. war between Youtubers originals can sometimes be taken over
mediapolicy?) payingnothingforproduction)
● Top20FilmsbyadmissionsinEU(2018)
● NotsingleoneisaEuropeanfilm
● Mediapolicyproblem
● Economic problem: invest in national
champions?(e .g.Spotify)
● Cultural problem: very artificial if lot of
countriestrytoworktogether
2.4.DIFFERENTKINDSOFPOLICIES
Industrial/innovationpolicy e.g.5G,investmentinantennas,researchanddevelopment
Competitionpolicy e.g.sanctionGoogleformakingithardforthirdparties
Standardisationpolicy e.g.differentstandards,allcountriesneedtoagreethatsomethingisanewstandard
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