“Digital Television and European Enlargement”

1. 2nd International Conference on Communication and Mass Media. Athens Institute for Education and Research. May 24th – 26th, Athens - Greece “Digital Television and European Enlargement” Roberto Suárez Candel Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona - Spain

2. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 1.- Audiovisual Sector – Digital Television – EU. 2.- Enlargement Process. 3.- Digital TV and EU enlargement: Guidelines for future – 5 frameworks Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

3. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 1.-Audiovisual Sector – Digital Television – EU Key element for the development of EU: • Social and Cultural functions. • Driver of technological progress. • Economic growth. • High qualified job creator. Maintains, spreads, enriches and strengths the cultural and linguistic diversity of Europe. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

4. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 1.-Audiovisual Sector – Digital Television – EU What does DIGITALISATION suppose? • Video and Audio quality. • Increase of the number of channels. • Interactivity. • New contents, formats and services. MULTIMEDIA Redefines TV as a Mass Media: social functions and objectives, consumption modes, concept of channel,… Defenitive step towards the Convergence Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

5. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 1.-Audiovisual Sector – Digital Television – EU (2002) • DTV reaches 18% of homes. (27,4 millions) • Satellite is the prevailing broadcasting system. • Cable has problems to push users to digital. • DTT is operative only in few States. • Lecagy APIs – fragmented market for contents/STB. • Difficults for distribution: linguistic /cultural. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

6. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 1.-Audiovisual Sector – Digital Television – EU European Policies for DTV: • Revision of the policies intended for the creation of the Internal Market. • Design of new guidelines to go from Convergence to Information Society and achieve Lisbon objectives. Digital Television might become one of the basic access points to services and contents. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

7. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 2.-Enlargement Process • Since May 1st 2004: EU-15  EU-25 • Political and economic process but also social and cultural  main objective: improve the quality of life of the citizens. • The negotiations for annexation have been divided in 31 chapters. # 19  Telecommunications # 20  Audiovisual Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

8. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement What does the enlargement process suppose for the implementation project of Digital Television? Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

9. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement What does the implementation project of Digital Televisionsuppose for enlargement process? Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

10. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement 5 frameworks: • Effective articulation and enlargement of the European Internal Market. • Legal Framework: concurrence and adoption of the European Acquis. • Competition and business models. • Public Service, universal access and protection of consumers. • Infrastructures: interconnection and interoperability. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

11. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement • Effective articulation and enlargement of the European Internal Market. • One of the main objetives of the EU Treaty. • Advantages. • Important question for GATS negotiations (WTO). • Currently: fragmented market. • Increase of the audience: 500 millions. • Objective: to solve the deficit trade balance with USA. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

12. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement • Legal Framework: concurrence and adoption of the European Acquis. Audiovisual  Telecommunications • Provide the necessary stability for appealing investors and users. • Identify the new regulatory needs. • Avoid overlaps or redundancies  uncertainty situation. • Evaluate the role of co-regulation and auto-regulation. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

13. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement • Legal Framework: concurrence and adoption of the European Acquis. AUDIOVISUAL D 89/552 CEE Television without Frontiers • Broadcasting regulation. • Screen Quotes. • General Interest. • Advertising and sponsorship. • Protection of minors • Right of reply. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

14. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement • Legal Framework: concurrence and adoption of the European Acquis. TELECOMMUNICATIONS • Opening and liberalisation of the national markets. • Creation of independent National Regulating Authorities (NRAs). • Investments to guarantee the basic infrastructures and national range. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

15. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement • Competition and Business Models. • Companies are facing economic difficulties: important investments vs. lack of new revenues. • The DTV market is fragmented. • The launch of contents and applications with added value has been dalayed. (90’s forescast failed) • Consumers: Do not find real incentives for digital. • There is not a global solution. • Public intervention? Incentive the sector / guarantee pluralism and free cometition. • Serious question: Piracy. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

16. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement • Public Service, universal access and protection of consumers. • Must be redefined: Social functions and objectives in the new Information Society. • Control and evaluation mechanisms. • Solution for economic sources competition against commercial operators. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

17. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement • Public Service, universal accessand protection of consumers. • Avoid a social fracture. • Should be reconsidered: new services? • “Must carry” obligations  are still needed? • Interactivity = personal data collection / new relationships between consumers and operators. • Quality of services. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

18. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 3.-Digital Television and EU enlargement • Infrastructures: interconnection and interoperability. • Free access to infrastructures and contents. • Key element: local loop  shared use. • Currently: “Connectivity Islands” • Interoperability: ESSENTIAL to avoid technological fragmentation. • Future: MHP(Multimedia Home Platform) • Horizontal market for receivers. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

19. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 A concept to be assumed is that services are the key to generate an effective demand in the Digital Television Market. The main risk of the current migration process to Digital Television is that it is being done following a “technological push” dynamic instead of a “consumer pull” strategy. Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra

20. Digital Television and European Enlargement – Atiner 2004 Thank you very much for your attention!! roberto.suarez@upf.edu www.robertosuarez.es Roberto Suárez – Universitat Pompeu Fabra