IRIS Special

Co-Regulation of the Media in Europe

Thematical coverage:

Co-regulation as an alternative to traditional forms of regulation.

The Publication

Introduction

To access the text of the introduction, please click here.

Part I: Co-regulation of the media in Europe

European provisions for the establishment of co-regulation frameworks

What role can co-regulation play in the audioviusal media sector? What is co-regulation anyway? How is it different from self-monitoring and self-regulation? Is there a European legal framework for co-regulation?

The potential for practice of an intangible idea

The practical implementation of the idea of co-regulation is illustrated using concrete examples form EC law governing the audiovisual sector and domestic legislation on the independence of journalists, imcitement to hatred, protection of minors, advertising and technical standards.

Part II: 15 topical contributions to the co-regulation debate

1. Self-monitoring v. self-regulation v. co-regulation
2. Introduction to the self-regulatory system of the EASA
3. Assumptions about self-regulation in the media
4. Protection of human dignity, distribution of racist content (hate speech)
5. Self-regulation - The Swedish model
6. Technical standards
7. Converged classification. Fantasy or reality?
8. Self-regulation, co-regulation and reform of media regulation in the UK
9. The European Union legal and policy framework
10. The approach of the Council of Europe
11. Self-regulation or co-regulation?
12. What are the conditions for setting-up (for the first time) a co-regulatory system?
13. The implementation and enforcement of co-regulation codes in a transfrontier context
14. EASA's working cross-border complaints system: Illustrated and explained
15. Self-regulation and co-regulation: a broadcasting perspective

Part III: Self- and co-regulation verbatim: Examples of texts and other background material

This part contains example texts for self- and co-regulation in the five areas of advertising, youth protection, hate speech, the independence of journalists and technical standards. The selection of texts is based on the examples mentioned in Part II. This material is supplemented by relevant EU and Council of Europe documentation.

The Authors/Sources

Editor and Coordinator:

Dr. Susanne Nikoltchev (LL.M. EUI and U of M)
Legal Expert of the European Audiovisual Observatory
E-mail: Susanne.NIKOLTCHEV@coe.int

Authors:

Wim Bekkers (NICAM) ; Maja Cappello (Autorità per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni) ; Joachim von Gottberg (FSF) ; Oliver Gray (AEEP) ; Sandra B. Hrvatin (SDRF) ; Pär-Arne Jigenius ; Philip Laven (UER) ; Marie-Laure Lulé (RTL Group) ; Roberto Mastroianni (Università di Napoli) ; Tarlach McGonagle (IViR) ; Carmen Palzer (EMR) ; Ramon Prieto Suarez (Council of Europe) ; Tony Prosser (University of Bristol) ; Harald Trettenbrein (European Commission).

Contacts

Editorial/Scientific Contact:

Susanne Nikoltchev
Legal Expert of the European Audiovisual Observatory
E-mail: Susanne.NIKOLTCHEV@coe.int

Marketing Contact:

Markus Booms
Marketing
E-mail: Markus.BOOMS@coe.int
Tel.: +33 (0) 3 90 21 60 06

European Audiovisual Observatory
76, allée de la Robertsau
F - 67000 Strasbourg
Tel. +33 (0) 3 90 21 60 00
Fax +33 (0) 3 90 21 60 19
E-mail: obs@obs.coe.int
http://www.obs.coe.int