Brussels, 28/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 28 May, the European Parliament's education and culture committee (CULT) adopted the report by Petra Kammerevert (S&D, Germany) on connected TV. The report calls on the European Commission to review the directive on audiovisual media services so that it takes into account the increasing interpenetration of audiovisual and digital sectors.
Connected TV, also known as hybrid TV, marks the beginning of a new phase in the technological “convergence” process bringing together the internet and television broadcasting. This process provides many advantages to the viewer: they can choose whether to watch the programmes included in the programme libraries and access additional services on request, as well as internet content. These services already exist in Germany and Italy and are on the verge of being introduced in France and the United Kingdom. Connected TV poses a number of questions with regard to respect for the provisions in the SMA directive, which affects issues such as cultural diversity, media pluralism and the protection of children, given that they are not always easily to control on the new digital platforms. The European Commission has also launched a reflection process with its publication on 24 April last of a Green Paper, in addition to a public consultation on convergence in the audiovisual sector, which will come to a close on 31 August (see EUROPE 10834). (IL/transl.fl)