Brussels, 19/03/2003 (Agence Europe) - A huge public consultation exercise was launched on 18 March (which will continue until July) as part of the work programme adopted by the Commission in January on the initiative of Viviane Reding over potentially revising the "Television without Frontiers" (see Europe of 8 January, p.12). The consultation will consist of public hearings in April and June on 1) protecting general interests in television advertising, sponsoring, telesales and car advertising; 2) access for society to major sporting events; 3) promoting European broadcasting's cultural diversity and competitiveness; 4) protecting minors and public order and right of reply: and 5) access to short extracts from events covered by exclusive rights (this is not yet covered by the Directive). Discussions will take as their starting point documents available on the Commission website: http: //europa.eu.int/comm/avpolicy/regul/review-twf2003/ consult_en.htm After the consultation exercise, the Commission will publish a Communication (at the end of 2003 or beginning of 2004) on the future of broadcasting. (Info: eac-avpolicy-consult@cec.eu.int)