Brussels, 22/03/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Newspapers Association (ENPA) is calling on the European Parliament and the Council of the EU (which are expected to reach a decision this year on the revised “Televisions without Frontiers” directive) to preserve the Commission's proposal for excluding newspapers and electronic newspaper services which do not use audio-visual support elements in their text or photos, from the directive. The Commission is in effect proposing to extend the directive to audio-visual services “on request”, by defining the audio-visual service media as “a service where the principal purpose of which is the provision of moving images with or without sound” (Article 1). ENPA also points out that “Newspapers do not and will not in future exist to be this type of service”. Newspaper editors are also calling on MEPs and Ministers to pay special attention to the following points: separation between all advertising and editorial contents; Product placement is a “technique which threatens editorial independence”; limits on TV advertising; right of media covered by the directive to provide reporting coverage; media pluralism, according to ENPA European regulation is not justified because it is a “matter which national governments can manage best according to local needs”.
The European Parliament will adopt a committee report next October in view of a plenary adoption in first reading in December.