Information Society Industry :: Broadcasting
The Revolution will be televised
Broadcasting used to consist of a limited number of large, government-licensed organisations distributing a small number of radio and television channels to massive, captive audiences. The audiences, generally divided into national markets, would turn on their TV or radio to receive the programmes the broadcaster decided to produce for them - at the time they decided to transmit them - often paying taxes and enduring advertising for the privilege. New communication technologies are turning this model on its head, putting programme consumers and creators first.
Overview ¦ Example Projects
Information & Communication Technologies allow individuals to create and broadcast their programmes from their desktop to people around the world, who can watch it when they want on their TV, PC, mobile phone or any other Internet-enabled device.
While the broadband Internet is revolutionising the broadcasting, music and cinema industries, more traditional broadcasting tools are also evolving: digital TV allows interactive information services without the need for PCs; internet radio stations are multiplying to satisfy a thousand unfilled niche markets; mobile TV services are expected to reach 69 million global subscribers by 2009.
Example Project: WORLDSCREEN
A complete, optimised high quality workflow for digital cinema, providing effective and seamless handling of film data from acquisition to post-production and transmission. ... more
more example projects
While this revolution challenges Europe's broadcasting industry, it also offers incredible opportunities to reach global audiences. Europe's industry is well placed to exploit these opportunities, with numerous world-class broadcasters from both public and private sectors already providing content to global markets.
But it will need to invest and adapt. Europe-wide broadcasting rules provide the industry the certainty it needs to invest and a huge 'home market', allowing it to grow and prosper globally. Europe is updating these rules to account for the Information Society revolution, and helping all levels of the industry develop and use the new technologies.
Two examples:
- digital TV broadcasting needs only a fraction of the radio spectrum used by analogue to provide the same services and coverage. Switching to digital could thus potentially free up very valuable frequencies for new applications, stimulating innovation. The Commission is therefore coordinating and accelerating the switchover across Europe, allowing industry to plan its long-term growth with certainty - see the Electronic Communications > Digital Broadcasting site;
- TV is going Mobile, offering immense opportunities for European broadcasters, mobile network operators, content providers and equipment suppliers. None of these very diverse organisations, however, can act in isolation - they need to work together, across Europe, to create a successful new industry - see the Mobile Broadcasting theme;
Further Details and Quicklinks
- Policies
- Activities
- See Also
- Relevant Policies
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i2010: the 'Single European Information Space' pillar combines regulatory and other instruments to create a modern, market-oriented regulatory framework, including:
- Audiovisual Policies: overhauling Europe's broadcasting rules for a converged world
- Electronic Communications regulatory framework: technological convergence means that the EU's rules regulating digital communications in Europe also impact broadcasting. See in particular the Digital Broadcasting section;
- Radio Spectrum Policy: terrestrial, mobile and satellite broadcasting all use radio spectrum, which must be coordinated on a European level to ensure European industry can grow;
- To accelerate the switchover to digital TV, Member States are supposed to publish national switchover plans
Internal Market > European media area: allowing the free flow of media services and goods within the internal market is a prerequisite for a European broadcasting industry capable of competing globally.
- Relevant Activities
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Research: see the Research & Innovation theme for an introduction to EU Research, browse some relevant Example Projects, or jump straight to the following sites:
- Pervasive and Trusted Network and Service Infrastructures - one of the seven main Challenges for ICT research under the Seventh Research Framework Programme (2007-2013)
- Strategic Objectives under the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6, 2002-2006) included:
Other Activities:
- the European Commission at the CeBIT 2007 - television anytime, anywhere
- eContentplus: making digital content in Europe more accessible, usable and exploitable;
- MEDIA Programme: aims at strengthening the competitiveness of Europe’s audiovisual industry. See in particular the programme's pilot projects;
- ICT Policy Support Programme (or ICT PSP): stimulating innovation and competitiveness through the wider uptake and best use of ICT based services by citizens, governments and businesses.
- See Also
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Highlights from the Broadcasting Newsroom and Library:
- Press Pack: New "Audiovisual without Frontiers" Directive (9 March, 2007)
- News: Meeting today’s wireless communication needs: Commission presents strategy for more flexible use of the radio spectrum (20 February 2007)
- Press Pack: Radio Spectrum : Commission proposes advancing the single market for radio spectrum use (September 2005)
- Press Pack: TV without Frontiers: Commission proposes modernised rules for digital era TV and TV-like services (December 2005)
- For the latest relevant news, publications and more from the Newsroom & Library, see right hand column, or select IS Industry when you subscribe to the Portal Newsroom Update
- Broadcasting > Mobile theme: Television is on the move;
- Content and Services theme: European policies and activities are stimulating the development of advanced content and services, many of which will be featured over tomorrow's broadcasting systems;
- Communications > Satellite theme: the Internet is only the latest delivery system for broadcasting - satellite broadcasting can reach remote and rural areas, where terrestrial and cable broadcasting is not economically viable, providing both traditional television and advanced Information Society services via interactive TV.
See also:
Last Updated March 2007