PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA POLICY AND REGULATION Irene Muli, Annet van Hunen and Larissa Hendriks Seminar 1 11/10/2012

What is public service?  Public broadcasting: radio, television and other forms of electronic media Nationally and locally 4 principles: Universality, diversity, independence & distinctiveness Mandate to inform, educate and entertain Pavillon Casault (2009) License fee, taxes, (sometimes) states general funds & advertising

Europe EBU  Mission: “to defend the interests of public service media and to promote their indispensible contribution to modern society”.  6 core values: 1. Universality 2. Independence 3. Excellence 4. Diversity 5. Accountability 6. Innovation

UK BBC  Main broadcaster, offers 28 public services  Funded by TV license Their role: 1. Sustaining citizenship and civil society 2. Promoting education and learning 3. Stimulating creativity and cultural excellence 4. Representing the UK, its nations, regions and communities 5. Bringing the UK to the world and the world to the UK 6. Delivering to the public the benefit of emerging communications technologies and services

Sweden SVT  Widest range of programming of all TV companies in Sweden. SVT has 8 channels and 2 HD channels.  Funded by a license fee.  “The Swedish public service broadcaster – no other one has a greater choice of genres”.

The Netherlands  3 TV channels, 6 radio channels and some regional channels.  Funded by the government and advertisements.  “Their role is to bind the society with programs that inform, inspire and entertain”.

North-America  Public broadcasting has a smaller role in North- America than in other countries.  Public broadcasting is more important in Canada than in America  CPB- Corporation for Public Broadcasting They want to promote and fundnon-commercial television and radio (Freedman, 2008).

US  Decentralized but with some support of the government  Smaller role than in other countries  PBS- television network with TV-stations as members Governmentgrant through CPB and voluntary contributions  NPR- radio network for 900 public radiostations programming fees, sponsorships, contributions and grants from foundations or business entities

Canada  CBC Canadian Broadcasting Corporation – In both languages. 2 television networks, 4 radio networks and some cable television channels, which are commercial entities owned by the CBC.  funded by advertisements, in addition to tax dollars from the federal government and CPB.  Provinces, with their own local public service  Also channels which were public before but which are private now

Africa - Kenya A presentation of kenyan media  Radio is the main media plattform  The radio followed by television is the main source of news and information  Ownership

Conclusion America vs Europe  Finanace  Role The future of Europe  Challenges  Course of development

Class discussion Questions  Is the public service in Europe in danger?  What other courses of development could we see in the European public service?  Solutions? what can be done?