A report approved by the EC has warned that the EU is not capable of competing sufficiently with the US in information technology and the information society because of a shortage of skilled labour and an unwillingness to invest in start-up firms. The report, which urges governments, companies and labour unions to correct this imbalance,… Continue reading EU: EC warning over IT skills
The UK government has published a Tobacco White Paper setting out targets for reducing the number of smokers and persuading children not to start smoking. In addition, as well as a “clean air” charter, legislation is proposed to end tobacco advertising on billboards, minimal advertising to be allowed in shops, and a proof of age… Continue reading UK: White Paper published
Digital One, the national commercial digital radio group, has appointed The Change Agency to manage its launch marketing as the drive to increase the presence of digital radio begins (see RA Advertises Digital Radio Licence For Manchester). The Change Agency’s brief is to form a structure for the group’s marketing resources and shape the brand… Continue reading UK Digital Radio Operator Appoints Marketing Agency
The EC has decided to apply to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) against France for non-compliance with several provisions of the Television without Frontiers Directive. Infringement proceedings have been applied since 1992, but despite commitments made by the French government, none of the promised legislative measures have yet been adopted. The measures include cable… Continue reading EU: France taken to ECJ
The EU’s Culture / Audiovisual Council has approved a resolution on public service broadcasting, intended to complement the protocol on public service broadcasting annexed to the Amsterdam Treaty. The resolution, which differs substantially from previous drafts, has not added substantial further conditions to those of the protocol. Many observers feel that the Council has thus… Continue reading EU: Council disappoints private sector
The Commission’s Communication on its consumer affairs action plan for 1999-2000 outlines three aims: a more powerful voice for consumers, a high level of health and safety and full respect for the economic interests of consumers. A follow-up to the Green Paper on food law is planned, as well as improvement on enforcement and monitoring… Continue reading EU: Commission plan for 1999-2001
Commissioner Mario Monti has called on EU finance ministers to establish a task force to eliminate the last obstacles to free trade in financial services in the EU. Citing the recent difficulties experienced in agreeing rules on the distance selling of financial services, the Commissioner spoke of his concerns over continuing regulatory and fiscal restrictions… Continue reading EU: Task Force on financial services
The EU is keeping up its threat of an interruption in exchanges of data with the United States, following MS concerns over the latest US concessions in the protection of privacy disagreement. The EU Directive on data protection, which entered into force at the end of October 1998, enables MS authorities to interrupt data transfers… Continue reading EU: Dispute continues over private data
BSkyB is believed to have achieved its short-term digital targets by recruiting 200,000 subscribers to the Sky Digital service by the end of last year. Whilst this is an achievement in itself, it is perhaps significant that the majority are existing Sky customers who are merely converting the service to the digital platform. It has… Continue reading Christmas Developments
As is traditional at the time of year, Christmas Day TV saw BBC1 taking a decidedly larger portion of the viewing pie than its commercial rival, ITV. This year BBC1’s festive offerings drew in almost 70% of the top ten Christmas Day programmes in terms of audience size. The remaining slots in the chart went… Continue reading BBC1 Cleans Up On Christmas Day
