EU: Commission Split On Media Ownership

It is becoming apparent that the EC is finding it difficult to obtain a consensus on the issue of the concentration of media ownership, and whether or not there is a need and a will to draw up and enforce a new Directive on the subject. Mr Mario Monti, Commissioner for the Internal Market, was said to be preparing plans on the subject before the end of this year but this deadline now appears to be receding. In March he presented a preliminary draft but that was met with considerable criticism from several quarters. In that draft Monti proposed limits of 30 per cent of audience share for TV and radio and 10 per cent for a combination of radio, TV and newspapers for any single owner. Companies would also be banned from launching a new service or buying an existing media firm if as a result of such an acquisition its market share exceeded one of the limits in the country or region concerned. It is believed that some Commissioners would prefer to see a non-binding EU recommendation rather than a full-blown Directive. A Green Paper on the whole subject is due to be published in November.