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Week ending April 11, 2009

VPRT unterstützt weiterhin Überarbeitung der Mitteilung und fordert stärkeren Fokus auf wettbewerbliche Auswirkungen und Verfahrensgarantien Dritter - April 9, 2009
from Gese Klebe/VPRT

Gestern veröffentlichte die Europäische Kommission ihren zweiten Entwurf zur Überarbeitung der sog. Rundfunkmitteilung zur staatlichen Finanzierung des öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunks. Den Mitgliedstaaten wird nach dem neuen Entwurf mehr Flexibilität für die nationale Anpassung ihrer Rundfunksysteme eingeräumt, die Detailtiefe einiger Vorgaben daher reduziert. VPRT-Präsident Jürgen Doetz: „Der VPRT begrüßt, dass die EU-Kommission mit der Veröffentlichung des zweiten Konsultationsentwurfes an den Kernelementen für die Schaffung fairer Rahmenbedingungen im dualen Rundfunksystem festhält. Dies betrifft z. B. die Feststellung, dass neue Angebote unter Beteiligung Dritter ein Vorabverfahren zu durchlaufen haben und die Kontrolle der Anstalten effektiv unabhängig sein muss sowie dass Transparenz bei der getrennten Buchführung und Kostenzuordnung besteht. Die Mitteilung ist daher ein wichtiges Signal an die Mitgliedstaaten, national den fairen Wettbewerb zu sichern.“ Zudem enthält der Entwurf Aussagen zur Notwendigkeit, den Auftrag der öffentlich-rechtlichen Anstalten konkret durch einen formalen Akt zu präzisieren sowie Überkompensation und Quersubventionen zu verhindern.

Gleichwohl sehen die privaten Rundfunk- und Telemedienanbieter Verbesserungsmöglichkeiten. Doetz: „Die Regelungsintensität der Mitteilung bei den wettbewerblichen Auswirkungen und den Verfahrensgarantien Dritter hat abgenommen. Gerade in wirtschaftlich schwierigen Zeiten sind private Anbieter gegenüber beihilfefinanzierten Angeboten umso stärker darauf angewiesen, dass die Verfahren national einen effektiven wettbewerblichen Schutz sicherstellen. Auch sehen wir eine Ermöglichung öffentlich-rechtlicher Pay-Angebote im derzeit besonders angespannten Marktklima umso kritischer. Diese Punkte werden wir in der anstehenden Konsultation gegenüber der Kommission noch einmal ausdrücklich einfordern,“ so Doetz abschließend.

Erste Erfahrungen mit freiwilligen Drei-Stufen-Tests in Deutschland machten aus Sicht des VPRT zudem deutlich, dass im Verfahren noch erhebliche Defizite bestehen. Dies betrifft u. a. die eingeschränkten Stellungnahmemöglichkeiten zu den Marktgutachten, fehlende Lösungsmechanismen bei festgestellten marktlichen Auswirkungen neuer Angebote, die Wahrung der Vertraulichkeit von Geschäftsgeheimnissen bei Eingaben Dritter sowie Transparenz- und Fristsetzungsprobleme. Der VPRT hat den Eindruck, dass diese Mängel übergreifend von Beteiligten sowohl in Deutschland als auch in Brüssel festgestellt werden, wie unter anderem eine Brüsseler Veranstaltung der LfM Nordrhein-Westfalen in der letzten Woche verdeutlicht habe.

RFE/RL - Moldova's "Twitter Revolution" - April 8 2009
from Julian Knapp/RFE/RL

As several thousand protestors returned to the streets of Moldova's capital for a third day to protest the Communist Party victory in Sunday's elections, RFE/RL's Bureau Chief in Chisinau was receiving emails, text messages, and 'tweets' from organizers of the protests.

"The messages were spreading quickly and the senders were asking everyone to forward them to all the people they know," said Vasile Botnaru, who manages RFE/RL's Chisinau bureau. Botnaru said it appears that text messaging and social networks like Facebook and Twitter played a key role in driving young people into the streets. He reported that authorities seemed taken by surprise by the sudden appearance of thousands of protestors in front of Moldova's parliament building.

"I received at least two email messages inviting me to the protests and I saw discussions about them on Facebook," he said.

In what some are calling the "Twitter Revolution," thousands of young demonstrators have been clashing with police and ransacking government buildings to protest the election results. Yesterday was the worst day of rioting so far, as protestors attacked riot police with cobblestones and bricks, prompting security forces to use batons and water cannons to stem their advance. A fire engine was turned upside down and destroyed in the melee.

Crowds eventually forced their way into the presidential and parliamentary buildings, inflicting considerable damage as they carried furniture and office equipment outside. Reports suggest that dozens of police and civilians have been treated for injuries. One woman is reported to have died in the violence.

Moldovan President Vladimir Voronin, whose ruling Communist Party won more than half of the vote in the elections, has called the protests a "coup d'etat" by opposition forces. Today, he blamed neighboring Romania for masterminding the violence.

EBU - Song Contest’s most famous commentator and Obama’s new media campaign director at the 2009 Eurovision TV Summit - April 7 2009
from Michelle Roverelli/EBU

Today the organizers of the Eurovision TV Summit – the largest European gathering of movers and shakers in public service TV- announced that Sir Terry Wogan will be one of the event’s keynote speakers. The summit will bring together 600 decision-makers in European public service TV to exchange ideas on common topics in public service broadcasting.

“It is an honour to welcome Sir Terry Wogan to our summit. After 35 tremendous years as the UK’s Eurovision Song Contest commentator, we look forward to hearing about his experiences, and to a lively debate." said Bjørn Erichsen, Director of Eurovision TV.

The highlight of the summit is the Common Focus Day on Wednesday 6 May with the theme “The Boundaries of Laughter”. Europe is diverse and rich in its many traditions and differences in humour. But can humour travel? The session will discuss how to encourage and develop funny TV programmes that can travel Europe. This day is open to the media and features Europe’s most distinguished personalities in the audiovisual business. Sir Terry will provide the opening keynote address at this event.

The Proud to Present session will show a selection of the most brilliant programmes in television of 2008, across different television genres. There will be a host of speakers introducing the best programmes including Sir David Attenborough, a world pioneer in natural history programme making who will introduce “Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life”.

The Common Focus Day will end with a live performance of the successful West End musical: Eurobeat, a hilarious parody of the Eurovision Song Contest. An all-embracing multicultural experience hailed as the world’s first interactive musical theatre production. During the show you will also be able to vote for your favourite act.

Joe Rospars, New Media Director for the Presidential campaign of Barack Obama, will make a presentation at the CrossMedia 2 meeting on Tuesday 5 May where he will explain his strategy on the grassroots mobilization effort for the Obama campaign. This meeting will explore the impact of internet on TV and how cross-media content is challenging the way we watch and even think about television.

The Summit also includes a series of specialized meetings on a wide range of topics, from mobile content and formats to children's drama & documentary and science & education.