ftm Radio Page - August 15, 2014

Commission complaint from spurned promotional ad
Don’t touch that dial

Irish broadcaster Communicorp has formally complained to the European Commission DG Competition about public broadcaster RTÉ. State aid, abuse of dominant position, the license fee and advertising are all wrapped together. The company “intends to fight this abuse of a dominant position and will ensure that the European Commission is aware of RTÉ’s activities,” said Newstalk chief executive Gerard Whelan, quoted by irishexaminer.com (August 13)

The Communicorp complaint appears instigated by RTÉ’s refusal in April to broadcast a TV ad tagged “Move the dial” promoting a show host who had joined Newstalk from RTÉ Radio 1. The ad would have violated RTÉ’s advertising code as call-to-action spots are not allowed, said an RTÉ spokesperson at the time. Communicorp is Ireland’s biggest private sector radio broadcaster, owning national channel Today FM, Dublin stations Newstalk, 98FM, Spin and TXFM.

Since the European Commission (EC) enshrined the dual public-private broadcasting system in Europe with the Amsterdam Protocol in 2001, private sector broadcasters and publishers have sought – with some success – to put legal limits on what national public service broadcasters (PSB) can do and how much money they can raise. In a 2008 decision DG Competition remanded the Irish government to tighten up legal language on RTÉ’s public service mandate. Lawyers for public broadcasters have taken particular note over the last decade of DG Competition rulings on State aid, service mandate and digital expansion.

Complaints to DG Competition typically follow action – or lack thereof – from national competition authorities or courts. Communicorp currently has a complaint against RTÉ pending at the Irish Competition Authority. This summer DG Competition staff are hard at work, reconsidering the settlement with Google, avoiding a ruling against Gazprom, rescuing Greek banks and auditing several airlines.

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Recently added radio audience figures and resources

• Spain - National Radio Audience (April 2014)
  national channels, reach share, trend
• Spain - Major Media - Radio (August 2014)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, management, platforms, audience estimates
• UK - National Radio Audience (July 2014)
  market share, trend, sectors
• UK - London Radio Audience (July 2014)
  market share, trend
• UK - National Radio Audience (July 2014)
  BBC/commercial 'gap'
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (July 2014)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• France - National Radio Audience (July 2014)
  national channels, sectors, market share, reach/TSL
• Germany - Radio Audience (July 2014)
  leading stations, audience trend, daily reach
• Portugal - National Radio Audience (July 2014)
  leading stations, audience share, trend
• Greece - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (June 2014))
  public and private broadcasting, owners, executives, market share
• Portugal - Major Media - Radio (May 2014)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, management, platforms, audience estimates
• Italy - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (March 2014)
  public and private broadcasting companies, channels, audience reach/share, management
• France - Greater Paris Radio Audience (January 2014)
  national and local channels, market share, trend
• Switzerland - Radio listening by region (January 2014)
  public and private sectors, penetration, time spent listening
• Switzerland - French region Radio Audience (January 2014)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Swiss-German region Radio Audience (January 2014)
  share, trend
• Switzerland - Italian region Radio Audience (January 2014)
  share, trend
• Bulgaria - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (12/12/2013)
  public and private radio channels, management, platforms, market share
• France - National Radio Summer Audience (03/10/2013)
  national channels, summer period 2008-2013 trend
• Austria - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (09/09/2013)
  public and private broadcasters, owners, management, audience trend
• Belgium - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (French region) (28/08/2013)
  Wallonia region, radio broadcasters, public, private, owners, platforms, audience trend
• Belgium - Major Media - Radio Broadcasting (Flemish region) (28/08/2013)
  Flemish region, radio broadcasters, public, private, owners, platforms, audience trend
• Turkey - Major Media - Radio broadcasting (15/08/2013)
  ownership, management, program formats, platforms

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