A new initiative from broadcasting, network infrastructure, trade unions and professional organisations calls on EU decision-makers to shape an ambitious industrial strategy for Europe’s creative and cultural industries. Assembled at an event called The Wider Spectrum, industry representatives from Europe’s radio and audiovisual bodies are citing Europe’s competitive position in order to bring it to the top of the agenda in radio spectrum allocation for content production and distribution.
Meeting in the European Parliament, senior representatives of AER, APWPT, BNE, EBU, EFJ and UNI MEI2 called for an industrial strategy for creative and cultural industries based on growth, innovation and jobs. They are urging European policy-makers to recognise that the sector is a leader in terms of GDP and jobs, as well as being Europe’s greatest competitive asset in the ‘global digital race.’
The group is calling for policies that ‘acknowledge the business, investment and funding models to ensure sustainable levels of efforts and investments by enterprises and workers in production, infrastructure and innovation; uphold the importance of local/national works as supporting employment, diversity and plurality; and enshrine guaranteed access to critical resources such as spectrum for services that sustain Europe’s creative and cultural industry’.
On spectrum, acknowledging the wisdom of the Lamy report, the group wants a comprehensive political approach that recognises the role of free-to-air radio, PMSE3 and Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT – where the signal is received through a TV aerial) and respects Europe’s ability to continue to create world class content. DTT and radio remain the preferred means by which EU citizens access works and in so doing sustains and finances Europe’s rich cultural diversity and media plurality.
‘It is important that we achieve faster and better internet access in Europe,’ says Michał Boni, Member of the European Parliament and host of The Wider Spectrum. ‘Spectrum allocation is crucial in that regard. Yet, it is also important that we recognise possibilities on how we can allocate frequencies for the future and good of European citizens; how to stimulate investment for more efficient technologies using less spectrum. New technologies are the key to accommodating both wireless broadband in the 700MHz band. We therefore need to take into account the bigger picture, the wider spectrum when we look at how to allocate frequencies for Europe. As policy-makers we need to have an approach that looks at all the moving parts, supported by a strong common vision and commitments. I believe it is possible to achieve a comprehensive compromise package which ensures a win-win solution.’
‘The decisions on the allocation of frequencies between the audiovisual and telecommunications sectors are crucial as they impact the ability to create and deliver the contents, the plurality of the media and the economics of a sector which represents 14m jobs and €860bn of turnover in Europe,’ says Olivier Huart, CEO of TDF, Chairman of Broadcast Networks Europe.
‘We need bold and brave initiatives,’ insists EBU Director General, Ingrid Deltenre. ‘We need an industrial policy for the audiovisual media sector to drive innovation, investment in content and the uptake of digital services in the EU. This means acknowledging what is happening in the real world. DTT is the backbone of public service TV access and a pillar of the European audiovisual model. The Lamy report correctly shows that we need both broadcasting and broadband to coexist to meet different demands of the public. We cannot see our needs for UHF spectrum significantly decrease, even in the long term, and this is all the more clear with the coming of age of ultra-high definition viewing.’
