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October 17, 2006
EU're Kidding!
Anyone seen the details on this?
The European Commission proposal would require websites and mobile phone services that feature video images to conform to standards laid down in Brussels.
Ministers fear that the directive would hit not only successful sites such as YouTube but also amateur “video bloggers” who post material on their own sites. Personal websites would have to be licensed as a “television-like service”.
Viviane Reding, the Media Commissioner, argues that the purpose is simply to set minimum standards on areas such as advertising, hate speech and the protection of children.
The way that's laid out they want to regulate You Tube in the same way as the BBC. Surely they're not quite that stupid?
October 17, 2006 in European Union | Permalink
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Comments
I've only been able to take a very quick look at it, but I don't think that's the intention. Para 12 of the proposed directive says 'No provision of this Directive should require or encourage Member States to impose new systems of licensing or administrative authorisation on any type of media,' and The Commission's website, at least, says 'The extension of the scope concerns mainly on-demand content such as shows, movies, serials, sports events and news reports, including the advertising therein. The Commission says that it does not concern video clips and animations in news and press websites, nor blogs, video podcasts, picture telephony over the internet and other non-commercial content. '
I raise this only as a possibility, but it strikes me that News International has a clear interest in the proposals, particularly those relating to advertising in on-line, on demand coverage of sporting events, and this might affect its general coverage of them. And Mr Blair's government has in the past not always been unsympathetic either to Rupert Murdoch's concerns in general or the concerns of others worried about EU restrictions on advertising and product placement in sporting events.
Posted by: Not Saussure | Oct 17, 2006 10:01:19 AM
Yet another reason to be hosted in the US.
Posted by: Andrew Ian Dodge | Oct 17, 2006 11:31:28 AM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6056942.stm
Another article here, the Q&A is also worth checking out.
Posted by: John Middleton | Oct 17, 2006 1:01:48 PM
