The Committee on Culture and Education adopted the\ninitiative report by Henri WEBER (PES, FR) on the\ninteroperability of digital interactive television\nservices.
\nThe report affirms that the\nnew audiovisual technologies should allow the broadcasting of\npluralist information and quality programmes, accessible to an ever\nincreasing number of citizens. It points out that respect for the\npluralism of information and diversity of content is not\nautomatically guaranteed by technological progress but must be\nimplemented by the national and European public authorities through\nan active, steadfast and vigilant policy.
\nThe committee report maintains that the success, in as short a time as\npossible, of the transition from analog to digital is a\nprerequisite and a priority. It is concerned about possible delays\nin meeting the 2012 deadline. The committee urges the Commission to\nsupport the Member States in drawing up a common plan of action at\nCommunity level and invites the Member States are called upon to\nspeed up the transfer to digital television, taking account of\nmarket demand and topographical and regional demographic factors,\nand calls on those Member States which have not yet drawn up a\nnational plan for the full switchover to digital television to do\nso by the end of 2008.
\nThe committee reiterates that imposing a single\nstandard by legal means is not the right solution but only a final\nsanction, but does not approve of market intervention alone as a\nmeans of resolving the problem of interactivity. It shares the\nCommission's view that it would be advisable to continue promoting\nopen standards such as MHP or MHEG-5, which are recognised by\nEuropean standards bodies, in relation to the switchover to digital\nand the interoperability of services, and maintains that these open\nstandards are the most appropriate ones for ensuring the\ntechnological neutrality of networks and the free movement of\ninformation, respecting the special necessities of countries where\nfrequency capacities are limited.
\nThe Commission is urged to continue actively to\npromote the introduction of open European digital television\nstandards in all regions of the world and to encourage\ninternational cooperation in this area, thereby ensuring the widest\npossible access to digital content. According to the report, the\nCommission should help the Member States and local authorities, by\ndisseminating best practices, to exploit the potential of the new\ntechnologies in order to communicate with their citizens more\neffectively.
\nMEPs insist that the measures taken by the Member\nStates which lead to the expansion of digital interactive\ntelevision services must comply with the rules on state aid. It\nconsiders it essential to provide consumers with more information\non the opportunities offered by digital platforms and the necessary\nequipment, so that they are able to make informed technical and\ncultural choices.
\nThe report invites the Commission and the Member\nStates to inform the public about future developments in digital\ninteractive television services, and recommends that digital\ntelevision service providers take active steps to inform users\nabout existing interactive services. It stresses the importance of\ndiscussing at European level the social and cultural implications\nof the digital society and the adaptation of national education\nsystems to the cultural and social changes brought about by the new\ntechnologies. It is considered essential,\ntherefore, for the Commission to submit a report on the results of\nthe exchanges of good practices, forums and working groups among\nstakeholders, including consumers', users' and viewers'\nassociations.
\nLastly, the report points out that the European\naudiovisual model is based on a creative dichotomy between public\nand private audiovisual services, and stresses that under no\ncircumstances should the new technologies disturb that balance by\nweakening the competitiveness of the public sector.
\nThe European Parliament adopted a resolution based on\nthe own-initiative report drafted by Henri WEBER (PES, FR)\non the interoperability of digital interactive television services.\nThe resolution was adopted by 593 votes in favour to 40 against\nwith 18 abstentions.
\nThe report affirms that the new audiovisual\ntechnologies should allow the broadcasting of pluralist information\nand quality programmes, accessible to an ever increasing number of\ncitizens. It points out that respect for the pluralism of\ninformation and diversity of content is not automatically\nguaranteed by technological progress but must be implemented by the\nnational and European public authorities through an active,\nsteadfast and vigilant policy. Given the role of television in a\nglobalised society, the technical and legislative choices relating\nto interoperability should be not merely of an economic nature, but\nalso of a social and cultural nature, and stresses that attention\nshould be paid above all to users\" interests.
\nSucceeding in the digital transition and promoting\nopen standards: Parliament felt that\nthe success, in as short a time as possible, of the transition from\nanalog to digital is a prerequisite and a priority and was is\nconcerned about possible delays in meeting the 2012 deadline. The\ncoordinated development of digital television at Community level is\nessential if users are to benefit from the advantages of the\ninternal market and in order to reduce the price of television\nreceiving equipment and achieve greater penetration by digital\ninteractive television services. Accordingly, Parliament urged the\nCommission to support the Member States in drawing up a common plan\nof action at Community level. Member States are called upon to\nspeed up the transfer to digital television, taking account of\nmarket demand and topographical and regional demographic factors.\nThose Member States which have not yet drawn up a national plan for\nthe full switchover to digital television should do so by the end\nof 2008.
\nParliament fully supported the Commission's approach\nin terms of its intention to cooperate fully with the Member States\nwith a view to switching over to digital television successfully\nand facilitating interactive digital services. It reiterated that\nimposing a single standard by legal means was not the right\nsolution but only a final sanction, but it did not approve of\nmarket intervention alone as a means of resolving the problem of\ninteractivity. Parliament shared the Commission's view that it\nwould be advisable to continue promoting open standards such as MHP\nor MHEG-5, which were recognised by European standards bodies, in\nrelation to the switchover to digital and the interoperability of\nservices. Members maintained that these open standards were the\nmost appropriate ones for ensuring the technological neutrality of\nnetworks and the free movement of information, respecting the\nspecial necessities of countries where frequency capacities were\nlimited.
\nThe Commission was urged to continue actively to\npromote the introduction of open European digital television\nstandards in all regions of the world and to encourage\ninternational cooperation in this area, thereby ensuring the widest\npossible access to digital content. Parliament regretted that\ninteractive television in the EU had ultimately proved to be less\ncommercially successful than expected. It called on the Commission\nto study the reasons for this phenomenon and to submit regular\nreports on the efforts made by the Commission and the Member States\nto develop the digital television market and its numerous\noffshoots. It was essential to provide consumers with more\ninformation on the opportunities offered by digital platforms and\nthe necessary equipment, so that they are able to make informed\ntechnical and cultural choices. Parliament called on the Commission\nto help the Member States and local authorities, by disseminating\nbest practices, to exploit the potential of the new technologies in\norder to communicate with their citizens more\neffectively.
\nThe need to consider the impact and mastery of the new\ntechnologies: Parliament invited the\nCommission and Member States to inform the public about future\ndevelopments in digital interactive television services, and\nrecommended that digital television service providers take active\nsteps to inform users about existing interactive services. It\nstressed the importance of discussing at European level the social\nand cultural implications of the digital society and the adaptation\nof national education systems to the cultural and social changes\nbrought about by the new technologies. Member States were asked to\nestablish mechanisms which guarantee a non-discriminatory structure\nfor electronic programme guides that can guide users through the\ndigital services offered.
\nLastly, Parliament pointed out that the European\naudiovisual model was based on a creative dichotomy between public\nand private audiovisual services. It stressed that under no\ncircumstances should the new technologies disturb that balance by\nweakening the competitiveness of the public sector, which should\ncontinue to have guaranteed access to digital platforms.
\nThe Committee on Culture and Education adopted the\ninitiative report by Henri WEBER (PES, FR) on the\ninteroperability of digital interactive television\nservices.
\nThe report affirms that the\nnew audiovisual technologies should allow the broadcasting of\npluralist information and quality programmes, accessible to an ever\nincreasing number of citizens. It points out that respect for the\npluralism of information and diversity of content is not\nautomatically guaranteed by technological progress but must be\nimplemented by the national and European public authorities through\nan active, steadfast and vigilant policy.
\nThe committee report maintains that the success, in as short a time as\npossible, of the transition from analog to digital is a\nprerequisite and a priority. It is concerned about possible delays\nin meeting the 2012 deadline. The committee urges the Commission to\nsupport the Member States in drawing up a common plan of action at\nCommunity level and invites the Member States are called upon to\nspeed up the transfer to digital television, taking account of\nmarket demand and topographical and regional demographic factors,\nand calls on those Member States which have not yet drawn up a\nnational plan for the full switchover to digital television to do\nso by the end of 2008.
\nThe committee reiterates that imposing a single\nstandard by legal means is not the right solution but only a final\nsanction, but does not approve of market intervention alone as a\nmeans of resolving the problem of interactivity. It shares the\nCommission's view that it would be advisable to continue promoting\nopen standards such as MHP or MHEG-5, which are recognised by\nEuropean standards bodies, in relation to the switchover to digital\nand the interoperability of services, and maintains that these open\nstandards are the most appropriate ones for ensuring the\ntechnological neutrality of networks and the free movement of\ninformation, respecting the special necessities of countries where\nfrequency capacities are limited.
\nThe Commission is urged to continue actively to\npromote the introduction of open European digital television\nstandards in all regions of the world and to encourage\ninternational cooperation in this area, thereby ensuring the widest\npossible access to digital content. According to the report, the\nCommission should help the Member States and local authorities, by\ndisseminating best practices, to exploit the potential of the new\ntechnologies in order to communicate with their citizens more\neffectively.
\nMEPs insist that the measures taken by the Member\nStates which lead to the expansion of digital interactive\ntelevision services must comply with the rules on state aid. It\nconsiders it essential to provide consumers with more information\non the opportunities offered by digital platforms and the necessary\nequipment, so that they are able to make informed technical and\ncultural choices.
\nThe report invites the Commission and the Member\nStates to inform the public about future developments in digital\ninteractive television services, and recommends that digital\ntelevision service providers take active steps to inform users\nabout existing interactive services. It stresses the importance of\ndiscussing at European level the social and cultural implications\nof the digital society and the adaptation of national education\nsystems to the cultural and social changes brought about by the new\ntechnologies. It is considered essential,\ntherefore, for the Commission to submit a report on the results of\nthe exchanges of good practices, forums and working groups among\nstakeholders, including consumers', users' and viewers'\nassociations.
\nLastly, the report points out that the European\naudiovisual model is based on a creative dichotomy between public\nand private audiovisual services, and stresses that under no\ncircumstances should the new technologies disturb that balance by\nweakening the competitiveness of the public sector.
\nThe European Parliament adopted a resolution based on\nthe own-initiative report drafted by Henri WEBER (PES, FR)\non the interoperability of digital interactive television services.\nThe resolution was adopted by 593 votes in favour to 40 against\nwith 18 abstentions.
\nThe report affirms that the new audiovisual\ntechnologies should allow the broadcasting of pluralist information\nand quality programmes, accessible to an ever increasing number of\ncitizens. It points out that respect for the pluralism of\ninformation and diversity of content is not automatically\nguaranteed by technological progress but must be implemented by the\nnational and European public authorities through an active,\nsteadfast and vigilant policy. Given the role of television in a\nglobalised society, the technical and legislative choices relating\nto interoperability should be not merely of an economic nature, but\nalso of a social and cultural nature, and stresses that attention\nshould be paid above all to users\" interests.
\nSucceeding in the digital transition and promoting\nopen standards: Parliament felt that\nthe success, in as short a time as possible, of the transition from\nanalog to digital is a prerequisite and a priority and was is\nconcerned about possible delays in meeting the 2012 deadline. The\ncoordinated development of digital television at Community level is\nessential if users are to benefit from the advantages of the\ninternal market and in order to reduce the price of television\nreceiving equipment and achieve greater penetration by digital\ninteractive television services. Accordingly, Parliament urged the\nCommission to support the Member States in drawing up a common plan\nof action at Community level. Member States are called upon to\nspeed up the transfer to digital television, taking account of\nmarket demand and topographical and regional demographic factors.\nThose Member States which have not yet drawn up a national plan for\nthe full switchover to digital television should do so by the end\nof 2008.
\nParliament fully supported the Commission's approach\nin terms of its intention to cooperate fully with the Member States\nwith a view to switching over to digital television successfully\nand facilitating interactive digital services. It reiterated that\nimposing a single standard by legal means was not the right\nsolution but only a final sanction, but it did not approve of\nmarket intervention alone as a means of resolving the problem of\ninteractivity. Parliament shared the Commission's view that it\nwould be advisable to continue promoting open standards such as MHP\nor MHEG-5, which were recognised by European standards bodies, in\nrelation to the switchover to digital and the interoperability of\nservices. Members maintained that these open standards were the\nmost appropriate ones for ensuring the technological neutrality of\nnetworks and the free movement of information, respecting the\nspecial necessities of countries where frequency capacities were\nlimited.
\nThe Commission was urged to continue actively to\npromote the introduction of open European digital television\nstandards in all regions of the world and to encourage\ninternational cooperation in this area, thereby ensuring the widest\npossible access to digital content. Parliament regretted that\ninteractive television in the EU had ultimately proved to be less\ncommercially successful than expected. It called on the Commission\nto study the reasons for this phenomenon and to submit regular\nreports on the efforts made by the Commission and the Member States\nto develop the digital television market and its numerous\noffshoots. It was essential to provide consumers with more\ninformation on the opportunities offered by digital platforms and\nthe necessary equipment, so that they are able to make informed\ntechnical and cultural choices. Parliament called on the Commission\nto help the Member States and local authorities, by disseminating\nbest practices, to exploit the potential of the new technologies in\norder to communicate with their citizens more\neffectively.
\nThe need to consider the impact and mastery of the new\ntechnologies: Parliament invited the\nCommission and Member States to inform the public about future\ndevelopments in digital interactive television services, and\nrecommended that digital television service providers take active\nsteps to inform users about existing interactive services. It\nstressed the importance of discussing at European level the social\nand cultural implications of the digital society and the adaptation\nof national education systems to the cultural and social changes\nbrought about by the new technologies. Member States were asked to\nestablish mechanisms which guarantee a non-discriminatory structure\nfor electronic programme guides that can guide users through the\ndigital services offered.
\nLastly, Parliament pointed out that the European\naudiovisual model was based on a creative dichotomy between public\nand private audiovisual services. It stressed that under no\ncircumstances should the new technologies disturb that balance by\nweakening the competitiveness of the public sector, which should\ncontinue to have guaranteed access to digital platforms.
\n