The role of public service broadcasters in a vibrant and pluralist digital media landscape

In her speech, at the recent EBU-MTV conference in Budapest (3 November, 2006), Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media, stressed the importance of public service broadcasters in the future, she said, "public service broadcasters have a key role to play in the context of convergence of media content, .... they are among the players leading the way to the development of new and innovative content services". 

The Commissioner went on to acknowledge that new services should be offered by public service broadcasters, "...it has been clear for us that public service broadcasters should be able to benefit from the possibilities offered by technological developments...", in order to meet the expectations of their audiences. 

Viviane Reding    

She noted that, "As tools of expression of fundamental European values, public service broadcasters have the duty to defend public interest, to promote cultural diversity and to contribute to building a European identity".

Other topics covered in this speech include:

• Financing of Public Service Broadcasters
  "... PSBs must be given the means to promote public interest, societal values and national culture and values.."
• Revision of Television Without Frontiers Directive
• Mobile TV
• Spectrum
• Content Online 

Click here for the full text of the speech.