Krakow, Poland - EBU Vice-President Claudio Cappon has said that public service media are more important than ever as Europe leaves the analogue age and enters the digital era.

"With the multiplying number of TV channels and other information platforms of often dubious reliability, including blogs, social networking sites, Twitter and so on, true public service broadcasters are vital as trusted filters of reality," Mr Cappon told a conference entitled Freedom of the media in the EU and neighbouring countries. "And they serve as quality content providers to all citizens - not only to those who can afford highly-priced premium services."

Mr Cappon also stressed that media freedom is a subject about which EBU feels strongly, as a core value enshrined in the very first Article of the Union's Statutes. And he told the conference of meetings conducted by himself and the Director General with prime ministers, finance ministers and other senior government officials to promote reform, adequate financing and an approptiate legal framework for national public broadcasters in Europe which are encountering special political or financial difficulties.

He said that expenditure on public service media should be regarded as an investment, rather than a cost, on the grounds of the economic and social benefits generated. And he said that the desire of many countries neighbouring the European Union of becoming EU Members gave the EU leverage to promote "root and branch reforms" in public service broadcasting in candidate countries.

Mr Cappon welcomed a statement by the European Commission earlier this month that it will consider the independence and sustainability of public service braodcasters as a key element in the overall assessment of candidate countries.

The conference was hosted by the European Economic and Social Committee and sponsored by the Polish government as part of Poland's current presidency of the European Union.

For the full text of Mr Cappon's speech, click here.