Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) adopted an Own-Initiative Report on connected TV by German member Petra Kammerevert in Strasbourg on Thursday (4 July) feeding the ongoing consultation process launched by the European Commission on media convergence.

The report, approved by a clear majority of MEPs, makes a number of suggestions on how to deal with the regulatory issues raised by the acceleration of media convergence and the increased availability of devices such as connected or smart TV sets, which offer both broadcast and Internet content on the same device.

EBU Head of European Affairs Nicola Frank said recognition by the Parliament that "content serving the public interest and channels with a public remit should be easily accessible for audiences" was especially welcome. 

“The European Parliament has tabled a number of important and useful ideas on where policy makers should be looking to ensure a sound regulatory environment for connected TV viewers,” she said.

While opportunities in terms of content creation and an enriched experience for audiences are clearly noted, the report tackles the regulatory disparities between television’s broadcast environment and the Internet.

The relevance of the existing the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS) principles of editorial responsibility, technology-neutrality, media diversity and the protection of human dignity and children is also highlighted. The report calls on the Commission to evaluate whether the AVMS should be revised and other requirements laid down, to avoid the creation of an unlevel playing field between content providers and content developers, ensure the protection of personal data and address a advertising-related concerns.

In addition, the report notes Parliament is wary of attacks on the integrity of content, and the potential “gatekeeper power” of online content distributors. It defends the idea of introducing “must-be-found” rules for media operators such as PSM and underlines the necessity of guaranteeing net neutrality and ensuring that viewers remain in control of the services and content they choose to watch.

The final report as adopted by the European Parliament on 4 July is available on this webpage.