EU SHOULD REGULATE THE MEDIA IN EUROPE

EU Should Regulate the Media in Europe

EU Should Regulate the Media in Europe

Introduction

The Concentration and strength of opinion are only two slogans in the debate on the European media markets. The free movement of goods, and also press products is the goal of EU policy space facilitates media companies at European level. Freedom of expression and media pluralism are at the heart of EU values: the same must be true for the candidate and potential candidate countries (Negrine, 2010, p 22-45).

Background

Media ownership is a source of comments, debates, speeches of interest groups and government review in most developed countries around the world. It is surprising; however, found that the concentration and diversity is the subject of some real research, examinations or speculative measures agreed. Ownership, concentration and media diversity are an endless source of debate, but we rarely agree on how to define, measure or regulate them, and especially on ways to ensure diversity voices, opinions and cultural expressions. Ben Bagdikian, author of The Media Monopoly, journalist winner of a Pulitzer Prize and university professor, best sums up this thinking: "Modern democracies have to rely on some policy choices and ideas, and this requires a choice we can access sources of news, literature, entertainment and popular culture really varied and competitive".

The discussion focuses on determining whether diversity and choice are decreasing while the media conglomerates continue to grow on the national and international markets, in some media and across media (McQuail, 2010, pp 112-134)

The EU should intervene?

The debate addressed concerns related to media freedom in the EU countries and raised the question of the validity of an intervention of EU institutions to redress the situation. Despite the fact that they come from different backgrounds, the guests seemed to share the pessimistic view of L. Willems on the current state of media freedom within the EU. Italy and Hungary are the most obvious target of criticism and L. Willems even argued "if we consider the standards of media ownership, Italy cannot even be considered a European country" But while the Italian system of ownership of media plays us a score combining power and money, the Hungarian perspective is much darker, because it reveals the change in the political system is a threat much more immediate and clear against the Democracy, According to (Gibbons, 2008, pp12-45), the ruling party in Hungary holds two thirds of Parliament. That means it can change the constitution, which it did. The Law on Media, recently passed, based on two elements. First, is the constitution of a board policy to oversee the media, consisting of nine members close to the government. Second constraint, is on possible and ethical balanced broadcasts. According to the Hungarian government, if a group of media use in a severe tone towards the ruling party, or questions of family values, the reports then considered biased and not respecting a positive balance.

Concentration and Pluralism of the Media in the European Union

Through several recitals clearly disclose ...