EAVI Founding ConferenceEAVI Founding Conference„Advancing the European Viewers Interests“„Advancing the European Viewers Interests“

Session I: Television Viewers Participation Session I: Television Viewers Participation in Europe in Europe

Uwe Hasebrink

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 2

AgendaAgenda

1. EAVI research: countries involved and methods

2. Types of viewer organisations

3. Types of activities

4. Conclusions

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 3

The EAVI research: 29 countries coveredThe EAVI research: 29 countries covered

DenmarkFinlandNorway Sweden

Austria GermanySwitzerland

BelgiumLuxemburgNetherlands

CyprusGreeceItalyMaltaPortugalSpain

EstoniaLatviaLithuaniaPolandCzech Rep.SlovakiaHungaryRomaniaBulgariaSlovenia

FranceIrelandUK

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 4

The EAVI research: methodsThe EAVI research: methods

• Joint development of a structure for country reports, guidelines for interviews

• Desk research on written material and online sources on viewer participation and media accountability in the countries involved

• Interviews with selected experts in the field

• Country report along the guidelines

• Comparative analysis of the country reports

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 5

Types of viewer organisationsTypes of viewer organisations

Independent organisations

Viewer representation and participation as part of accountability and regulatory systems

General

Thematic

Consumer organisations

Viewer organisations

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 6

General viewer organisationsGeneral viewer organisations

• General task: to act as voice of the viewers and to participate activley in media politics

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 7

Thematic viewer organisationsThematic viewer organisations

Organisations with a specific thematic focus:

• children and young people, families

• pluralism, diversity and freedom of information, often with special focus on racism and minorities

• others, e.g. gender, advertising.

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 8

Consumer organisationsConsumer organisations

• In some countries strong and influential organisations

• although media are not a particular focus, these organisations are particularly important with regard to technical aspects (e.g. consumer electronics), new technical systems (e.g. set-top boxes for digital television) and any aspect of consumer protection (e.g. connected with subscriptions to Pay TV.

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 9

Types of activities (1)Types of activities (1)

General lobbying activities: ”give viewers a voice”;

Critical observation/monitoring of media content (TV watchdog);

Representation of viewers in the boards of media councils;

Publication/documentation of complaints and protests

Public debates on media related concerns;

Research projects on viewers interests;

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 10

Types of activities (2)Types of activities (2)

Consumer service: advice on quality programming;

Complaints service: collecting complaints and forwarding them to broadcasters;

Communication service: offering online chat rooms and other communication facilities;

Seminars/projects to enhance media education and media literacy;

Awards for ”best” or ”worst” programmes;

Production of quality programmes.

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 11

Conclusion of international comparisonConclusion of international comparison

• Substantial differences between countries with regard to the current situation of viewer participation:Almost no viewer organisations in Central and Eastern

Europe; weak position of civil society sector in general; strong commercialisation and, at the same time, strong influence of the state on public service sector.

In some countries well developed accountability systems and strong public service broadcasting, but very few activities of viewer organisations (e.g. Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands)

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 12

Conclusion of international comparison (2)Conclusion of international comparison (2)

In some countries poorly developed accountability systems and weak position of public broadcasting, but many viewer organisations with a wide range of thematic specialisations.

The UK as a unique experience in combining developed accountability systems and strong activities of viewer organisations.

EAVI Conference - Television Viewers Participation in Europe 13

Final remark for further discussionFinal remark for further discussion

• All the institutions and mechanisms we regard as “good practice” might serve as such only within the specific context of their country. We have to be careful when we transfer good practices from one country to another country, where the same practice might come out to be not at all efficient.

Consequence: Recommendations of “best practices” should have a modular character, the needs of viewers from different countries will differ, thus we have to offer different “best practices” which have shown to be efficient in specific contexts.