Funferal

Bad news for public service media in Europe

It seems that this was the news on the horizon that the Guardian was referencing earlier this week. The Commission has sent letters to countries, including Ireland, saying that more detail is needed in reporting requirements on use of the license fee and that:

The financing system for public service broadcasters in these countries breached treaty rules banning the use of subsidies liable to distort competition.

This despite the fact that legal actions by commercial stations challenging the fees were not upheld. Particularly under the microscope is whether license fees to provide any online content – this would, seemingly, be a bad thing. Not sure exactly why, when broadcasting can be subvented – unless you see the internet only as a marketplace and not as a cultural and public space. I suppose that if RTE, for example, didn’t provide news headlines online a few more people might sign up to walled services, but on the other hand a larger number would lose access to any Irish online news. Which situation is worse?