Αudiovisual policy
The Secretariat General for Communication (SGC) and Secretariat General for Information (SGI) co-operates with European and international organizations in drawing policies for the audio-visual sector, which includes new digital technologies.
The Radio-Television Division of the Media Supervising Directorate of the SGC-SGI is the competent department participating in the relevant EU Committees.
EU Audiovisual Policies
Europe on the air: a network of European radio stations is launched.
Safer Internet Programme: promoting safer use of the Internet and new online technologies, particularly for children.
Legal Protection of Electronic Pay Services aims to provide a minimum level of protection within the EU of electronic pay-services against piracy.
The Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) adopted in December 2007 aims at the realization of an effective single market for broadcasting. The new Directive amends and renames the Television without Frontiers Directive.
European Parliament resolution on Media and Development.
European Parliament resolution on collective cross-border management for online music services.
The Greek Audiovisual Sector
Television Frequency Chart
An allocated television frequency chart (pdf, 23MB) to be employed for Greece's transition to the digital era was presented on September 2007 in Athens by Minister of State Theodoros Roussopoulos and Transport and Communications Minister Kostis Hatzidakis.
National Technical University of Athens Professor Christos Kapsalis presented the new chart and outlined the necessary prerequisites for television stations to be able to broadcast digitally by 2015.
According to Roussopoulos,a number of frequencies will be available to telemedicine, telecommerce or other services, viewers will have access to electronic media information or movie banks, while the digital television programme could be viewed via new mobile phone tecnologies.
The Transport Minister Mr Hatzidakis pointed out that Digital technologies, merchant marine, and tourism will be the three pillars on which the country's efforts will stand to take the leap into a new era.
In Greece, licensing is regulated by the Greek National Council for Radio and Television.
Read the Plan for the Development of Broadband Services (fast Internet) in Greece.
Political agreement on new Directive for Europe's audiovisual media
On 24 May 2007, the EU Ministers for Culture and the Media reached agreement in Brussels on a Common Position regarding the revision of the “Television without Frontiers” Audiovisual Media Services Directive. Addressing the meeting, Minister of State and Government Spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos said that Greece accepts the rationale of the political agreement, a product of consensus, emphasising that important policy priorities pursued by the Greek government in this sector have been incorporated into the new directive, such as consumer protection, especially the protection of minors, improved access for people with disabilities to audiovisual media services, cultural diversity, media pluralism, enhanced role of public sector television, promotion of European works and independent audiovisual productions, encouragement of self-regulation and co-regulation.
The new Directive also reasserts key European values, requiring Member States to protect minors, to promote European works and independent audiovisual productions, and to prohibit content that would incite religious or racial hatred. It also explicitly
Speaking about European Communication Policy , Roussopoulos stressed the importance of working out methods of effective policy and proposed setting up a Communications Observatory in order to address European citizens’ concerns and project the human and social face of Europe. He also talked anew about his proposal for “A Minute for Europe”, a daily broadcast of a one-minute programme, produced and transmitted by public service television simultaneousl throughout the EU, which would promote common understanding amongst the people of Europe, improve awareness of issues of mutual interest and inform how diversity (different cultures, languages and institutions) influences the present and future of the European project.
Studies on the Audiovisual Sector
The effects of a market-based approach to UHF Spectrum management and the impact on broadcasting (Oliver & Ohlbaum Associates Ltd and DotEcon)
