Δημόσια Τηλεόραση στην Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση (Ε.Ε.): Ανάλυση και αξιολόγηση της προστιθέμενης αξίας μίας πανευρωπαϊκής ψηφιακής πλατφόρμας οπτικοακουστικού περιεχομένου.

Abstract

The current situation, amidst challenges posed by the rapid digital transformation of European societies, as well as the pandemic crisis, is decisively changing EU’s priorities and is redefining the role of the public service broadcasters. In an effort by the EU to take steps towards strengthening and ensuring the sustainable development of the European audiovisual sector, as well as improving the competitiveness and availability of European audiovisual content, Greece is proposing the creation of a pan-European digital platform, which will provide over-the-top video on demand services, offering public service media content from the 27 EU member states. The research objective of this paper is to demonstrate that the pan-European digital audiovisual platform has a place in today’s EU and can offer multiple benefits to member states and European citizens, following an exploration of the possible challenges and the suggestion of indicative actions for the realization of the venture. To confirm the research objective, specific research questions are posed and answered, throughout the four sections of this paper. In the first section, the key question is how the proposal for the pan-European platform came about. The initiative, the purpose and the benefits that will potentially arise for the EU are described. In the second section, an attempt is made to answer the question of what exactly this platform is and which issues arise due to the nature of the venture. The third section aims to answer two key questions. Initially, whether there is demand and interest for such a platform. Secondly, which bodies will be involved in the project and what are the necessary actions for the proposal to be realized. In the fourth section, after the previous questions have been answered, the added value of the platform is examined. The results of the research confirm the research objective of the study, i.e. the platform has a place in the EU today and can benefit the EU as a whole, its Member States and, above all, European citizens. The methodology followed is a desk research based on the search, evaluation and utilization of online and physical sources such as books, articles, research papers and doctoral dissertations as well as published researches. At the same time, national laws, Presidential Decrees, and international legal texts, such as EU 7 directives and regulations, were utilized, as well as personal communication with specific persons which hold positions relevant to the subject in question. The practical value of the paper is that it can provide a preliminary basis for facilitating meetings, discussions, and the subsequent possible co-operation of the 27 EU Member States in the project of the pan-European digital audiovisual content platform, with the ultimate goal of strengthening of the European economy and society.