European Union Broadcasting: The Policies and How They have Affected the Level of Success - Term Paper Example

 European Union 2 European Union Broadcasting: The Policies and How They have Affected the Level of Success Introduction The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) is responsible for creating a great deal of the programming that European Union member states and associated members consume. The creation of a broadcasting entity that is responsible for creating programming that can be shared through Europe furthers the agendas of those who are interested in integrating the European cultures in order to create a homogenous European identity. In the creation of an overall broadcasting company, the European interests in creating an overall culture in which to solidify and create a foundation for a more powerful entity within the world is promoted. Policies of the EBU are designed to serve the public interest, however there is a great deal of discussion about the power of competition in order to increase quality and secure the best possible dissemination of information. The success of the EBU is in question as the lack of competition and the sense of the European community is failing to rise in balance to a decrease in the individual cultures within the union. European Identity The identity that has evolved for the European culture has inspired a union of nations that now operate with many common elements that are shared in order to unify the continent. The collective identity still remains much weaker than that of the individual nations, but attempts to integrate the economic, social and political aspects of the nations into a conglomerate is intended to provide a stronger foundation for the European position in the global community. The European identity is a source of much debate. There are several issues with creating a concept of a European identity that is integrated. First, the assumption that the identity has always existed European Union 3 must be accepted as post-communist countries become part of the union. The second assumption that must be made is as the European identity rises, the strength of the individual identities of the nations must diminish. This is the confederalist/neo-functionalist position on the integration of the European identity. (Eder, Klaus, and Spohn 2005, 3). The problem with these theories is that in reality the European collective is a group of communities that formed into states, but were initially developed with strong cultural identities. According to Eder, Klaus, and Spohn (2005, 4), the European diversity in culture is defined by the fragmentation of the Roman empire through which the varying linguistic, ethnic, and politically diverse civilizations provided the growth of the individual states. The homogenizing of the cultures is in response to the emergence of the modern global economies and worldwide communication. As the world becomes smaller, larger geographical areas are required in order to create strongholds of economic power in order to compete. The Media and Culture The current economy has developed through the power of global communication. Bondebjerg and Golding (2004, 1971) equate the internet with the printing press in the way in which it is revolutionizing the way in which the world is able to communicate and interact. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that not only does the differing forms of media allow for interaction, but they are responsible for creating social interaction. Media is central to the way in which society becomes further and deeper integrated through connections that are no longer defined by distance. History of the EBU The EBU was created in 1950 with the intent of creating public service broadcasting. It is European Union 4 the worlds largest association of broadcasters with 71 members in 52 countries. The broadcasters are from the member states of the EU as well as associate members in North Africa, the Middle East, and various regions around the world. With the man office operating out of Brussels, the purpose of the EBU is to organize program exchange, provide operational, technical, and legal services to its members, and to co-produce programming as needed. The Eurovision network, the main network of the EBU, provides 50 digital satellite channels with the world’s largest television relay network providing the most reliable communications network in the world (European Broadcasting Union 2004). As of 2004, the average yearly events for the EBU included 15,000 hours of sporting events, 30,000 news items exchanged, 70 satellite links world wide, 50 channels on five satellites, more than 700 digital decoders, and more than 300 television channels available for direct reception. In addition to Eurovision, Euroradio provides radio broadcasting to the European and associate members of the union. Euroradio broadcasts some 2500 concerts, 440 sporting events and a wide variety of news related items(European Broadcasting Union 2004). Policies of the EBU The aims of the EBU are to “ensure pluralism of information, cultural diversity, universal access to major public events, a healthy public democratic debate, and quality entertainment (European Broadcasting Union 2004). The policies of the EBU are subject to the policies of the member states. Thus, the policies of the EBU are complex as they are subject to a variety of protocols and policies that have some variance from state to state. According to their own released document, the priority policy of the EBU is The Television without Frontiers Directive in which a regulatory framework for broadcast television is central to the aims of the EBU. The European Union 5 desire to ensure that the EBU has a basic set of rights and responsibilities that all members can enjoy. The first right is the right to utilize advertising as a source of funding. In addition, the clear definition between advertising and editorial content is central to the aims of the directive. The second concern is over the responsibilities of broadcasters to protecting minors from content that might not be appropriate. Through parental control of viewing capability and the creation of quality educational programs, youth interests are considered and given care. The third right and responsibility is that broadcasters should provide access to information that includes major sports and cultural events that are free on television. As well, portions of events of national interest should always be available to members(European Broadcasting Union 2004). The entire policy is intended to provide programming that is in the best interest of the viewing public. Competition Law has been an issue for the EBU. While the Court of Justice has declared that broadcasting should be considered a service, the issue of competition has haunted the EBU. The conflict of interest between the national broadcasts of a member state and the use of EBU broadcasts causes some issues occasionally in regard to the appropriate dissemination of information. On the one hand, there are those theorists who believe that competition has no place in the audio-visual content that is concerned with cultural public interest. However, the other side of the equation contemplates if competition law provides a sense of pluralism by providing a range of independent suppliers (Nitsche 2001, 6). The free public service that is provided by the EBU is subject to the question of diversity that independence can provide. Competition is aimed at preventing market failure. According to Nitsche (2001, 8), “a more populace view conceives of competition, particularly on a global scale, as a struggle for European Union 6 dominance, not only between companies, but also between nations, necessarily producing winners and losers”. The fear is that the EBU will be left behind and not have the strongest position in providing broadcasting to its members. Without the force of competition to provide incentive to create stronger and better programming, the EBU may fail to provide the type of service that is in its aim. While the attempts of the EBU to institute the policies of Television without Frontiers has been somewhat successful, complete success eludes them because of the theories of cultural proximity. According to Straubhaar and LaRose (2006, 497), most people would much rather watch programming in their native tongue and that is relatable to their own culture. Therefore, to create overall programming that is crossing a great may cultural lines seems somewhat impossible. People will always gravitate towards what is familiar. In addition, when a language barrier is in play, the problem of struggling to understand the communicated message makes the entertainment value diminish. This sense that a homogeny of culture is growing has been somewhat disproved by the difficulties that the EBU has had in creating programming that crosses borders and infiltrates a larger community. Homogeny and Transnationalism The creation of a community of states within the European territory is creating the European Union in which a more powerful economic framework can be developed and exploited. However, the effect on the multiple cultures is to find somewhat of a diminished sense of singularity for each culture within the region. A sense of transnationalism develops when individuals find themselves living with the habits and norms of their originating culture while adapting the language and habits of another culture. This phenomenon of a double life has been European Union 7 observed in migrant workers who carry with them their own sense of culture while adapting to the culture of where work is found. This adaptation to two culture creates a rivalry within the individual experience (Chalaby 2005, 14). This type of cosmopolitan society that embraces a series of diverse cultural attributes carries the promise of a more empathetic society. However, the dilution of individual cultures diminishes the existence of a great many traditions that might not be carried forward into the next generation. While the idea that all cultures should have a sense of others and understanding of the diversities that are in existence in the world, the concept that cultures should all integrate takes something away from them. Therefore, the world would be changed dramatically as century old cultures are irrevocably changed. The individual who must adapt and therefore change their own traditions in order to integrate into the world they live in creates a sense of change within their identity that will affect the social order as a whole. As the individual evolves away from cultural identity, so too will the whole of the culture find itself changing. However, not all of these changes are for the worse. The changes that are experienced might have relevance to increases in the socio-economic status of the individual and then the whole of the culture. Change can be good or bad, dependent on what is lost in the event of change. The EBU creates a sense that the culture is and must become integrated. This sense of integration creates difficulties for those who have difficulty in adapting to these changes. as more of their own culture becomes adapted to the new concepts, the individuals who have difficulty will suddenly lose touch with their identity and have a disconnection to their culture as a whole. The problem with programming that intends to create homogeny is that those who are still European Union 8 attached to their old cultures will find themselves not included in the new aspects of communication. Being on the outside of that form of communication will require translators in order to field the many additions that the communication forms will advance into the traditions of the culture. Conclusion The difficulties the EBU has had in creating a strong central broadcasting firm within the European Union is that the homogeny of culture is difficult to accomplish. As well, it is questionable whether or not that the diminishment that would be required to promote a more homogenized culture is desirable. As programming from the EBU tends to provide a point of view that does not incorporate all of its audience, the inevitable diminishment of those cultures creates a certain lack of participation. Individuals tend to lean toward viewing programming that utilizes language and traditions that are familiar. The EBU creates a homogeny of information that must be sorted from the point of view of one whose culture has marked differences to that of the creating individual. Therefore, the problems that the EBU has had in creating a suitable program is due primarily to the diversity of cultures for the people the EBU services, the conflict that can be observed as the Union attempts to navigate the many laws that differ between states, and the sense that the point of view of the programming should be adopted by all of those who are considered part of the audience. Word count 2078 European Union 9 References Bondebjerg, Ib, and Peter Golding. 2004. European culture and the media. Changing media, changing Europe series, v. 1. Bristol: Intellect. Chalaby, Jean K. 2005. Transnational television worldwide: towards a new media order. London [u.a.]: Tauris. Dixon, Kathleen. 2009. The global village revisited: art, politics, and television talk shows. Lanham: Lexington Books. Eder, Klaus, and Willfried Spohn. 2005. Collective memory and European identity: the effects of integration and enlargement. Aldershot, Hants, England: Ashgate Pub. European Broadcasting Union. 2004. Focus on broadcasting policy issues in the EU. European Broadcasting Union. PDF. Retrieved on 24 May 2010 from http://www.ebu.ch/CM Simages/en/BRUDOC_INFO_EN_134_focus_e_tcm6-13570.pdf Nitsche, Ingrid. 2001. Broadcasting in the European Union: the role of public interest in competition analysis. The Hague: T.M.C. Asser Press. Straubhaar, Joseph D., and Robert LaRose. 2006. Media now: understanding media, culture, and technology. Wadsworth series in mass communication and journalism. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. Read More