ABSTRACT
This chapter concerns both the regulation of multimedia sector content, including traditional broadcasting, as well as the new communication and information services, and the accompanying European Union framework legislation. The aim is not to draw conclusions on what the converged environment will be like, nor to analyse the sectors’ interaction in the convergence process. Neither will issues of network and terminals regulation be addressed. Rather, the focus will be on the regulation of the content in the nascent multimedia environment at the European level and on the hindrances to progress currently facing the Information Society. The first part of the chapter sets out the initial attempts of the European Community to regulate media-sector content through the ‘Television Without Frontiers’ (TWF) Directive. We shall examine why and how the Community regulates, and what have been the results of TWF. The second part of the chapter focuses on the regulatory framework process with regard to the content aspects of the converged environment. The questions raised here concern activities at EU level and their purpose, why regulation is needed at EU level, and the possible consequences of such regulation for the development of the Information Society. Finally, we draw some conclusions on the attempts of EU content regulations and reflect on the difficulties of regulating media as compared to telecommunications.
