Perplejidades y dudas de la regulación de los medios de comunicación en Europa -Perplexities and deadlocks of media regulation in Europe

A regulação dos media tem ganho relevo nas agendas nacionais e internacionais mas nem sempre a utilização corrente do conceito é consistente, correndo o risco de significar tudo e nada em simultâneo. Independentemente do intenso e profícuo debate concetual que o tema suscita na comunidade académica, julgamos pertinente o estudo das estruturas de regulação mediática que operam no terreno da União Europeia. Este trabalho reflete sobre as entidades de regulação mediática que atuam na defesa do interesse público, ainda que existam as mais diversas modalidades de enunciação e de defesa desse interesse pelos vários estados, e decorre de um esforço de investigação coletivo, enquadrado no projeto “Regulação dos Media em Portugal: O Caso da ERC”, que agregou elementos sobre os organismos reguladores dos media na Europa.La regulación de los medios de comunicación ha ganado importancia en las agendas nacionales e internacionales, pero no siempre el uso actual del concepto es consistente con el riesgo de decir todo y nada al mismo tiempo. Independientemente de intenso y fructífero debate conceptual que la cuestión plantea en la comunidad académica, creemos relevante estudiar las estructuras de regulación de medios que actualmente operan en la Unión Europea. Este trabajo reflexiona sobre las entidades regulación mediática que actúan en el interés público, aunque hay muchos modos diferentes de articulación y defensa de ese interés en los diferentes estados, y es el resultado de un esfuerzo colectivo de investigación, enmarcado en el proyecto “Regulación de los Medios en Portugal: el caso de la ERC”, que añadió datos sobre los reguladores en Europa.At a time when media regulation and of other sectors is high on agendas, it appears that the current use of the concept is so diverse that regulation risks itself to mean everything and nothing simultaneously. Regardless of the intense conceptual debate in the academia, we believe it is of the utmost pertinence to specifically study media regulatory bodies currently in functions in the field of the European Union. This work focuses on state media regulation through the analysis of media regulatory bodies acting upon the public interest in spite of the existing different forms of articulation and defense of this interest used by states. It results from a collective research effort within the project “Media Regulation in Portugal: The ERC’s Case”, which systematically gathered empirical data about media regulators in Europe.Projeto de investigação “Regulação dos Media em Portugal: O Caso da ERC”, financiado pela FCT, com referência PTDC/CCI-COM/104634/200

Portugal

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Media regulation in democratic systems : experiences and models in Portugal

Este artigo visa apresentar o projecto de Doutoramento intitulado “Regulação dos media em democracia: experiências e modelos para o caso português”, que pretende investigar os mecanismos de regulação portugueses desde o 25 de Abril de 1974 com o intuito de conceber um modelo ideal de regulação do sector mediático e propor um conjunto de políticas públicas que contribuam para a sua concretização. Numa primeira fase, faremos análise documental e desconstruiremos os discursos dos media impressos nos períodos de mudança de estruturas reguladoras. A etapa seguinte é dedicada à realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas aos principais actores envolvidos na área e à observação participante nos organismos reguladores actualmente em funções. Com base nas informações recolhidas, pretendemos desenvolver uma proposta de modelo de regulação dos media em Portugal acompanhada de políticas públicas com vista à sua implementação.The aim of this paper is to present the PhD project entitled “Media regulation in democratic systems: experiences and models in Portugal”, which aims at researching the Portuguese mechanisms of media regulation since the 25th of April of 1974 in order to develop an ideal regulation model for the media sector as well as to propose a set of public policies that might contribute to its achievement. Initially, we will be dedicated to documental analysis and to the deconstruction of printed media discourse in periods of changing regulatory structures. The next step encompasses the realization of semi-structured interviews to key actors involved in the area and participant observation in regulatory bodies currently in office. Based on the information gathered, we intend to propose an ideal model for media regulation in Portugal and to develop public policies aimed at its implementation.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Radio and the consolidation of Portuguese identity : a critical assessment of compliance monitoring by the ERC

The promotion of Portuguese language and culture through radio broadcasters is one of the statutory requirements established by law. Considering that the state media regulatory body (Entidade Reguladora para a Comunicação Social - ERC) is responsible for regulating and monitoring media activity in Portugal, it shall verify compliance with these rules which are postulated by a system of quotas for the Portuguese music broadcasting. We consider this system an essential starting point in order to assess the quest for the Portuguese identity and consolidation through radio. This assessment is based on a certain understanding of language: a legalistic approach derived from the wording of the law that foresees language as a crucial element for the definition of a so-called Portuguese identity and as a constitutive premise of a cultural pattern. Bearing in mind the legal framework for the radio and for the regulatory body, we scrutinize broadcasters’ performance according to the established system of quotas through the analysis of the regulatory body’s findings stated in the ERC’s 2009 Report of Regulation. This article deconstructs the significance of the system of quotas for the Portuguese music broadcasting considering a regulatory approach on behalf of legal imperatives in terms of identity, language and culture promotion, trying to answer some questions: What are radio broadcasters expected to do? What legal imperatives do they have to follow? Do they actually comply with them? What kind of intervention does the Portuguese regulatory body develop in this matter

PT-Portugal:Presidency of the Council of Ministers will advise the Government on media issues

"Published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory. IRIS 2015-6:1/31"The Portuguese Government will abolish the Office for Media (Gabinete para os Meios de Comunicação Social - GMCS) at the end of the year, as determined by Law Decree no. 24/2015 of 6 February 2015. The date has been settled, while the transfer of responsibilities assigned to this body to the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers will take place on 31 December. The plan is to keep part of the Office’s team members (currently approximately 30 persons) in a smaller unit near the Presidency of the Council of Ministers to continue advising the Government on media issues

Recensão crítica : Trappel, J., Meier, W. A., d’Haenens, L. & Steemers, J. & Thomass, B. (eds.) (2011) Media in Europe Today. Bristol : Intellect.

(Excerto) “MEDIA IN EUROPE TODAY” é um livro editado pelo EuroMedia Research Group, uma rede constituída por investigadores provenientes de cerca de vinte países europeus que trabalham na área da comunicação e dos media, tendo em comum interesses pela investigação no campo das políticas mediáticas e das alterações no campo dos media. Esta obra, decorrente do esforço conjunto e de vá- rios encontros do grupo, surge como reacção a uma série de mudanças que se adivinhavam nos anos 80 e visa traçar um panorama geral sobre o estado dos meios de comunicação pela Europa, tendo em conta distintos eixos de abordagem que formam uma conjuntura coesa e complementar

PT-Portugal:Fees for private copying approved after President’s veto

"Published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory. IRIS 2015-6:1/30"The Law Decree no. 320/XII extending the private copying fees to a range of electronic equipment was approved on 8 May 2015 with 120 votes in favour from the bipartisan coalition (PSD and CDS). After the President’s veto in March 2014, the law proposal returned to the Assembly of the Republic to be appreciated for the second time and its approval forces the promulgation. Bearing in mind legal requirements and since the President has eight days for this procedure, the law will most likely come into force after 20 June 2015. The law was prepared and voted on in the Assembly of the Republic, although it originated in a governmental proposal. It alters the Copyright Code with the aim of broadening the provisions on private copying compensation fees

PT-Portugal:Competition Court Upholds Regulator’s Decision on Sports Broadcaster

"Published in IRIS Legal Observations of the European Audiovisual Observatory. IRIS 2015-4:1/22"On 28 January 2015, the Competition Court upheld the Competition Authority’s (Autoridade da Concorrência - AdC) decision regarding the prohibition of the distribution of Sport TV shares between three Portuguese media companies. Controlinveste Media, NOS (the former Zon Optimus) and Portugal Telecom (PT) where planning this procedure, known as a “triangle operation”, designed to split the Sport TV capital stock. The strategy was to sell 25 per cent to NOS (of the 50 per cent that PT owns in Sport TV), while keeping the remaining 50 per cent under the purview of Controlinveste

Ser num mundo outro: a mente bebida pela máquina?

O corpo como lugar que habita a sociedade envolve em si a mente humana e busca incessantemente formas de construção ou renovação cujas concretizações se repercutem nos mecanismos de identidade do self. As potencialidades abertas pelo virtual complexificam este processo, provocando fenómenos de multiplicação identitária ou personalizante num espaço onde tudo é permitido. O corpo surge, então, como uma forma de mediação do ser humano com a máquina e como meio de produção de identidade

Electronic participation in a comparative perspective: institutional determinants of performance

Electronic participation can play a crucial role in building broader public involvement in decision-making and public policy to bring about more inclusive societies. Prior empirical analyses have neglected the fact that political institutions are not only affecting the expansion of digital government, but also often interact with more structural conditions to constrain or incentivize the adoption and expansion of e-participation. This research analyses the role of institutional factors in encouraging or constraining e-participation across countries. Fractional regression models are employed to analyze panel data (2008-2018) from the United Nations Member States scores in the E-Participation Index (EPI) developed by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA). The results indicate that the quality of democratic institutions, freedom of the press, and government effectiveness are all relevant predictors of a higher performance in e-participation. Policy implications are drawn in line with the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals