Attentional is pleased to announce that the study it recently led for the European Commission on Articles 3i, 4 and 5 of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive has now been published.

Attentional led an international consortium including Oliver & Ohlbaum Associates, Rambøll Management and Headway International in completing the study. The final report has now been made available on the Commission website at: http://ec.europa.eu/avpolicy/info_centre/library/studies/index_en.htm#finalised

The aim of the study was to present the situation as regards promotion of European works and independent productions both for linear and non-linear audiovisual media services at the junction between the application of the Television without Frontiers Directive and the new Audiovisual Media Services Directive. The study also provided the Commission with the initial elements required for monitoring the impact of measures for the promotion and distribution of European audiovisual works on non-linear services.

NOTE FOR EDITORS

Within the study a legal overview of the modes of implementation of Articles 3i, 4 and 5 in the EU Member States is presented, along with an economic analysis of the linear and non-linear market in the Member States.

The study is also the first attempt to define practical solutions in the controversial area of how to monitor the application of Article 3i to non-linear services. It also provides a detailed analysis of the content on linear broadcast channels and non-linear services from a representative sample of Member States.

Articles 4 and 5 existed in the Television Without Frontiers Directive (TVWF) and remain in the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMS). They are critical to European production and distribution industries, since they specify respectively that 50% of the content of qualifying TV channels must be of European origin and 10% must be independent. Article 3i of AVMS indicates a lighter touch approach has been taken to non-linear content: Member States must ensure that on-demand services "promote, where practicable and by appropriate means, production and access to European works."

Attentional has extensive experience in large European projects. It led the 2005 study of Article 25 in TVWF (which researched the impact of Articles 4 and 5 on linear channels) for the European Commission. It also led a project on the Digital Delivery of Film for the European Parliament in 2006 and was a partner in the Commission study on territorialisation clauses and state aid for the audiovisual industry.