sou · GUB351 · 2007-01-01 00:00:00 — I detta betänkande behandlar vi frågor om tillträde till konventionens övriga bestämmelser. Radio- och TV-lagens reglering av vilka TV-sändningar som lyder under svensk jurisdiktion bygger på bestämmelserna i tivet. reglering av jurisdiktionsfrågan bygger liksom TV-direktivets på sändarlandsprincipen. Kriterierna för när ett programföretag anses etablerat i en stat som är ansluten till konventionen är desamma som direktivets kriterier för etablering i 1 European Convention on , , 5.V.1989, ETS nr 132, med tillägg enligt ETS nr 171, se bilaga 10. Skillnaden mellan konventionen och direktivet är att det finns ett antal stater som har ratificerat eller har möjlighet att ratificera konventionen men som inte är bundna av och således inte omfattas av TV-direktivets bestämmelser. Vidare är inte alla bestämmelser i konventionen som rör sändningarnas innehåll helt identiska med direktivets innehållsbestämmelser. Vi föreslår därför att 1 kap. 2 § RTVL kompletteras med en bestämmelse som innebär att sändarlandsprincipenoch de etableringskriterier som gäller enligt skall gälla såvitt avser frågor som regleras i konventionen. För att markera att TV-direktivet har företräde fram- för skall den nya bestämmelsen tillämpas endast i de fall där radio- och TV-lagens tillämplighet inte skall avgöras en- ligt 1 kap. 2 §. Sändningar som förmedlas genom tråd TV-program som sänds eller vidaresänds i svenska kabelnät är avsedda att tas emot endast i . Sändningarna kan således inte anses vara av sådan gränsöverskridande karaktär som krävs för att skall vara tillämplig. Vi bedömer därför att det förhållandet att vissa av radio- och TV-lagens bestämmelser inte omfattar TV-program som sänds genom tråd inte i sig utgör hinder mot ett svenskt tillträde till konventionen. Artikel 7 i innehåller bestämmelser om innehållet i TV-sändningar. Dessa bestämmelser innebär bl.a. begränsningar i rätten att sända program som innehåller våldsinslag, pornografi och oanständiga inslag. Vi bedömer att den s.k. demokratibestämmelsen i 6 kap. 1 § RTVL, bestämmelsen i 6 kap. 2 § RTVL om begränsningar i rätten att sända program med ingående våldsskildringar av verklighetstrogen karaktär eller med pornografiska bilder samt bestämmelsen i 7 kap. 3 § RTVL om att det i annonser inte får uppträda personer som spe- lar en framträdande roll i program som huvudsakligen handlar om nyheter eller nyhetskommentarer, i förening med de bestämmelser vi föreslagit i kapitel 2 är tillräckliga för att uppfylla bestämmelser- na i artikel 7 i . Rätten till genmäle eller motsvarande föreskriver i artikel 8.1 att varje sändande stat skall tillförsäkra varje fysisk och juridisk person oavsett nationalitet eller hemvist a right of reply or to seek other comparable legal or administrative remedies. I syfte att upprätthålla denna rätt skall enligt artikel 8.2 namnet på programtjänsten eller programföretaget identifieras i sändningarna. Vi bedömer att bestämmelserna i 6 kap. 3 § RTVL om rätt till genmäle och i 6 kap. 9 § RTVL om skyldighet att sända godkänd beteckning är tillräckliga för att upprätthålla bestämmelserna i arti- kel 8 i . Evenemang av särskild vikt för samhället I artikel 9 och 9bis i finns bestämmelser som reg- lerar sändning av evenemang som anses vara av vikt för samhället. Bestämmelserna innebär bl.a. att den för konventionen särskilt in- rättade stående kommittén skall publicera en förteckning över de evenemang som anses vara av särskild vikt för samhället i någon av de stater som anslutit sig till konventionen. Vidare föreskrivs att den som sänder TV-program och som innehar den exklusiva rätten att sända ett evenemang som finns med i förteckningen inte får ut- nyttja rättigheten på ett sådant sätt att en väsenlig del av allmänheten i den staten utestängs från möjligheten att se evenemanget i fri TV. 6 kap. 10 § andra stycket RTVL innehåller bestämmelser om eve- nemang av särskild vikt för samhället. Dessa bestämmelser motsvarar i stort bestämmelser. I syfte att anpassa radio- och TV-lagen till konventionen föreslår vi att 6 kap. 10 § andra stycket utvidgas till att omfatta även sådana evenemang från stater som inte är anslutna till som finns med i den förteckning som den stående kommittén har publicerat. I artikel 10 i finns bestämmelser om minsta andel europeiska program. Enligt artikeln skall varje ansluten stat, där så är möjligt och på lämpligt sätt, tillse att programföretagen inom dess jurisdiktion reserverar en övervägande del av sin sändningstid, med undantag för tid för nyheter, sportevenemang, tävlingar, rek- lam, teletexttjänster och köp-TV, för europeiska produktioner. Vi bedömer att regleringen av europeiska programkvoter i 6 kap. 8 § första och andra stycket RTVL är tillräcklig för att upprätthålla konventionens krav. Enligt artikel 19 i skall varje ansluten stat utse en eller flera myndigheter som skall ansvara för vissa särskilt angivna uppgifter. Bl.a. skall de utsedda myndigheterna på begäran tillhan- dahålla information om de programföretag som lyder under statens jurisdiktion. Vi bedömer att de uppgifter som den ansvariga myn- digheten har ansvar för kan skötas av Radio- och och och TV inom ramen för dessa myndigheters respektive ansvarsområden. Vi föreslår därför att Radio- och och utses som ansva- riga myndigheter. Enligt artikel 24 i har en stat möjlighet att till- fälligt stoppa vidaresändningen av programtjänster som sänds i strid med vissa av konventionens bestämmelser. Det finns inte någon skyldighet att utnyttja möjligheten att hindra vidaresändning, utan varje enskild stat får välja i vilken mån bestämmelser som möjliggör sådana stopp skall införas. Vi anser att de möjligheter att förhindra vidarespridning i kabelnät som yttrandefrihetsgrundlagen medger har utnyttjats fullt ut i svensk lagstiftning. Enligt vår bedömning finns det därmed inte någon möjlighet att utan föregående grund- lagsändring införa bestämmelser som förhindrar vidaresändning av TV-program från andra konventionsanslutna stater. Detta innebär inte något hinder mot ett svenskt tillträde till konventionen. into Legislation governing Radio and Television has been instructed to analyse and consider the need for various alterations to the Radio and Television Act (1996:844) (here- after referred to as RTVL) and to propose the amendments occa- sioned by its deliberations. After having addressed a number of specific issues in the reports Skydd av barn mot olämpligt programinnehåll i TV (Protecting child- ren against unsuitable contents of TV programmes)(SOU 2001:84), Reklamtid i TV (TV advertising time)(SOU 2003:62), Must carry (SOU 2003:109), Nytt regelverk för marksänd digital-TV (New regulatory framework for terrestrial digital TV) (SOU 2004:39) and Anpassning av radio- och TV-lagen till den digitala tekniken (Adap- ting the Radio and Television Act to digital technology) (SOU 2005:62), the Inquirys final report discusses the remaining parts of its remit. The report gives an account of our deliberations on issues concerning repeated infringements of conditions relating to content, the application of licence conditions to certain transmissions, official announcements from government agencies and authorities, local non- commercial television and access to television programmes by people with disabilities. In addition, we have analysed the consequences of a Swedish accession to Convention on (hereafter referred to as the TV Convention), with regard to the aspects that have not been discussed in the report Adapting the Radio and Television Act to digital technology (SOU 2005:62). We also give an account of our deliberations on issues relating to television transmission to mobile reception devices and the possi- bility of registered religious communities obtaining licences for broadcasting community radio. Certain questions on conditions Licences are required to broadcast sound radio or television pro- grammes using radio waves of frequencies of under 3 gigahertz. A broadcasting licence may be linked with conditions to the extent stated in Chapter 3, Sections 1–4 of the RTVL. The Inquiry was instructed to propose more forceful measures when a broadcaster repeatedly and in a similar infringes on licence conditions concerning the contents of broadcasts. In addition we were instructed to consider the application of licence conditions to programmes that a licence holder transmits in a that does not require a licence and also to present pro- posals that enable the same regulations, where appropriate, to be applied to all broadcasts from a company, irrespective of whether or not broadcasts are made in a requiring a licence. Finally, in view of membership of Union, we were instructed to consider whether amendments should be made to the provisions on the obligation, at the request of a central govern- ment agency, to broadcast announcements of importance to the general public. Licence conditions will become legislation Several of the conditions that may be linked to a broadcasting licence entail limitations in the licence holders right to determine pro- gramme content. Some of these conditions on contents, that is, con- ditions on the obligation to exercise broadcasting rights objective- ly, conditions on taking account of the special impact of the media with regard to the subject and design of programmes, the times programmes are broadcast and conditions on programme activities respecting the private lives of individuals, have been identically pre- scribed in the broadcasting licences of all broadcasters falling under Swedish jurisdiction. Licences for those licence holders that are entitled to broadcast advertising have also been linked with condi- tions prohibiting the discrimination of advertisers. We consider that there are objective reasons for converting these conditions into direct legislation. The general design of these conditions also supports this view. In our opinion, these legal regulations should not only include transmissions undertaken under licence, but all broad- casts transmitted by means other than wire. A prerequisite for enabling the obligations and prohibitions regu- lated in the conditions to be converted into general legal regulations is that legal regulations can be designed so as to be sufficiently clear and precise. We consider that this is the case with regard to the obligation to exercise broadcasting rights objectively, the obligation to respect the private lives of individuals and the prohibition against discrimination of advertisers. In view of this, we propose that pro- visions be incorporated into the RTVL prescribing that those trans- mitting television programmes and sound radio programmes other than community radio and local radio, by means other than wire: 1.are to exercise broadcasting rights objectively, apart from broad- casting advertisements and other commercials, 2.are to respect the private lives of individuals in programme acti- vities, if significant public interest does not warrant otherwise, and that 3.those entitled to broadcast advertisements or other commercials are not to discriminate against advertisers. The condition pertaining to the obligation to take account of the special impact of the media has a broad field of application. The significance of this condition also changes over time. We do not therefore consider it appropriate to convert the entire condition to a generally applicable legal regulation. However, we do consider it justified to detach the parts of the condition that apply to the por- trayal of violence and representations of a sexual nature, and to con- vert these into a legal regulation. We therefore propose that the provision of Chapter 6, Section 2 of the RTVL is supplemented with an obligation for those transmitting television programmes or sound radio programmes other than community radio and local radio by means other than wire, in addition to that which applies under the current provision in Chapter 6, Section 2 of the RTVL, to observe restraint when broadcasting programmes containing portrayals of violence and representations of an advanced sexual nature. This provision is intended to be applied to such portrayals of violence and representations of a sexual nature that are regarded, under the current practice of the Broadcasting Commission, as contravening the licence conditions on the obligation to take account of the special impact of the media. Sanctions for infringements of the provisions and licence conditions regulating broadcast content The conditions on broadcast content that can currently be linked to a broadcasting licence can only be sanctioned by ordering that the licence holder who has disregarded the condition is to publicise a negative verdict issued by the Broadcasting Commission. We be- lieve that this sanction should continue to be considered for indivi- dual infringements of licence conditions and the parts of the licence conditions we propose transforming into legal regulations. We also propose that the same sanction could be applied for individual in- fringements of the prohibition against broadcasting programmes containing detailed portrayals of violence of a realistic nature or pornographic images at times and in a referred to under the current Chapter 6, Section 2 of the RTVL. The part of the condition on the obligation to take account of the special impact of the media aimed at the obligation to observe restraint when broadcasting programmes containing portrayals of violence or representations of an advanced sexual nature has been infringed upon on a number of occasions and in a similar . The injunction to publicise negative verdicts issued by the Broadcasting Commission has thus failed to restrain licence holders from conti- nuing to contravene this condition. We believe that this situation gives cause for including an option to intervene with more forceful sanctions when the proposed regulation on the obligation to observe restraint when broadcasting programmes containing portrayals of violence or representations of an advanced sexual nature is contra- vened. We therefore propose that the Office of the Chancellor of be given the opportunity to impose fines on those who re- peatedly and in a similar contravene the regulation. With regard to other conditions on content and the proposed legal regulations, our assessment is that a more far-reaching sanction than an injunction to publicise the Broadcasting Commissions negative verdict should not be considered. According to our proposal, the Broadcasting Commission is to be entitled to prescribe that those contravening the provision of the current Chapter 6, Section 2 of the RTVL and those who disregard the proposed provision on the obligation to observe restraint when broadcasting programmes containing portrayals of violence or repre- sentations of an advanced sexual nature are to publicise the Boards negative verdict in an appropriate . In view of this, we pro- pose that the main responsibility for supervision of the provisions of Chapter 6, Section 2 of the RTVL be transferred from the Office of the Chancellor of to the Broadcasting Commission. We further propose that the Boards obligation to report when a broad- cast contains portrayals of violence and pornographic images in contravention of Chapter 6, Section 2 of the RTVL be extended to include also such portrayals of violence or sexual representations as are referred to in the new provision on the obligation to observe restraint when broadcasting programmes containing portrayals of violence or representations of an advanced sexual nature. The application of licence conditions to certain transmissions Because of the provisions of the Fundamental on Freedom of Expression, we consider that it is not possible to prescribe that those licensed to broadcast television in the terrestrial network are to be obliged to comply with the broadcasting licence conditions even when transmitting via cable networks. In addition, we consider that our proposal for certain of the obli- gations and prohibitions that may currently be prescribed in the licence conditions to be converted into general legal regulations and for these legal regulations to be made applicable to all transmissions taking place through means other than wire meet, at least to a certain extent, the need for the same regulations to apply to broadcasting transmitted via both the terrestrial network and satellite. In other respects we consider that there are not sufficient grounds for pre- scribing a general obligation for those licensed to transmit terrestrial television to comply with the conditions linked with the licence even when transmitting via satellite. However, we propose that a possibility is introduced of making a licence to transmit television via the terrestrial network conditional on the other licence condi- tions also applying to such supplementary transmissions via satellite that are made to fulfil an obligation prescribed in a broadcasting licence to transmit programmes throughout the country or to a certain area of the country. Official announcements from government agencies and public authorities Under Chapter 3, Section 2.5 of the RTVL, a broadcasting licence may be linked with conditions on the obligation to broadcast official announcements free of charge. The aim of this obligation is to allow the possibility of effectively informing or warning people concerned in an emergency situation or communicating to the general public information of benefit to society. As far as the Inquiry is aware, there has never been a situation in which EU institutions and bodies have been unable to reach the Swedish people with information important to the general public by engaging Swedish authorities. We therefore do not consider that membership of the EU means that there is cause to amend the provision on the obligation to broadcast official announcements. Technological developments have meant that it is now possible to relay television broadcasts to mobile telephones and other mobile receivers. Television programmes are already being transmitted to mobile telephones in via mobile telephone networks (UMTS or networks). Up until now these services primarily consist of recorded clips that begin when the viewer so requests, but there is a growing possibility of receiving live television programmes or re- corded material that is retransmitted at a point in time determined by the broadcaster. In parallel with transmissions via mobile tele- phone networks, various systems for transmitting television pro- grammes to mobile telephones using specially adapted round radio technologies (IP data casting, IPDC) are being developed. The development of television programmes broadcast using tech- nology that is especially intended for reception in mobile reception devices, referred to below as mobile television, gives rise to issues related to the issue of licences and regulation of the contents of these broadcasts. We have seen an obvious need for a review of regulations in this area so as not to impede development and have therefore chosen to take up this issue for discussion. Mobile television differs somewhat from traditional television. The fact that the viewer can take the television receiver wherever he or she wishes means that transmissions are more easily accessible than television transmissions received by traditional television sets. On the other hand, mobile reception devices have such small screens that they cannot serve as a natural meeting point for several people in the same way as the traditional television set. There is strong evi- dence that those watching television on a mobile telephone or other mobile reception device will watch broadcasts for shorter periods, for example while travelling by public transport, and that to a certain extent they will therefore demand shorter programmes, in which the contents are especially adapted to temporary viewing. The scope of the RTVL The RTVL applies to transmissions of sound radio and television programmes targeted at the general public and intended to be re- ceived using technical aids. In accordance with what we have stated in our interim report Anpassning av radio- och TV-lagen till den digitala tekniken (Adapting the Radio and Television Act to digital technology) (SOU 2005:62), we consider that the sole fact that a transmission is received by a mobile telephone does not mean that the transmission is not a television programme. What determines the scope of the RTVL instead is whether the transmission is targeted at the general public. This is considered to be the case if the trans- mission is started by the broadcaster at a time decided by the latter and is targeted at everyone wishing to receive it. In view of this, we consider that the RTVL covers both television transmissions sent directly to the receiver at a time determined by the broadcaster and playback of previously recorded material in which the contents have been determined by the broadcaster and where the receiver connects up to a transmission started at a point in time determined by the broadcaster (streamed programmes). However we do not consider that the Act covers programmes down- loaded by the receiver and started at a point in time determined by the receiver. Under the present wording of the RTVL, licences are required to transmit television programmes at frequencies of less than 3 giga- hertz. Both television transmissions relayed via the mobile telephone networks and mobile television using round radio technology are relayed in the frequency area that requires a licence. Unlike mobile television, which is transmitted with round radio technology a television broadcast transmitted via a mobile telephone network does not use any frequency which could otherwise be used for traditional round radio. We therefore propose that licences should not be required under the RTVL to broadcast programmes relayed by a radio transmitter that under Chapter 3, Section 9 of the Act should be used for purposes other than round radio. This means that mobile television broadcasts via such radio transmitters that are to be used for mobile services will not be included in the licence obligation. We consider that there may be a market for relaying mobile tele- vision using round radio technology that has been specially adapted to mobile reception. We therefore propose that when deciding on the frequencies and transmission areas to be reserved for television transmissions, the Government should be allowed to reserve special frequency space for mobile television entailing a licence obligation. In order to create conditions for the greatest possible competition on the market for mobile television we consider, as opposed to our previous proposal with regard to the traditional terrestrial digital television (compare interim report Nytt regelverk för marksänd digital-TV, New regulations for terrestrial digital TV, SOU 2004:39) that the frequency space reserved by the Government for mobile television should be distributed directly among broadcasters holding transmission licences for mobile television. Transmission frequencies should thus not be placed at the disposal of an operating company, but the licence holder should be free to enter into a contract with an operator of their choice with regard to packaging and sales of the service to consumers. Since transmission space in the terrestrial network is a limited re- source, we suggest that a licence to transmit mobile television could be linked with conditions in the same and to the same extent as a licence to transmit traditional television in the terrestrial net- work.