Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on Media literacy and Creative content online
Date: 2008-10-09
Institutions: European Committee of the Regions
Subjects: audiovisual industry, cooperation in the field of education, education policy, marginalisation, mass media, teaching

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Opinion of the Committee of the Regions on ‘Media literacy’ and ‘Creative content online’

(2008/C 325/12)

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

— asks the Council and the European Parliament to further develop EU media literacy policy (with stra-
tegic objectives and progress monitoring) and to adopt a Recommendation on media literacy, taking
into account this CoR opinion and the subsidiarity principle. A specific strand on media literacy
should be added to the future MEDIA programme. In parallel or as an alternative, pilot programmes
should be launched that will receive EU funding;

— stresses that the reports as set out in Article 26 of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and the
related activities of the Commission and Member States must allow for the differences and progress
made in media literacy at regional level in Europe and provide examples of good practice by local and
regional authorities and other stakeholders;

— urges national, regional and local authorities to support media literacy and to facilitate civil society
involvement in particular.
It recommends local and regional authorities to develop collaborative
projects on media literacy in formal and non-formal education and training, targeted at citizens, espe-
cially children and young people, the disabled and social groups that are at risk of exclusion;

— encourages local and regional authorities to play a key role in managing their cultural and linguistic
heritage by means of creative content online — promoting new business models in creative industries
and media, promoting creative works that are (co-)financed by media organisations or even in prac-
tising eGovernment;

— is critical of the European Commission's failure to take into account the cultural and social implica-
tions of the emerging creative content online sector: the scope of the proposed Recommendation and
of the ‘Content Online Platform’ need to add cultural diversity.

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Rapporteur: Evangelia SCHOINARAKI-ILIAKI (EL/PES), Prefect of Heraklion

Reference documents

Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic
and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: A European approach to media literacy in the
digital environment

COM(2007) 833 final

Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic
and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions: Creative content online in the Single Market

COM(2007) 836 final

POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS

A. Media literacy (1)

1.
tasked with promoting social cohesion at regional level, a
key aspect of which is digital convergence, welcomes the publi-
cation of the Commission communication on media literacy in
the digital environment and in particular its comprehensive defi-
nition of media literacy, which includes the ability and opportu-
nity to access and use media as well as the acquisition of
knowledge about their functioning and critical evaluation of
their content;

2.
endorses the goals and priorities set by the Commission in
its communication and notes in particular that for the CoR
media literacy means:

a) supporting active and creative use of media by citizens, espe-
cially by younger people in their dual roles as consumers
and producers of creative content and developing and main-
taining media literacy among older people and people of
working age;

g) ensuring equal access to new media and technologies, given
that telecommunications and the media are acquiring an
increasingly crucial role in almost all spheres of life;

3.
would refer
2008 (2) in this context:

to the Council Conclusions of 21 May

— recalling that promoting media literacy has been a priority

for the CoR since 2004;

— recognising the efforts made by the Council to promote
media literacy despite differences in practice and progress
among Member States;

— agreeing with the Council on the importance of pooling
information and good practice on the development of media
literacy, while noting that this can also tie in with measures
taken by local and regional authorities, which can play an
important role in this field;

— believing that media literacy can be promoted through addi-

tional financing for existing and new initiatives alike;

b) supporting a critical approach towards all media on the part

of the general public;

Promotion of media literacy at EU level

c) promoting plurality in the media;

d) contributing to the debate about commercial advertising and

issues of respect for and protection of private life;

e) promoting active involvement of citizens, bearing in mind
that the media play a decisive role in framing Europe's audio-
visual heritage,
intercultural
dialogue and democracy;

local and regional

identity,

f) promoting social inclusion;

(1) After consulting a large number of citizens and specialist bodies, the
rapporteur considers the Greek translation of the term ‘media literacy’
as ‘γραμματισμος’ to be unsatisfactory because it does not make the
meaning of the term clear to ordinary people. She therefore proposes
that the term be replaced in the text of the opinion by ‘αγωγή’ (‘media
education’). (Translator's note: it has been decided to leave the English
version unchanged, in line with the Commission text.).

4.
notes that the CoR asked the Commission as far back as
2004 (3) to pay particular attention to promoting media literacy
in all the EU Member States and to ensuring a minimum level
of
them. Consequently it
for each of
commends the Commission for initiating a Community media
policy with this communication;

information content

5.
encourages the Commission to further develop its media
literacy policy (programmes with strategic objectives and
progress monitoring) in collaboration with all the EU institu-
tions and with local and regional authorities, and to step up its
cooperation with UNESCO and the Council of Europe in this
area;

(2) Council Conclusions on a European approach to media literacy in the
digital environment — 2868th Education, Youth and Culture Council
meeting, Brussels, 21 May 2008.

(3) CdR 67/2004 fin.

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6.
asks the Council and the European Parliament to adopt a
recommendation on media literacy, as mentioned in the
communication,
the
subsidiarity principle, and the remits established at local and
regional level in the EU in relation to media literacy;

taking into account

this CoR opinion,

is pleased that

7.
the Commission is required to submit
reports, as set out in Article 26 of the new Directive on audiovi-
sual media services, but notes that these reports and the related
activities of the Commission and Member States must allow for
the differences and progress made in media literacy at regional
level in Europe and provide examples of good practice by local
and regional authorities and other stakeholders;

8.
commends the stepping up of Commission action aimed
at harnessing the know-how acquired through local and regional
programmes on media literacy issues throughout the EU by
promoting platforms for dialogue, events and networks for
exchanging best practice;

(d) implementation of information strategies on media literacy
issues, promoting ‘media desks’ (information centres on the
MEDIA programmes) and setting up information centres for
media literacy issues that will operate at regional level);

(e) provision of incentives and promotion of policies on the
production and dissemination of European content and
development of media by civil society;

(f) involvement
networks;

in national

and Community cooperation

calls on public authorities

12.
society
involvement in particular, given that only a small number of
civil society organisations are currently taking part in the debate
on media literacy, while also supporting greater participation of
regulatory authorities in the Member States and the regions;

to facilitate civil

calls on the EU institutions to add to the future MEDIA
9.
programme a specific strand on media literacy, since the current
version of this programme makes only a small contribution to
this area. In parallel or as an alternative, the Commission is
asked to launch pilot programmes for media literacy that will
receive EU funding;

welcomes the Commission's explicit reference to the key
13.
role played by local and regional authorities in supporting initia-
tives in the non-formal education sector, while noting that in
many cases local and regional authorities are also responsible
incorporating media literacy into the formal education
for
system at all levels;

stresses that existing EU programmes and initiatives,
10.
e.g. to improve internet security, are very limited in effect with
regard to developing and exchanging good practice in media
literacy, and calls on the Commission when renewing these
programmes to adapt them so as to include issues of media
literacy;

urges local and regional authorities to incorporate issues
14.
of media literacy into the training of
teachers and trainers,
school curricula and lifelong learning, and to promote educa-
tional media and skills in the use and production of multimedia
by schoolchildren and students;

Promoting media literacy at national, regional and local level

11.
urges national, regional and local authorities to support
plans, programmes and initiatives relating to media literacy,
with the following main objectives:

encourages local and regional authorities to develop
15.
long-term public and private collaborative projects on media
literacy in both the formal and non-formal education and
training sectors (e.g. publishers of local or regional newspapers
promoting study of
the press and electronic journalism in
schools, cinema festivals involving media literacy activities and
campaigns on media literacy issues by public audiovisual chan-
nels and hardware and software companies);

(a) collaboration between all stakeholders,

the
audiovisual industry (cinema, television, radio, providers and
producers of internet content), media organisations, educa-
tional bodies, regulatory authorities, research and cultural
institutes, and social organisations;

in particular

(b) running of services to promote media literacy;

16.
urges the Member States to promote media literacy
further by implementing the recommendation of the European
Parliament and the Council on film heritage and the competi-
tiveness of related activities of the film industry (4), and the
recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council
on the protection of minors and human dignity and on the
right of reply in relation to the competitiveness of the European
audiovisual and on-line information services industry (5);

(c) evaluation of progress in promoting media literacy at local

and regional level;

(4) Recommendation No 2005/865/CE.
(5) Recommendation No 2006/952/CE.

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Media literacy in commercial communication (advertising)

(e) promoting digital inclusion, as emphasised by the CoR in its

opinion on the subject (8);

17.
reiterates the position set out in its opinion on the new
Directive on audiovisual media services (6), where it asked that
the possibility be considered of banning advertising during chil-
dren's and news programmes, which regrettably was not taken
on board, and disagreed with the Commission's approach,
whereby promoting media literacy is considered a more appro-
priate method than banning advertising (7). Obviously there is a
need for better public education, especially of children and
young people, when it comes to developing a correct and
critical approach to the media, but the CoR has expressed doubt
regarding the ability of children to distinguish programmes
from advertising or to correctly assess advertisements, for which
reason it supports the option of regulating and stepping up
regulatory provisions in the Member States;

18.
shares the Commission's view that there is an urgent
need to develop and exchange good practice in this particular
area. This applies to both developing and applying of codes of
practice and, where applicable, self-regulatory and co-regulatory
frameworks. At
there is a need to protect
consumer rights in relation to content services, to ensure that
services are of adequate quality in terms of reliability and
validity;

the same time,

19.
would like to see media literacy programmes at all levels
of government with public/private funding, provided of course
that they are transparent, so that the interests of those taking
part (especially private sector actors) are easily discernible;

Media literacy in relation to audiovisual works and internet content

20.
urges local and regional authorities, supported by the
Member States and the EU, to promote activities based on the
priorities set out in the Commission communication. These
activities are targeted at citizens, especially children and young
people,
the disabled and social groups that are at risk of
exclusion:

(a) familiarising people with Europe's cultural heritage and

increasing interest in European audiovisual works;

(b) providing opportunities for citizens to learn about

the
production of audiovisual services and works from close up,
and to acquire creative skills, and to express their views on
and reflect on their cultural identity;

(c) understanding the

significance of

intellectual property

rights;

(d) critical appraisal of internet content and better use of search

engines by users;

(6) CdR 106/2006 fin.
(7) Cf. statement by Commissioner Reding and Commission press release

IP/07/1970.

21.
emphasises the need for Europe's audiovisual heritage to
be taken into account in the education and cultural policies of
the Member States, cities and regions, and for young content
creators to be supported and encouraged, since they are effec-
tively the future of Europe's audiovisual sector. In this context
the CoR has already taken a position with earlier recommenda-
tions (9) to increase financial support for and promotion of
regional and local audiovisual festivals in order to further devel-
opment of works by young European content creators and on
improving training of audiovisual professionals in countries and
regions with a low audiovisual output and/or with a limited
geographical and linguistic range;

B. Creative content online in the single market (10)

22.
welcomes the Commission communication on creative
content online in the single market and shares the Commission's
view that the transfer of creative content services to the internet
environment is a major change; digital technologies facilitate the
creation of audiovisual works and make it possible to distribute
creative content in an audiovisual market without borders, while
at the same time increasing access to creative content via tools,
networks and services. This content covers audiovisual creative
works online such as films,
internet
games,
internet publications, educational content online, and
content created by users;

television, music, radio,

23.
stresses that more measures must be taken to fully acti-
vate the potential of European creative content, with the aim of
and circulation of
boosting
high-quality,
innovative European works, enhancing Europe's
cultural diversity and European competitiveness;

the production,

availability

24.
notes that existing challenges must be met not just by
the EU, the Member States, companies that produce and distri-
bute content, network operators, right holders, consumers and
independent
regulatory authorities, but also by local and
regional authorities;

25.
calls on local and regional authorities to play a key role
in managing their cultural and linguistic heritage, promoting
new business models in local creative industries and local
media, promoting creative works that are (co-)financed by
media institutes and organisations or
even in practising
eGovernment with multi-channel service delivery;

(8) CdR 5/2008 fin.
(9) CdR 303/2004 fin.
(10) After consulting a large number of citizens and specialist bodies, the
rapporteur considers the Greek translation of the term ‘online’ as
‘επιγραμμικό’ to be unsatisfactory, because it does not make the
meaning of the term clear to ordinary people. She therefore proposes
that the term be replaced in the text of the opinion by ‘διαδικτυακό’
(‘internet’). (Translator's note: it has been decided to leave the English
version unchanged, in line with the Commission text.).

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supports

the two key initiatives announced by the
26.
Commission in its communication,
for a
(a)
Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council
on creative content online and (b) the creation of a stakeholders'
discussion and cooperation platform, the ‘Content Online Plat-
form’, in order to develop dialogue on addressing the issue, and
asks that local and regional representation be ensured;

the proposal

Creative content online and cultural diversity

27.
is critical of the European Commission's failure to take
into account the cultural and social implications of the emerging
creative content online sector and to propose measures that are
essential
to promote cultural diversity and ensure universal
access to the benefits of ICTs; as already pointed out in the
opinion on the i2010 strategy (11), the CoR considers that poli-
cies relating to new services and new digital media, as well as
creative content, must not be framed on the basis of economic
criteria alone, but must take cultural and social factors into
account. In view of this, creative content must promote social
cohesion and inclusion, particularly in the case of groups at risk
of exclusion (women, young people, people with disabilities);

28.
observes that where policies and legislation on creative
content online are concerned, a balance must be found between
its importance as a cultural good and as an economic asset. The
increased interplay between culture, audiovisual media and ICTs
makes it necessary to develop a cohesive policy for industry,
creative content businesses and online content;

29.
asks the Commission to include protection of cultural
diversity under the heading of online content and to this end
consider:

(a) broadening the scope of the proposed recommendation of
the European Parliament and the Council on creative
content online and of
to
include cultural diversity;

the ‘Content Online Platform’

30.
wishes to preserve cultural diversity and identity in a
pluralistic European society in the future digital world, and
therefore reiterates its previous calls (13) in relation to:

(a) maintaining content and services in all languages, given the
increased use of a single language in creative content online;

(b) supporting digitalisation, dubbing, subtitling and multilin-

gual copies of European audiovisual works;

(c) ensuring that providers of offline media services promote
production of and access to European and independent
works;

(d) ‘positive discrimination’ in EU support measures in favour
of countries with a small capacity for creative content
online and/or a limited geographical and linguistic range;

(e) taking on board the needs of users in different languages
areas in developing digital
libraries, whose digital data
should be available beyond national borders notwith-
standing rights of use;

Specific actions

31.
shares the Commission's concern in relation to the ques-
tion of orphan works and the fact that many artists still hesitate
to give their rights for internet distribution for fear of losing
control as a result of illegal copying. This is a barrier to creating
new markets for European creative works and cultural diversity
in the digital environment, and the Committee therefore calls on
the Member States and local and regional authorities to facilitate
dialogue between stakeholders with the aim of finding appro-
priate solutions for terms of contract between right owners and
internet distributors, and to strengthen their commitments in
relation to implementing the 2006 European Film Online
Charter;

(b) the way in which the EU intends to implement the UNESCO
Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diver-
sity of Cultural Expressions in this context. In its opinion on
A European agenda for culture the CoR called on the European
Commission to make progress — based on the principle of
subsidiarity — in taking measures to implement this global
convention (12);

32.
sees a contradiction between the possibility for providers
of online content services to reach the general public at global
level and the traditional association of
intellectual property
rights with limited territorial scope, and similarly between the
cultural policy objective of increasing the exchange and distribu-
tion of European creative content online and the fact that many
rights holders only try to get licences in very few Member States
where the licence is of economic interest to them;

(c) the way in which the EU applies the cultural compatibility

clause (Article 151(4) ECT) in this policy area;

(d) information pooling between the Member States and

exchange of best practice in this sphere;

voices its satisfaction with the Commission's proposal to
improving existing mechanisms,
licensing, before dealing with this
a

33.
further clarify options
including multi-territorial
complex
issue
Recommendation;

announced

proposal

the

for

for

in

(11) CdR 252/2005 fin.
(12) CdR 172/2007 fin.

(13) CoR 106/2006 fin, CdR 33/2006 fin, CdR 252/2005 fin,

CdR 303/2004 fin and CdR 67/2004 fin.

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37.
calls on local and regional authorities to support formal
and informal educational and awareness-raising activities on the
importance of copyright for creative content;

38.
recommends that as part of the Year of Creativity and
Innovation (2009) measures should be planned at local and
regional level to raise awareness and understanding of access to
creative content online, respect for intellectual property rights
and combating piracy;

believes that measures launched by the European institu-
39.
tions to strengthen and promote the production and availability
of
by
online must
corresponding initiatives in relation to media literacy.

accompanied

creative

content

be

The President

of the Committee of the Regions

Luc VAN DEN BRANDE

acknowledges — as it did in a previous opinion (14) —
34.
the Commission's contribution to developing a framework for
digital rights management (DRM) and inviting stakeholders to
joint discussions, where digital rights owners are encouraged to
agree on the degree of interoperability;

35.
considers that while a major part of Europe's older
cultural heritage is already free of copyright restrictions and
thus available online, a reform of copyright legislation relating
to more recent cultural heritage is highly relevant (15);

36.
supports the Commission's proposal to initiate coopera-
tion procedures (‘codes of conduct’) between access/service
providers, content producers, right holders, and in particular
consumers, so as to guarantee consumer-friendly measures for
adequate protection of copyrighted works and the fight against
piracy and illegal copying;

Brussels, 9 October 2008

(14) CdR 252/2005 fin.
(15) CdR 32/2006 fin.