THE best method of ensuring quality public-service television was competition with the private sector, the European Parliament in Strasbourg was told yesterday. The parliament was debating a report on the role of public-service television in a multi-media society. The vote will be taken today.
Among the recommendations was a call for the European Commission to take steps to ensure public access to major sporting events on terrestrial channels. Yesterday, Mr Martin Bangemann, replying for the Commission, advocated competition as the best way of ensuring quality public-service television.
The report says public-service broadcasters have had to face up to growing competition from commercial channels. Their share of the EU audience has fallen from 82 per cent in 1984 to 46 per cent in 1994.
The author of the report, Ms Carole Tongue, a British Labour MEP, wants the Commission to issue guidelines and to continue to view public funding as legitimate for public-service companies provided they fulfil their obligations.