The European Multimedia Sector 2600-MSdz2EMSen
The course covers statistical, social, regulatory, financial and socio-politic issues as well as competition protection within the EMS including recent mergers and acquisitions and vertical integration.
It is divided into 6 parts which focus on
1) social, political and economical importance of the multimedia sphere as the source of professional and user generated content – and the blurring lines between them, as well as its distribution via traditional and new channels;
2) development of the digital economy as a whole and the special importance of the multimedia sector as its key driving force;
3) how the European Multimedia Sector operates including recent steps to control the power of ‘foreign’ forms. Considered here will be statistical data (DESI); socio-political changes resulting from COVID-19 incl. its impact on media firms and business models (eg Disney vs. cinemas); and changes to content consumption patterns (eg free vs. paid for content);
4) removing national rules that hinder Multimedia integration that harm consumers and multimedia firms (EU rules on free movement of services; and repeatedly revising EU law to cover changing Multimedia markets (Audiovisual Media Services Directive, Digital Markets Act and Digital Services Act);
5) support available to EU Multimedia projects by the EU in a direct manner (EU funding eg Creative Europe) and in an indirect manner (requirements to offer a minimum number of European content on different distribution sites and investment duties placed on multimedia services providers such as Netflix;
6) ensuring that the European Multimedia Sector remains internally competitive in view of globalisation; controlling state aid given by EU member states; and the use of EU competition and merger control rules towards key global firms that shape multimedia – so called digital gatekeepers (GAFAM: Google/ Apple/ Facebook/ Amazon/ Microsoft) as well as major multimedia corporations like Disney or Tencent and technology giants such as Samsung.
Course coordinators
Type of course
Mode
Learning outcomes
As a result of the course, participating students will be able to
• Present and defend how they define the multimedia sector and its relationship to the socio-political development
• Explain if/why they consider it of strategic importance
• Evaluate the different digital parameters as well as factors influencing it (eg the COVID-19 pandemic)
• Critically asses the relationship between the EU and its member states eg EUs prioritising integration while its member states want to prioritise national champions
• Identify key issues which are subject to regulation on the internal market in the multimedia sphere (eg rules on advertising on-line or new means of protecting children)
• Explain the importance of using EU competition rules towards key multimedia companies, such as Google or Facebook, that have the potential to shape the state and future of the entire (European) multimedia market
• Perceive the difference between the competences of the EU, its member states and foreign players in the multimedia sphere and the resulting dangers to individual viewers/users and society overall
Assessment criteria
• Students are obliged to participate in all 14h of the lecture (via Zoom)
• Each student must submit a final essay due at the end of the spring semester on a specific topic directly relevant to the content of the course;
• All essays must fulfil all qualitative and quantitative criteria specified in the syllabus
• Participating students will receive a comprehensive list of topics which fulfil the content criteria eg: product placement in personal broadcasting; new job opportunities eg TikToker/online manager; (ab)use of consumers by media giants such as Google; dealing with personal data concerns in Facebook/Instagram; censorship of content; media capture; fake news etc;
• Mimimum lengh of original writing is set at 3500 words – not including direct quotes - maximum lengh of original writing is set at 5500 words
• All essays must be written from the perspective of their author (student) explaining why and how the chosen topic is relevant specifically to them
• Mostly descriptive essays will be graded between grade 3 and 4, depending on relevance and the level of detail included;
• to achieve grade 4+ and above, essays must contain a fully personalized assessment of the chosen topic
• grade 5+ can be achieved if the essay puts the chosen issue in a comparative perspective such as its development over time or in different regions; success of failure of means of dealing with it; future prognosis etc.;
• all essays must contain a bibliography and crealy mark quotes
! All submissions are checked for plagiarism, if plagiarism is found, the student will fail the course
! Additional rules on the use of AI will be provided during the course
Bibliography
● TFEU Art. 56-62 free movement of services
● TFEU Art. 101-102 primary EU competition rules
● EU Merger Regulation
● TFEU Art. 106-107 primary EU rules on services of general economic interest and state aid
● Audiovisual Media services Directive (AVMSD) 2010/12/EU – current version: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02010L0013-20181218