TV advertising is important for democracy

The European Commission wants to force Spain before the European Court of Justice to adhere to the regulations stipulated in the "Television without Borders" directive on the broadcasting of television advertising. Maurizio Carlotti, president of Spanish private station Antena 3, criticises in El País Viviane Reding, the EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media: "The strength of democracy goes hand in hand with the strength of mass media, which depends on its independence and autonomy, which in turn depends on economic power. Therefore it is not wrong to say that democracy is partially dependent on the economic strength of the media groups. To attack television advertising without taking measures to reform the public TV broadcasters in their form and content is a way of weakening democracy."

» full article (external link, Spanish)
More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Audiovisual Media, » Media policy, » Spain, » Europe