Television companies have told the EU that current legal standards of copyright protection and enforcement are insufficient. The largest investor in content in the European Industry is BSkyB, which invests approximately £1 billion (€1.16bn) in content, including its sports coverage. David Wheeldon, director of policy & public affairs at BSkyB commented that companies take “big bets” when it comes to content. He also stressed that his company had made a significant investment in 3D content to the extent that “Hollywood is coming to our doors” to discover what the broadcaster has learnt. The high risk investment in content was also stressed by Portuguese broadcaster TVi’s Director General Joao Cotrim de Figueiredo who emphasized that innovation in content, particularly when produced for prime time audiences, was particularly difficult.
In a remark directed at Neelie Kroes, Joao Cotrim de Figueiredo urged the Commissioner to listen to the television industry on television issues rather than the telecoms industry.
MEP Marielle Gallo emphasized that the European Parliament, newly empowered by the Lisbon Treaty, had adopted her report on strengthening intellectual property rights in the European market. Her report recommends that Europeans are educated about the gravity of copyright infringement with an emphasis on internet use.
Kersin Jorna, Deputy Head of Cabinet for Internal Market & Services Commissioner Barnier, emphatically declared that Mr.Barnier had sole responsibility in the College of EU Commissioners for copyright policy, as opposed to say the Commissioner of Digital Initiatives Neelie Kroes. She said Commissioner Barnier regarded it as an “enabling tool” which has to fit several business models. She also said that following the adoption of the Gallo report by Parliament, Commissioner Barnier was working on a copyright strategy paper.
More: http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2010/11/10/eu-under-pressure-to-strengthen-copyright-protection/
