Nordicom - Nordic Media Policy

No. 4, 2005 (November) Editor: Terje Flisen Pb 1726 Vika 0121 Oslo, Norge Publisher: Ulla Carlsson NORDICOM Göteborg University Box 713 SE-405 30 Göteborg Archive Nordic Media Policy Archive Medier i Norden Scandinavian languages Subrcribe free of charge to Nordic Media Policy

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Nordic Media Policy is an independent Internet-based newsletter that follows the political, economic and technological development in the media field. Current issues and trends are explored in articles and notices. The newsletter is published four times annually; at the turn of the months of January/February, April/May, September/October and November/December.

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Nordic cooperation Film-making generates growth Nordic computer games Restructuring of Nordic cultural co-operation – more money for culture and art Nordic Film Prize goes to Denmark

Printed media Subsidy scheme is satisfactory, newspaper publishers say [Denmark] Process of liberalization continues in the book market [Denmark] Outrage over increase in postal charges for newspapers [Norway] New group of newspaper companies formed [Sweden]

Audiovisual media Highest admission figures for Danish films in 24 years [Denmark] DR presents promises – and requests for a new Media Agreement [Denmark] Transmissions from Sky Radio cease [Denmark] Licence for digital television network [Finland] The new Government increases the budget appropriations for film [Norway] Report on the activities of the public service broadcasters [Norway] Increased business for the radio and TV sector in 2004 [Norway] Information about transition to digital TV satisfactory, Swedes say [Sweden] New licences for digital terrestrial television [Sweden]

Information Society Security and privacy in digital administration [Denmark] Second interim report of the national broadband strategy [Finland] New initiatives for legal right of access to digital services [Norway]

Freedom of speech and copyright Easier access to the State’s archives [Denmark] File sharing reported [Finland] The Copyright Act and Penal Code will be amended [Finland] Threats and violence against representatives – the media’s role [Sweden]

International issues: The Nordic perspective Who should govern the Internet? Denmark is satisfied with UNESCO convention on cultural diversity Nordic support for free media development

Film-making generates growth [Nordic cooperation] Film-making is a booming industry and will play an increasingly important role in generating economic growth outside the major cities in the Nordic Region, a conference in Stockholm on Wednesday concluded, according to >Nordic News. Regional production companies now operate throughout the Nordic countries, providing a boost for local economies in sparsely populated areas. A ten-year project has been launched in Finland to invest in regional production centres. A report by the Nordic Council of Ministers' Nordic Centre for Spatial Development and the Swedish Film Institute was presented for the first time at the conference. The report is available from >Nordregio, the Nordic Centre for Spatial Development. Source: Nordic News/the Nordic Council of Ministers (11 November 2005) Top

Nordic computer games [Nordic cooperation]

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The Nordic Ministers of Culture have launched a programme to promote the production and distribution of high-quality Nordic computer games for children and young people. A conference on the topic, Nordic Game Potential 2005, was held in Malmö, 23- 24 November. The programme is available on-line at >www.nordicgame.net. In-depth studies of the games industry have convinced the ministers that better conditions for innovation and production would improve the range and quality of products. They have earmarked SEK 7 million for the project for next year. It will run from 2006 to 2012 and involve total funding of almost SEK 98 million. The decision to promote Nordic computer games is related to a previous unanimous decision made by the Nordic Ministers of Culture at >a meeting in Reykjavik, 26 October 2005, see next notice. Source: The Nordic Council of Ministers (26 October 2005) Top

Restructuring of Nordic cultural co-operation – more money for culture and art [Nordic cooperation] The Nordic Ministers of Culture voted unanimously at a meeting in Reykjavik, 26 October 2005, to confirm the decision they made in principle on 15 June 2005 and reform the outdated structure for Nordic cultural co-operation, making it more flexible and open to new ways of working at the Nordic and international level. The reform will also free up funds from administration to support content, e.g. exchange programmes for artists and art, and for new events and programmes, according to >a press release. Nine out of the 20 committees and institutions involved in cultural co-operation will be abolished, but their work will still be done in the new structure. The old sectoral structure is being replaced by themes and programmes dealing with topical issues of interest to the entire Nordic Region. The new and more flexible structure will make it possible to work on fixed-term projects and programmes dealing with particular themes. The new structure will be fully in place by 2007. The institutions that will continue to exist are: the Nordic Cultural Fund, the Nordic Film and TV Fund, the Nordic Information Centre for Media and Communication Research and the Nordic Houses and Institutes in Iceland, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Åland and in Helsinki. The bodies, committees and institutions to be abolished are: the Steering Committees for Culture and Mass Media, for Children's and Youth Culture and for Nordic Cultural Projects Abroad, the Nordic Journalist Centre, the Nordic Institute for Contemporary Art (NIFCA), the Nordic Music Committee (NOMUS), the Nordic Literature and Library Committee (NORDBOK), the Nordic Centre for the Performing Arts (NordScen) and the Nordic Museums Committee. The annual budget for Nordic cultural co-operation in 2006 will be DKK 155 million, or approximately €20 million. Source: Source: The Nordic Council of Ministers (26 October 2005) Top

Nordic Film Prize goes to Denmark [Nordic cooperation] The Nordic Council Film Prize 2005 will go to Per Fly's "Drabet" ("Manslaughter"), an Ib Tardini production for Zentropa Entertainments, written by Kim Leona, Dorte Høgh, Mogens Rukov and Per Fly. The actual DKK 350,000 prize was awarded on Wednesday 26 October at a ceremony during the Annual Session of the Nordic Council in Reykjavik. "Drabet" was chosen from eight features and two documentaries nominated for the award. Jury members from all of the Nordic countries chose "Drabet" as "a great Nordic film, which speaks from the heart about timeless issues, but does so in the language of our time and on its own terms." "Drabet" is the final part of Fly's trilogy about the class-ridden nature of Danish society, according to a press release. Having portrayed the lower

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classes in "Bænken" ("The Bench") and the upper classes in "Arven" ("The Inheritance"), this time he turns his spotlight on the middle classes. >Info for the media. Further info about >the prize winner. Source: Nordic News/the Nordic Council (12 October 2005) Top

Subsidy scheme is satisfactory, newspaper publishers say [Printed media] [Denmark] The motion for a resolution tabled by the Ministry of Finance, for a new subsidy scheme for newspapers, will replace the distribution subsidies intended to cover some of the distribution costs when newspapers are distributed through the postal system, the newsletter Dansk Presse no. 46-2005, reports. The newsletter is published by Danske Dagblades Forening, DDF, Danish Newspaper Publishers´ Association. A committee appointed in 2003 has put forward a report concerning a new subsidy scheme. This report will form the basis of the Ministry’s decision in this matter. The Managing Director of DDF, Ebbe Dal, announces, according to the newsletter, that the organization is very happy to conclude that the committee has agreed upon a model that favours all kinds of newspapers, including regional and smaller newspapers with national coverage, free newspapers and the national newspapers. In a press release, the Ministry of Finance states that it recommends replacement of the existing subsidy scheme with a new one that allows grants to be paid directly to individual publishers, who may choose freely among distributors. The grants should be based on subscription circulation figures, but as a supplement to the main system, additional grants should be given to publishers who have comparatively high distribution costs. Transitional arrangements will be established in order to help publishers adjust to the new system. Another concern focused on during 2005 has been the subsidy scheme for the distribution of weeklies and monthlies that resemble ordinary newspapers. The Minister of Transport and Energy, Mr. Flemming Hansen, does not wish to prolong the scheme of subsidies covering some of the distribution costs through the postal system beyond 1 January 2006, even though the Parliament will not be able to adopt a new system before the end of 2005, according to the newsletter Dansk Fagpresse. Source: The Ministry of Finance/Dansk Presse/Dansk Fagpresse (11 November 2005) Top

Process of liberalization continues in the book market [Printed media] [Denmark] The process of liberalization in the Danish book market must continue, the Ministry of Culture states in a press release. The Danish Competition Authority and the Danish Publishers’ Association have agreed upon the need to amend the existing fixed price exemption in the Competition Act. Earlier this year, the Danish Association of Booksellers announced that the booksellers want a completely free book market, permitting free pricing. Following a resolution in the Parliament in 2004, a committee was appointed by the Government and commissioned to evaluate further liberalization of the book market, taking other aspects of the cultural policy into consideration. The committee will deliver its report to the Minister of Culture on 1 March 2006. The Minister of Culture, Mr. Brian Mikkelsen, approves of the current development, giving the publishers alone exemption to fix the prices of up to 10% of the new books published (not more than five titles) during the year of publication and the following five months. The exemption does not cover schoolbooks and textbooks or the publishing of books that have been published earlier or that are to be published in a new format. The exemption is not applicable to sales to libraries. Source: The Ministry of Culture (3 November 2005) Top

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Outrage over increase in postal charges for newspapers [Printed media] [Norway] The increase in the postal charges for 2006 threatens the future publication of a number of newspapers, the Norwegian Media Businesses' Association (MBL) and the Association of Local Newspapers (LLA) announce. Norway Post motivates the increases of the past few years by pointing out that the company’s concession has a clause implying cost recovery, and alleges that it has lost earnings due to newspaper distribution, writes Dagens Medier, MBL’s newspaper. MBL and LLA emphasize that the concession warrants political intervention in order to protect such vital interests as freedom of speech and media diversity. The state budget of the new Government of Norway contains a proposal to increase the press subsidies by NOK 7.5 million, as compared with the outgoing Government’s proposal. Even if the new Government does not mention postal charges specifically in the budget proposal, one hope exists: Mr. Stoltenberg’s Government predicts measures to avoid the drastic consequences of the increases in postal charges, writes LLA’s Internet-based news service. Source: MBL and LLA (11 November 2005) Top

New group of newspaper companies formed [Printed media] [Sweden] The last group of political party press newspapers became history on 24 October 2005, when the Centre Party sold its newspapers to a cluster of independent companies; VLT AB, Stampen, Morgonpress Invest and Mittmedia, writes the trade newspaper Pressens Tidning. The buyers have formed a development company, called mkt media AB, where Stampen owns 41%, VLT AB 31%, while Mittmedia has 18% and Morgonpress Invest 10% of the shares. In many districts, a strong number two newspaper is being created, based on the force existing in the rural press, counterbalancing the urban dominance of the media company Bonnier. This has been called upon for a long time, among others by media professor Karl Erik Gustafsson. At the same time, one of the largest printing works in the Nordic countries has been established, Pressens Tidning writes. Speculations as to who will take over the press of the Centre Party have been varied and have been ongoing since the sales announcement in the summer of 2005. Source: Pressens Tidning (10 November 2005) Top

Highest admission figures for Danish films in 24 years [Audiovisual media] [Denmark] Danish films are breaking records for cinema sales, the Danish Film Institute states. So far, 3.7 million tickets have been sold to Danish films in 2005. Danish films have not drawn such crowds since 1981, when 4.1 million tickets were sold. Ticket sales for Danish films rose in the late 1990s and have remained high since then. Full-year sales peaked at 3.65 million tickets in 2001, but this year's sales surpassed that number already on 10 November. Danish films will probably represent a very big share of ticket sales, likely more than 30%, by the end of 2005, according to >a press release. Source: The Danish Film Institute (17 November 2005) Top

DR presents promises – and requests for a new Media Agreement [Audiovisual media] [Denmark]

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A new Media Agreement covering the period 2007-2010 will soon be discussed by the Parliament. DR must have the chance to develop if it is to ensure that the Danish people continue to have access to public service radio and television to the same extent and at the same level as today. That is the message of DR’s bid for a new agreement, according to DR – an initiative to show how DR plans to manage central duties related to cultural policy and democratic development. Basic elements of the DR initiative are: a 1.5% increase in the licence for the duration of the agreement period, in addition to adjustments made for increases in wages and prices, and the introduction of a universal licence (instead of today’s TV and radio licence), due to the fact that DR’s programs may be viewed and listened to via a number of new technological platforms. In addition, DR suggests that the Copyright Act should be modernized, in order to permit people’s access to programs whenever they want to watch and listen to them. The initiative also contains 10 promises to the Danish people, among them: News broadcasts designed for children, a new children’s TV channel, and a TV channel aimed at young people, transmitted via the digital network, more Danish television dramas, game shows with a public service content, a special effort to enable handicapped people to participate fully in society, an Internet-based interactive history guide and a new Danish digital history channel. There have been numerous comments on the DR initiative. “DR at present gets DKK 3.054 billion via the licence, and that must be enough to produce first-class television and radio programs. The Danes pay a very high licence fee, and I oppose the idea of loading still more taxes and fees on them”, the Minister of Culture, Mr. Brian Mikkelsen, says in a written comment to the newspaper Politiken. The Government’s opposition in the Parliament is more than willing to discuss an increase in the licence, the newspaper writes. Source: DR/Politiken (15 November 2005) Top

Transmissions from Sky Radio cease [Audiovisual media] [Denmark] Claims comprising millions of Danish kroner from the authorities and claims of indemnification from Sky Radio are components of the massive amount of news created by the closure of the sole commercial Danish national radio channel on 14 November 2005. The reason for the close-down – according to a statement by Managing Director of Sky Radio, Kasper Krüger, to Politiken – is that the channel, two years ago, thought it had purchased a transmission permit for a channel with national coverage. However, Mr. Krüger maintains that the channel only covers half of the country, and that Sky Radio has not got what it paid for. He also claims that the Radio and Television Board has not been willing to negotiate. The Radio and Television Board dissociates itself from the allegations made by Sky Radio, the Board says in a press release. The channel’s administration has asserted that the National IT and Telecom Agency, when calculating the scope of the permit, has made use of methods not in agreement with international norms, methods different from the calculations used when planning public service company DR’s channels. This is not correct, the Board writes. The deficit of Sky Radio was DKK 4.3 million in 2003, and 72.1 million in 2004. The listener share in April 2005 (the highest ever for the channel) was 7.3%. Source: Politiken/ the Radio and Television Board (14 November 2005) Top

Licence for digital television network [Audiovisual media] [Finland] The Government announces that a network operating licence for the fourth multiplex, meant for mobile television operations in terrestrial digital broadcasting networks, is open for applications. The network operator will be responsible for the transmission network and management of the fourth digital multiplex. The operating licence is national and will be issued for a maximum period of 20 years.

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Frequencies for high-power transmitters have been coordinated for operations open for licence applications. The usage of the coordinated frequencies will cover around 70% of the population. The network may later be supplemented with smaller transmitters that need to be coordinated separately. The licence will include a condition according to which the licence holder is obliged to sell network capacity to service operators and other third parties. The aim of the operating licence is to create scope for a new type of content service market. Technology used in the network accords with the DVB-H standard. The network must support terminals that are in compliance with the IPDC standard. The structure must allow use of the network for the distribution of digital radio contents, according to >a press release. Source: The Ministry of Transport and Communications (14 November 2005) Top

The new Government increases the budget appropriations for film [Audiovisual media] [Norway] The Stoltenberg Government wishes to strengthen the budget appropriations for film, by NOK 14 million, as compared with the proposal from the outgoing Government. The aggregated increase in the budget for film purposes will be NOK 31 million in 2006, as compared with 2005. This means, among other things, that NOK 10 million are supplied as additional funding for film production to the Norwegian Film Fund, and that the regional film production institutions will receive increased grants. “In a small country such as Norway, it is an important public responsibility to ensure that there is a constant offering of movies and other audiovisual products that reflect our history, our culture and our language. Norway must have the ambition to take a larger share of the vast national and international market for film”, the Minister of Culture and Church Affairs, Mr. Trond Giske, says. The aggregated budget of the Ministry will increase by NOK 166 million, as compared with the outgoing Government’s proposal. Source: The Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs (10 November 2005) Top

Report on the activities of the public service broadcasters [Audiovisual media] [Norway] The Media Authority has put forward its first annual evaluation of the activities of the public service broadcasters. In its report, the Media Authority evaluates the efforts made by the broadcasters NRK, TV 2, P4 and Kanal 24 to fulfil its obligations concerning the production and transmission of programs during 2004. Earlier, the evaluation was conducted by a separate board. On 17 June 2005, a number of amendments to the Broadcasting Act came into force, among them a new regulation for the use of sanctions. The Media Authority does not make use of any sanctions concerning infringements of the law committed during 2004. The Authority will give the companies involved a chance to get used to how it will apply the regulation during the coming years. For instance, the Authority finds that the radio channel Kanal 24 has to some extent violated the regulation, but this will not have any consequences for the channel at this point. Source: The Media Authority (4 November 2005) Top

Increased business for the radio and TV sector in 2004 [Audiovisual media] [Norway] The 2004 revenue for the production companies in the radio and TV sector amounted to NOK 7 billion, an increase of 8% from 2003, according to

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Statistics Norway. These companies employed 5,781 persons. The businesses falling within the sector of cultural services had a turnover of NOK 11.7 billion, and employed 9,306 persons in 2004. The statistics comprise the sectors of radio and television, film and video, in addition to news agencies. Production and distribution of film and video and film projection altogether had a revenue of NOK 3.7 billion in 2004, and 2,680 persons were employed in the companies. The figures show an increase in turnover, but a decrease in terms of employment. The increase in turnover is caused to a certain extent by fusions of companies that still have business in other sectors or trades. A change in method has led to the exclusion of project employees in film production companies, employees who were previously counted as employed by the companies, Statistics Norway writes. Source: Statistics Norway (31 October 2005) Top

Information about transition to digital TV satisfactory, Swedes say [Audiovisual media] [Sweden] Gotland, Gävle and Motala are the first areas to be affected by the full switchover from analogue to digital transmissions in the digital terrestrial television network. The transition will be completed during the fall of 2005. On 21 November, the public service channels SVT2 and TV4 were only available on the digital network for the citizens of Motala, and on 5 December the channel SVT1 will follow suit. Many have feared that the transition would cause difficulties for a large number of viewers. However, 80% of the citizens of Gotland and Gästrikland say that they felt the information provided about the switchover was satisfactory, according to a survey carried out by Mediavision and commissioned by Digitaltvkommissionen (the commission responsible for monitoring the digital switchover). Costs are mentioned as a problem. The Commission states that most viewers bought a digital set-top box long before the transition, even though some chose to wait until the last moment. A small minority rejected the transition, reasoning that it would cost too much. Less than 1% of respondents mentioned costs as a reason to wait, according to >Digitaltvövergången, the website of the Commission. The Ministry of Education, Research and Culture has been aware of this: The first “people’s set-top box”, costing SEK 500, arrived just in time to be offered to the Motala viewers, the Minister of Education, Research and Culture, Mr. Leif Pagrotsky announces. He is happy to see that the costs of the set-top boxes have been halved since the turn of the year. In a few years, high definition television, HDTV, will be a common element in the Swedish digital terrestrial television network. On 10 November, the network distribution company Teracom, in association with the companies Sagem and Thomson, showed publicly, for the first time in the world, terrestrial network transmissions of the new mpeg4 technology, enabling highly efficient transmissions of HDTV. ”When we have shown that the service functions as expected, we will offer the Swedish households HDTV transmissions via the ordinary digital television network. This is of great immediate interest, as we know that the television companies want to transmit special events in HDTV, like the FIFA World Cup next year”, says Bengt Broman, Managing Director of Teracom, according to a press release. Source: Digitaltvövergången/the Ministry of Education, Research and Culture/Teracom (21 November 2005)

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New licences for digital terrestrial television [Audiovisual media] [Sweden] The Swedish Radio and TV Authority has made its recommendations to the Government on which companies should be granted licences for terrestrial digital television in Sweden. There is currently room for three new program services in the digital terrestrial network, according to >a press release. If additional broadcasting capacity is made available during 2006 and 2007, the Authority also recommends that additional companies be granted

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licences, supplementing the companies involved in the first wave of licensing. Applications for licences to broadcast digital terrestrial television are being processed by the Swedish Radio and TV Authority. The applicants are to present their financial situation and technical qualifications. In addition, a programme declaration must be included in the application. The Authority will then submit a well-reasoned proposal to the government concerning which companies should be granted a licence. The Government will then decide on how the licences should be distributed. Today, 20 different companies hold such a licence, and a total of 33 programme services are broadcasted. The Minister of Education, Research and Culture, Mr. Leif Pagrotsky, comments: ”I am happy to see that the Radio and TV Authority has received a large number of applications for new and interesting channels. I foresee a promising future for Swedish viewers. Now an intensive period of work is commencing, and decisions on licensing will have to be made by the Government during the first quarter of 2006. Offering more free channels in the network is a priority for this work.” Source: The Swedish Radio and TV Authority /the Ministry of Education, Research and Culture (21 November 2005) Top

Security and privacy in digital administration [Information Society] [Denmark] Major changes in public administration will be underway in the years to come, when digital administration is driven forward in reality. Communication between citizens and administration is to be digitalized, the Danish Board of Technology announces. Digital administration with new structures and forms of organization will change the relations between citizens and administration. If the full rationalization potential of IT is to be exploited in the administration, the existing privacy legislation will be put under pressure. The technology allows for a free flow of data about citizens between different parts of the administration. The idea of giving citizens one entrance to the public administration may mean both better service and the risk of invasion of privacy. The task of the Danish Board of Technology will be to explore how to avoid a situation in which the demands of rationalization, effectiveness and service in digital administration lead to loss of citizens’ right to protection of privacy. The ambition is to give suggestions on how the digital administration should be arranged if it is to comply with the citizens’ rights and wishes. Source: The Danish Board of Technology (1 November 2005) Top

Second interim report of the national broadband strategy [Information Society] [Finland] The Finnish Government's national broadband strategy is to promote competition in and between all communications networks, to improve service and content provision in networks, to increase broadband demand and to continue to improve special measures in fields with no adequate demand for commercial broadband supply. The second interim report of the national broadband strategy has now been put forward to the Ministry of Transport and Communications. On 29 January 2004, the Government adopted a resolution on the national broadband strategy that included a 50-point action plan. On 3 February 2005, it adopted a new resolution specifying the objectives of the strategy and added 9 new action points to the original resolution. These action points included the following: the development of wireless broadband will be promoted; new content and services will be promoted; and any remaining obstacles to competition will be removed. The broadband working group has monitored implementation of the strategy and gives an account of it in this report. The report also includes a summary of the measures taken under every action point. The aims of the original broadband strategy have been achieved. According to the strategy, Finland should have 1,000,000 broadband subscriptions by the end of 2005. In September 2005, the number already amounted to approx. 1,100,000. In addition, high-speed telecommunication services are

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available for 95.3% of the population. The third aim, which was to maintain Finland's position as one of the European leaders in the use and availability of telecommunications connections, has also been achieved. The policy principles of the broadband strategy have proven to be successful and should be maintained as such. In the future, it will be elementary to promote the development of the next generation networks. Read more about the National broadband strategy: >Interim report II. Source: The Ministry of Transport and Communications (27 October 2005) Top

New initiatives for legal right of access to digital services [Information Society] [Norway] Surveying the need for and preparation of projects that may give more people access to broadband services is among the initiatives made by the Stoltenberg Government in its proposal for a state budget for the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Approximately 95% of Norwegian households will be offered broadband services before the end of 2005. Norway is among the foremost countries in the world with regard to broadband coverage. However, there is still work to be done before it will be meaningful to talk about a digital legal right of access in those parts of the country where it is difficult to develop a covering network, the Ministry of Transport and Communications states in a press release. Source: The Ministry of Transport and Communications (10 November 2005) Top

Easier access to the State’s archives [Freedom of speech and copyright] [Denmark] The Minister of Culture, Mr. Brian Mikkelsen, has initiated measures to secure easier user access to the State’s archives. The Minister and the Standing Parliamentary Committee on Culture have discussed the issue of access to the archives, and the Ministry of Culture announces that the objective, among other things, is to improve access to archives covering the years of occupation (1940-45). The initiatives focus on the need to evaluate legislation, involving relevant researchers and a so-called pastoral letter to relevant ministries, stressing the need for a liberal access practice. Source: The Ministry of Culture (3 November 2005) Top

File sharing reported [Freedom of speech and copyright] [Finland] The Finnish professional body of the music trade, ÄKT (IFPI Finland), has reported many instances of illegal distribution of music files via the Internet to the police, YLE-Internytt announces. Thanks to amendments to the Copyright Act (see next notice), spreading and downloading files protected by copyright via the Internet will be prohibited, even if this is not done for commercial purposes. Managing Director Arto Alaspää of ÄKT has reported several IP addresses to the police. From the addresses, thousands of files containing music have been distributed. The organization became aware of the activities when surveillance of the traffic of file sharing networks was carried out. ÄKT reported 28 instances of illegal distribution of music files in April 2005. In 11 of the cases, the parties came to terms. 3,400 euro was the average amount paid as compensation, Internytt writes. Source: YLE-Internytt (15 November 2005 Top

The Copyright Act and Penal Code will be amended [Freedom of speech and copyright] [Finland]

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As part of the revision of the Copyright Act, legislation will be updated to take into account special issues related to the digital and network environment, the Ministry of Education announces. The reform will enact nationally the changes required by the copyright directive of 2001. The amendments will mainly come into force on 1 January 2006. Among the changes: * Distributing files over the Internet without permission will be forbidden. Even if the distribution was not done with the intent to earn money, actions that violate copyright can be punished as copyright crimes. * Copying by consumers for their own use will still be permitted. Downloading illicit material from the Internet will be prohibited. Making backup copies of computer programs will still be permitted, as before. * Possible copy protection of recordings may not be circumvented for making a copy. * Obtaining user licences for mass use will be made easier by new licence agreement provisions. For instance, it will be possible to effect an agreement with an organization representing the copyright holders about the digital use of the material in teaching. * Distribution of material using information networks will be the exclusive right of copyright holders (they have the right to decide on the form and terms of use). The right to decide on 'on-demand' communication to the public will also be given to performing artists (musicians, actors, etc.), phonogram and film producers, radio and television companies and photographers. * A copy of a work acquired for private use, as well as copies of work in the collections of archives, libraries and museums, may be distributed further regardless of where it was obtained. Thus, the right to import audio records, books and comics from outside the EU for one's own use remains unchanged. Source: The Ministry of Education (13.10.2005) Top

Threats and violence against representatives – the media’s role [Freedom of speech and copyright] [Sweden] The Parliamentary Committee on Threats and Violence against Representatives (Ju 2004:07) has organized a seminar discussing the significance of the media’s activities in connection with threatening and violent behaviour against elected members of local and central bodies. Coinciding with the seminar, the committee published an anthology including the contributions of media researchers and journalists. A survey has shown that several elected members of local and central bodies are exposed to harassment, threats and, to some extent, violence owing to their political commitment. Quite a few of the representatives think that such exposure has escalated as a consequence of the way in which the media report on politics, according to a press release about the seminar. In the press release, two examples of the items discussed in the anthology are given: 1) Investigative reporting does not mean that the reporter must abstain from writing critical articles just because he or she wants to avoid intensifying this so-called contempt for politicians. Such contempt is primarily caused by the politicians themselves, not by the media. 2) The media violate the personal integrity of public persons. Today it is legitimate not only to investigate persons in power, but also to expose their private lives. This is done under the shield of the mantra of “general interest”. This is where the violence initiated by the media has its origins. Source: The Ministry of Justice (16 November 2005) Top

Who should govern the Internet? [International issues: The Nordic perspective] The World Summit on the Information Society >(WSIS) held in Tunis (16-18 November) had several priorities, among them to reach agreement on the future of Internet Governance. In December 2003, the first WSIS meeting was held in Geneva. WSIS is organized by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in co-operation with other UN institutions.

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State Secretary of the Norwegian Foreign Ministry, Raymond Johansen, addressed the Summit in a speech about Internet Governance. During preparations for the Summit, it became clear that the U.S. did not wish to replace the U.S.-based ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) with a new body, for instance under the administration of the United Nations. ICANN distributes Internet addresses and domains, and critics of this system have pointed out that it is unhealthy for Internet development on a global basis if ICANN retains sole responsibility for these tasks. In >his speech, State Secretary Johansen said “(the) challenge of Internet Governance is also a pioneering challenge of global governance. For my government, this represents a dilemma. On the one hand, we fully appreciate the unique role of the United States in the development of the Internet and as the benevolent guardian of the continued security, stability and functioning of the Internet”. Mr. Johansen continued to say that at the same time the Norwegian Government understands the sense of democratic deficit the current governance regime can cause around the world, a sense of democratic deficit that could undermine the spirit of cooperation necessary to deal with common threats to the Internet, including cybercrime and spam. He, therefore, welcomed adoption of the constructive approach by the Summit, and looked forward to participating actively in the agreed-upon process that will allow all to move towards a new model of international cooperation on Internet Governance. A compromise was attained, Aftenposten writes. The U.S. will still have control through ICANN, but in addition an international forum under the auspices of the U.N. will be established. The forum is to meet for the first time in 2006, in Athens. The chairman of the Norwegian Library Association, Frode Bakken, says to Aftenposten that the hegemony of the U.S. has not been broken, but that the compromise means that global co-operation will influence the development of the Internet. This is a positive response to the current debate. Source: The Norwegian Foreign Ministry/Aftenposten (18 November 2005) Top

Denmark is satisfied with UNESCO convention on cultural diversity [International issues: The Nordic perspective] The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions was adopted during the UNESCO General Conference in Paris in October 2005, to the great satisfaction of, among others, the Danish Minister of Culture, Mr. Brian Mikkelsen. ”The >new convention (pdf-file) helps to secure the future of subsidy schemes for artists and cultural projects, which is of the utmost importance to Danish culture, for instance to film support. The convention, thus, makes it possible to hold on to and develop our national identity – in close interaction with the culture of other countries”, the Minister says, according to a press release. The >prelude to the convention, The UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity, was adopted unanimously by the 185 Member States represented at the 31st session of the General Conference in 2001. Source: The Danish Ministry of Culture/UNESCO (21 October 2005) Top

Nordic support for free media development [International issues: The Nordic perspective] Prior to the UNESCO General Conference in Paris in October 2005, the Nordic countries put forward >a draft resolution (pdf-file) supporting the principles formulated in the UNESCO declarations "Assistance to Media in Conflict Areas and Countries in Transition" >(Belgrade Declaration) and >"Media and Good Governance." They were adopted in Belgrade during the World Press Freedom Day 2004 and in Dakar during the World Press Freedom Day 2004, respectively. During the debate on the Nordic initiative in Paris in October 2005, it became clear at an early stage that the objections raised against the formulations in the draft resolution were so many that the resolution could not be adopted. The text focused on three fundamental elements: A free,

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Nordicom - Nordic Media Policy

http://www.nordicom.gu.se/eng_mt/minletter.php?id=47

pluralistic and independent press, development based on human rights and freedom of information from public bodies. Both the U.S. and Russia raised objections to the formulations. Following adoption of an amendment proposed by Sweden, Egypt put forward a new proposal that was adopted in the end. However, a special entry in the minutes was called for by a majority of the UNESCO member countries. The final text is still not available via the Internet. Source: Nordicom/UNESCO (21 October 2005) Top

The newsletter contains links to other websites that offer more thorough coverage of issues. When websites containing external sources are reconstructed (with regard to structure or content), this unfortunately often results in broken links. We also would like to recommend Media Law in the Nordic Countries. Here you will find a general overview of media legislation in Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, covering copyright, freedom of speech and media pluralism, audiovisual media, print media and the information society. The overview is an integrated part of Nordicom’s documentation of Nordic media development.

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