Media and Communications Policy in the European Union

Abstract

Media and communications policy across the European Union (EU) has been conducted at national level, with each member state developing a specific regulatory regime to oversee communication issues in its territory. While the print media in Europe have traditionally enjoyed a great degree of autonomy and self-regulation (Hutchison, 2007), broadcasting has attracted state intervention because of technical matters (spectrum limitation1) but also because of its capacity to influence listeners and viewers in their choices. However, the organization and functioning of the media systems are not the same across Europe, for they vary in the way they are funded and structured, their political independence, and so on (Humphreys, 1996; Iosifidis, 2007). The large variations among the media systems stem from the different traditions and political cultures as well as regulatory systems that exist across Europe.