EUMEPLAT took part in the webinar “Insights for a Balanced Regulation: Considering Platforms Benefits and Protection Needs”, jointly organised by the IIC Italian Chapter (International Institute for Communication) and AGCOM (the Italian Communications Regulatory Authority) on December 14^th, 2021.

The aim of the event was to explore the effects produced by the digital ecosystem and, in particular, by the rise of online platforms, whose complexity and nature, beyond the immediate and obvious new business models and commercial offerings, raises, on one side, different concerns and, on the other, leads to benefits both for the individual and the community.

Prof. Andrea Miconi – EUMEPLAT coordinator and principal investigator – and Prof. Dr. Barbara Thomaß – HBI Senior Researcher – were invited in the Parallel Thematic Session 3 “Society, Culture, Environment: SVOD Services“, chaired by Ms. Celene Craig, Deputy Chief Executive, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

The main issues tackled during the session were related to the challenges raised by VoD services in terms of regulation and responsibility, production and consumption, role of the market players, cultural diversity of the contents.

Maja Cappello from the European Audiovisual Observatory offered a general overview on the European regulation system for VoD services, in particular with regard to the funding and promotion of European works, national production and multi-country co-productions.

Prof. Miconi presented the EUMEPLAT activities and objectives, highlighting the main research question the project addresses, which is the role played by the new platforms in creating or dismantling a European identity, while Prof. Dr. Thomaß offered an overview of the European media law, from the audiovisual regulation to the platform regulation.

Dr. Elia Cornelio Marí from the Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco presented her research focusing on binge watching and students’ perceptions about VoD platforms in Mexico.

Finally, Marianna Scharf, Director and Head of EU Public Policy at Netflix, underlined the triple role of video platform companies, which have a cultural impact in circulating local contents worldwide, an economic footprint for national market players and a role to play in favouring inclusion and diversity.

Download the program of the event

Watch the recordings of the session

Presentation of Prof. Miconi

Presentation of Prof. Dr. Thomaß

More information about the event is available here.