Role of the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe plays a significant role in promoting freedom of expression and the independent regulation of the media. It has also adopted a number of documents that form the legal and political framework for the field of audiovisual media.
It recognises that independent regulatory authorities responsible for overseeing the audiovisual sector are essential for creating a favourable environment for free and pluralistic media.
Key Areas of Focus
The Council of Europe also focuses on:
protecting journalists and strengthening their safety,
supporting media literacy as a tool for increasing public resilience,
countering disinformation and promoting trustworthy information flows,
developing recommendations and standards to ensure a pluralistic, transparent and accountable media environment in member states.
European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO)
In 1992, the Council of Europe established the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO), based in Strasbourg, in response to the need for greater transparency and information in the audiovisual sector. The Observatory continues to provide:
MAVISE - a freely accessible database of audiovisual services and video-sharing platforms,
comparative overviews of the audiovisual sector in 41 countries,
analyses of national and regional audiovisual markets,
data on the development of media, film production, broadcasting, and emerging technologies.
Involvement of the Council for Media Services (Slovakia)
The Council for Media Services is a member of international networks of regulators (e.g. EPRA), which closely cooperate with the Council of Europe. Within these platforms, common approaches to specific topics are developed, which are then reflected by the Council of Europe in its recommendations. The CMS engages in this process mainly through discussions and by providing input via questionnaires, contributing to the mapping of practices in member states.