Address by Frédéric Mitterrand on the occasion of the closing of the Symposium on Connected TV

I sincerely thank President Michel Boyon, not only for
have invited me to close this day of debate, but also to have it
initiated, in order to be able to collectively debate issues and questions,
real and fantasized, that pose televisions connected to the internet.
Development of new services available on equipment
that you have spoken about today, illustrates in
France one of the new trends offered by digital, already
over the last ten years or so: the rise in power
less regulated networks compared to the world of over-the-air broadcasting,
although it remains by far the majority in everyday usage
of the French.
Connected TVs would thus materialize, at the very heart of the
the meeting between audiovisual media services on the one hand, and
The European Union’s Charter of Fundamental
advertising, respect for the dignity of the human person,
obligation to produce and exhibit European works and
French. ) and access to less regulated video services
available online, including videos generated by users,
such as on YouTube or Dailymotion sites, to quote a
global national actor.
One of the most concrete examples that comes to mind
young audience: it is indeed very delicate, on the television of the
exhibition, to ensure today a protection of minors as effective on
content that is much less regulated than audiovisual
“traditional”.
This is a major societal issue: the balance between
the absolute freedom of creation and the responsibility of all, to begin
by public authorities, to define the framework within which this freedom
benefits the public interest. If the television media is
become so dear to the French over time, and if its place is strengthened
with the digital shift – as shown by the latest
television consumption per hour – it’s good that this great
established a bond of trust with each of us. This
trust, this intimate bond, is in my opinion the best guarantee for
the development of the editorial freedom of our
the inventiveness of our creators, and that television
can thus bring us together and be a powerful vector of social bond.
Another concrete example of the disruptions caused by television sets
access to audiovisual content. The
does not the programme of traditional television channels risk
to be lost, drowned in the ocean videos that circulate today on
Internet? And in so doing, the mediating role played by publishers of
Should it not be redefined or even strengthened?
These are problems that we already find with video to the
demand. These are questions that very rightly point to
Dominique Richard in his recent report on the
Audiovisual Outlook 2015, which is now public. In
the framework of the broader findings and recommendations
Dominique Richard, who will soon be submitted to the consultation
professionals under the umbrella of my department’s services, my
particular attention was paid to his reflections on
connected televisions.
This is an exciting topic because we are here at the heart of many
forms of regulation, ranging from the self-regulation of actors among themselves,
to co-regulation, and to the enactment of normative rules of nature
legislative.
Should we be worried by these technological upheavals? Should we
In the words of Michel Boyon,
a “makeover” for audiovisual actors, invited to
look to the future and expand their service offering, enrich their
relationship with viewers?
It is all a question of proportion, of balance, of the role that will continue to
regulated players, including publishers. Personally, I do not
we will be able to reconcile the qualitative requirement that has always
was ours with the evolution of techniques, as we were able to do
in the past.
For some, channel selection by the Board of Governors
the audiovisual sector could eventually appear as a
relative in a world of profusion, if it is so easy, for example,
equally transparent access to a television channel
via a smart TV or a box only if it was available on
the DTT.
Thus again the issues related to the numbering of DTT channels
would they be relative to the appearance of the service interface as
Google TV, which could give the viewer some
flexibility in the organization of the service offering.
However, these trends must be assessed with caution,
to the extent that they will require confirmation and should not
effect only in the long term. Indeed, even though I am
aware that new technologies are part of our daily lives
faster than we think, I know that our fellow citizens
deeply attached to a television of «appointments», shared
together at the same time.
Two clear risks for publishers of audiovisual services are
however today identified:
a new level in the fragmentation of hearings, given
the increased richness and diversity of content access offers
audiovisual;
the possible de-in-ter-mediation between the publisher and the viewer, who
see either connected TV manufacturers or rights holders
(for example, American studios) directly offer content
exclusive to viewers . Given the central role
performed by service publishers in audiovisual production, these
elements call for reflection on the evolution of the
regulation and contribution to the financing of content creation
audiovisual media, notably available on the Internet.
Regarding the fragmentation of hearings, I would like to make a brief comment.
historical reminder of the evolution of the audiovisual landscape
terrestrial over-the-air broadcasting has been
long the only mode of distribution of television services.
Initiated in the 1980s and 1990s by the deployment of cable networks
then by launching satellites dedicated to the audiovisual, the
The European Commission has
recent years: on the one hand with the strong growth in access to
television by ADSL; on the other hand by the launch of
mobile television which, until now, remain limited to offers on
mobile phone networks, lack of an economic model at this stage
credible for the implementation of a real mobile television
personal.
Digital has clearly changed the situation on all vectors
broadcasting including terrestrial radio, of course, by allowing
offer a very wide choice of chains. This has mechanically led to
a fragmentation of channel audiences, which must be
today to offer powerful, highly editorial brands for
stand out.
Digital also offers a tremendous opportunity to enrich
the provision of a programme on its component, often referred to as non-linear,
that are mainly catch-up television and video to the
requests. If the Internet is one of the means of access to these services, it
must not forget that it is not the only one. Television services by
ADSL, cable but also soon by DTT are also
more than interesting vectors for this type of programmes.
I am of course counting on the publishers of the audiovisual landscape to
naturally show the way for these new services, by showing
imaginative, innovative and open. I know they already are and that their
programs in catch-up television are already widely prized by
TV viewers. I salute the approach taken by the
Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) publishers in developing
a common charter with manufacturers, on the methods of display
online content and services on televisions and other materials
connected video.
Like them, I am committed to keeping them in control of
their programs and the integrity of their content, and what may be
guaranteed non-discriminatory access to all publishers and suppliers of
contents I am also in favour of setting up a
open and interoperable technology that allows the most
The European Union is a world leader in the field of information technology.
Concerning the possible de-inter-mediation between the publisher and the
it does represent a potential risk, such as
this has been mentioned today, although it could perhaps be limited
services which are consumed in a minority way, but which have the effect of
longtail.
Given the central role played by service publishers in the
audiovisual and film production, the adaptation of our
support mechanisms for creation is one of the major challenges that must
right now, if we want diversity to continue
that we have always defended and that has been so successful.
This diversity is a major issue for my department. Its defence and
promotion in the digital age are significant challenges, as we
Let’s Start Identifying: I Want Proof of Regulation
on-demand audiovisual media services, which, like
included these new services in the virtuous circle of the
financing of creation.
In order to anticipate these developments, to identify the regulatory and
competitiveness linked to its development and to prevent its effects on
balance of audiovisual production and broadcasting, I hope
launch, jointly with Eric Besson, Minister in charge of
the digital economy, a mission on this subject. This mission, we
have decided to entrust it to five qualified personalities,
experiences and activities diverse enough to embrace the
wealth of issues raised by connected television: MM.
Marc Tessier, Philippe Levrier, Martin Rogard, Takis Candilis, and Jérémie
Manigne.
I hope that they will be able to associate a narrow group with their reflections
experts from all stakeholders on the subject, ranging from
writing and production of content until it is made available to
of all, consumers and young audiences, including
They will of course have the support of
my services as well as those of the Ministry of the Digital Economy.
Their mission will be to take stock of opportunities and risks
related to the development of connected TVs, supported by the
industrial, economic and regulatory issues for the various
sectors concerned in France, the consequences on competition and, in
its reach for viewers.
The recommendations we would like to have by the start of the school year
will aim to make the arrival of connected TVs a
opportunity to strengthen the competitiveness of our economy, to
financing of audiovisual content and creation, by
issues of protection of viewers.
These recommendations will be useful not only at the national level but also
also at Community level.
I thank them for accepting this responsibility and for taking on this
work quickly, and thank you for your attention.