EBU Urges EU Policymakers to Strengthen AVMSD

Why It Matters

A robust AVMSD will protect media sustainability, ensure fair competition with tech giants, and preserve the diversity essential to democratic societies across the EU.

Key Takeaways

• EBU pushes mandatory prominence for general‑interest media across platforms
• Calls to curb unfair revenue sharing and ad replacement by gatekeepers
• Seeks equal rules for video‑sharing sites and traditional broadcasters
• Wants to keep provisions for major events, short news, European works
• Proposes AVMSD as lex specialis over the Digital Services Act

Pulse Analysis

The Audiovisual Media Services Directive has long been the cornerstone of Europe’s broadcast regulation, setting standards for content accessibility, cultural quotas, and public‑interest obligations. As the EU prepares its first comprehensive overhaul in over a decade, the EBU’s position paper arrives at a pivotal moment, urging policymakers to embed stronger safeguards for general‑interest media. By mandating prominence across devices and platforms, the revised directive could counteract the erosion of visibility that traditional broadcasters face in an increasingly algorithm‑driven ecosystem.

Digital giants and emerging AI‑driven interfaces now dominate content discovery, often sidelining trusted news sources in favor of personalized feeds. The EBU warns that unchecked gatekeeping—through unfair revenue‑sharing models, ad‑replacement tactics, and restrictive out‑linking—threatens the financial viability of European media houses. Addressing these practices not only protects journalistic integrity but also ensures that cultural and regional programming can compete for audience attention, preserving the pluralism that underpins democratic discourse.

Aligning the AVMSD with the Digital Services Act by establishing it as a lex specialis would eliminate regulatory asymmetries that currently give video‑sharing platforms a looser set of obligations. Such harmonisation would create a level playing field, allowing broadcasters to innovate while maintaining the sector‑specific protections that have historically supported European works, live events, and short‑form news. If adopted, the proposed changes could reshape the EU media landscape, fostering sustainable business models and reinforcing the continent’s cultural heritage for years to come.