THE NORWEGIAN MEDIA AUTHORITY

World DMB Forum General Assembly 2007

The Norwegian Media Authority• The Norwegian Media Authority is an administrative body,

placed under the Royal Ministry of Cultural and Church Affairs

• The Media Authority consists of three former supervision bodies: • The National Board of Film Classification• The Media Ownership Authority• The Mass Media Authority

• Merged from 1.1.2005

• Moved in together 20.3.2006

• 44 employees, 40 mill NOK budget

The Norwegian Media Authority • The Media Authority is divided into four departments:

• User safety (which includes tasks like age classification of movies)• Media Grants and Analysis• Administration• Licencing and Supervision

The Norwegian Media Authority• Licensing and Supervision Department

• issue broadcasting licences for radio and television• issue facility licences• supervise broadcasters who are under Norwegian jurisdiction to make

sure that the broadcasts comply with both the provisions set in the Broadcasting Act and the Broadcasting Regulation, and with the various licence terms and conditions (including public service obligations)

• impose sanctions when provisions and licence terms are breached• supervise the ownership shares in media organisations with regard to

the provisions in The Media Ownership Act

Remaining topics• The Norwegian licensing regime

• The authorities’ role with regard to DAB in Norway

• Present and future DAB-tasks at the Media Authority

The Norwegian Licensing Regime

The Norwegian Licensing Regime• Broadcasting in Norway – three different licences

• a broadcasting licence (except NRK who has a legal right to broadcast)

• a facility licence (for establishment or operation of wireless, ground-based transmitting facility used for broadcasting), and

• a spectrum licence

The Norwegian Licensing Regime• Broadcasting licence

• Media Authority/Ministry of C&C Affairs• Pursuant to the Broadcasting Act

• Facility licence• Media Authority• Pursuant to the Broadcasting Act/Broadcasting Regulation

• Spectrum licence• Post and Telecommunications Authority• Pursuant to the Electronic Communications Act

The Norwegian Licensing Regime• “The Telcoms package”

• The Access Directive• The Authorisation Directive• The Universal Service Directive• The Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communication

The authorities’ role with regard to DAB

The authorities’ role - DAB• The development strategy and the investment in DAB

lies upon the broadcasting operators

• The authorities’ role is merely of a facilitative nature• Issue the necessary licences• Secure consumer aspects• Take into consideration the Norwegian licensing regime• Take into consideration political decisions regarding DAB

Present and future DAB-tasks at the Media Authority

Present and future DAB-tasks• Task of allocating new licences for radio services in the DAB

network assigned to the Media Authority

• announce new broadcasting licences in the nationwide DAB block

• issue a permanent broadcasting licence to the only public service broadcaster on FM who is not already a DAB broadcaster, Channel 24 (Kanal 24), and

• prolong the broadcasting licence for the existing commercial DAB-broadcaster, P4

• Three DAB-licences will be announced

Present and future DAB-tasks

• Process delayed • Broadcasters not satisfied with the terms and

conditions of the licences• Dialogue between the Media Authority and the

broadcasters has been good• Solution within reach?• Still some issues between the public service

broadcasters and the Ministry of Cultural and Church Affairs which need to be solved

Present and future DAB-tasks

• Facility licence and spectrum licence has been announced – nationwide DAB-block

• Norkring applied for the spectrum licence but not the facility licence

• Granted together – integrated whole• Licences not issued yet• Solution?• Re-announcing?

Present and future DAB-tasks

• Future tasks

• Announce licences for a second nationwide DAB-block

• Establish terms and conditions for these licences • Other services than radio content?• DMB?

• Local radio• DAB-trials for local radios in larger cities in Norway• Has to be done in collaboration with the Post and

Telecommunications Authority

Thank you!