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INDUSTRY France

Regulating the digital revolution

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The necessary formatting of cinematographic works due to the arrival of digital television and the threat of an unregulated digital revolution were the focus of debates at the Dijon Film Meetings (October 26-29) organised by ARP and attended by 450 industry professionals from 22 countries.

In their press release, the French Association of Authors, Directors and Producers have emphasised that television financing often imposes minimal norms that conform to politically correct demands, resulting in audiences finding themselves taken hostage by the market and manipulated by marketing. Pointing out that personal and original works are under serious threat, ARP are asking both governments and public television stations to take the necessary decisions and trying to convince private stations and large industrial groups that this conditioning by the formatting of works is leading to a cultural decline.

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Regarding the new territories opened up by digital technology – dealt with in detailed analysis in Dijon and soon the focus of a Cineuropa Special Report – ARP reiterated the urgency to regulate this new branch of the film industry that also has to participate in film financing. On a European level, the association are requesting that the new Television Without Frontiers directive (to be voted on in December in the European Parliament and examined by the European Council on November 13 and 14) support the circulation of European films and preserve the ability of the Member States to regulate non-linear services in order to guarantee cultural diversity.

ARP has also supported the MEDIA 2007 Programme in its efforts to make Video on Demand a real opportunity for European cinema and hopes to see the promotion of groups having the legal authorisation to put European films online.

Lastly, ARP members have denounced the unacceptable attack of industrialists (manufacturers of electronic goods and information technology) against copying for personal use and expressed their support for the readiness of the French government to help make all distributors in the audiovisual services contribute to the support fund.

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(Translated from French)

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