Denmark finalises new media agreement - here are the key changes
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Denmark
As an Intellectual Property lawyer, I advise national and international clients on IP law across various sectors, with a particular focus on media and entertainment.
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The Danish government have signed a new media agreement that will have a significant impact on the country’s media landscape, including international media companies operating in Denmark. The agreement pertains to the financing of DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) and other media outlets, with the aim of ensuring a redistribution of media support, allowing Danes to access relevant content at both the local and national levels.
Here is a summary of the key changes in the media agreement:
- All streaming services will be required to pay a fixed contribution of 2% of their revenue in Denmark, which will be allocated to support Danish film and TV production. However, streaming services that do not invest at least 5% of their revenue in Danish content will be subject to an additional contribution of 3%.
- The public service fund will be expanded to support Danish-language content for radio and podcasts.
- More funding will be allocated to local journalism and grants for small local media outlets.
- The innovation support funding will be made platform- and technology-neutral.
- Measures will be implemented to ensure fair wages and working conditions in the film and media industry.
- A fund will be established to support editorial production in printed and digital weekly newspapers.
- Funds will be allocated to promoting magazines with content of societal, political, or cultural relevance.
- A committee will examine public media support and its future structure.
- Funds will be allocated to create searchable access to DR's archives, and DR will be obligated to provide more archive content on DRTV.
- DR and TV 2 will be required to be open and transparent about the use of algorithms and personalised content, making it clear to users how recommended content is selected.
- Funding will be allocated to examine the role of TV 2's regional stations.
- A new center for social media, tech, and democracy will be established to work on regulating the tech sector and increasing control over social media platforms. The center will also explore options for regulating tech giants at both the national and EU levels.
- An annual amount of DKK 5.9 million will be allocated to the fact-checking media outlet TjekDet and to gather knowledge about fake news and misinformation.
Overall, the new media agreement, which will be valid from 2023 to 2026, will have significant consequences for the media industry in Denmark, affecting both DR, commercial media, and streaming services. However, it is still too early to determine exactly how the agreement will impact the industry, as it will take time to implement the various measures and assess their practical effects.
If you have any questions about how to handle the changes, feel free to contact Bird & Bird's legal experts specialising in the media industry.
