How does the directive promote cultural diversity?
Promoting cultural diversity in the audiovisual media is often reduced to the simplistic question of whether or not imposing strict “content quotas” on broadcasters and other service providers is the right way to achieve this important aim. The current directive enables EU member states to impose certain “content quotas” in favour of European productions on traditional TV broadcasters “where practicable” and “by appropriate means,” and thus gives member states a wide margin of discretion. Regardless of the option chosen by individual member states, these “flexible quotas” for traditional TV have greatly stimulated European and independent content production and are today easily met by all 25 member states.
