Looking For the User in Media Pluralism Regulation: Unraveling the Traditional Diversity Chain and Recent Trends of User Empowerment in European Media Regulation

Abstract

Are increases in diverse media content meaningless if this additional content is ignored by the audience? If, in the end, consumption of diverse media is what matters, how should states shape policies to address the “empowered” user? Professor Valcke's article reviews the traditional approaches of the European Union and its Member States toward media diversity, which focused on sources and content with limited attention to media use. She argues that, without abandoning traditional measures, regulators must broaden their scope and consider how to promote use diversity. She sees the proposed European Pluralism Monitor as helpful in this regard and makes some suggestions for further regulatory improvements.