Market power becomes an issue for European and

national law makers whenever market players acquire a

degree of power which severely disturbs the market

balance. In this sense, the audiovisual sector is no

exception. But this sector is different in that too much

market power may not only endanger the competitive

parameters of the sector but may also become a threat

to the freedom of information . It is this latter aspect

which turns market power into a particularly sensitive

issue for the audiovisual sector. National legislators and

regulators backed by national courts seek solutions

adapted to this problem.

This IRIS Special issue deals with the regulation of

market power in the audiovisual sector in Europe.

The first part of this IRIS Special explores the European

Union's approach to limiting media power, an approach

still dominated by the application of competition law.

This IRIS Special explains the general functioning of

competition law and other regulatory instruments. It

specifically shows how the various services provided in

the audiovisual sector are regulated and what markets are

to be distinguished.

The second part contains a description of the legal frameworks

of 11 European countries used to address media

power. For each of these countries you will find in

particular information on the regulation of audiovisual

media services and enabling services, platforms and

converged services, and finally distribution services.

The eleven countries were selected for this study because

they either represented major markets for audiovisual

media services in Europe, or because they developed outside

the constraints of the internal market, or because

they had some interesting unique feature, for example

the ability to attract major market players despite lacking

an adequately sized market.

The third part brings in the economic background in the

form of different overviews concerning audience market

shares for television and video online. This data puts the

legal information into an everyday context.

The fourth and final part seeks to tie together the common

threads in state regulation of media power , to work

out the main differences and to hint to some unusual

solutions . Here and there it will weave in aspects of EU

law that have influenced the national legal frameworks.

This IRIS Special issue is a milestone on the way towards

greater transparency in the audiovisual sector concerning

the regulation of market power. It also highlights

the challenges of regulating converged markets

and related market power.

This comprehensive and timely analysis clarifies the complex

subject of the regulation of market power across Europe.