Brussels, 17 July 2008 – On the occasion of the “European Conference on the Public Service Broadcasting in  the  Digital Age”  held  in Strasbourg today and tomorrow, the Association of Commercial Broadcasters  in Europe (ACT) calls on the European Commission to update the rules for state aid to public broadcasters.

Ross Biggam, Director General of the ACT commented: “The rapid change of the media environment needs more than ever a clear and future-proof review of state aid rules applicable to public broadcasters. The development of transparent criteria to differentiate between public and commercial broadcasting will enable both players to more effectively pursue their respective tasks and thus continue to generate public value for European citizens.”