During the past days of the 1st and 2nd of June, experts, professionals and academics from all over the country, analyzed the transformation process of the television during the CONTD Sessions (Contenidos para la Televisión Digital). This forum, which was organized by the Master’s degree of Audiovisual Contents and Formats, from the University of Valencia, accomplished and strengthened the prospects created in previous editions. The meeting generated the presence of a large and representative number of members form the different Spanish Audiovisual sectors, and also exceeded all the expectations of the organizers. During the sessions, different views, regarding the new television pattern, have been thought about: the role of the users regarding DTTV, the new business patterns, the role of the contents, the new law of the audiovisual, etc. This allowed us to create a useful and necessary reflection in this pre-normative moment, in which the dialogue between the Administration, Industry and Social Agents hasn’t had enough influence.
Some of the conclusions of these sessions talk about the fact that the new audiovisual model, resulting from the digital beginning, will bring new business options within the frame of the television cultural industry. We shouldn’t forget the fact that this process will also bring new options and opportunities for the citizens. In this view, the public and private televisions will have to redefine the strategic position regarding their public, but also regarding their contents and distribution platforms. Regarding the audiovisual production, its work routine will change, and concepts like, multicast, multiplatform, Internet waves or co-production, will have an added value.
The public television will have to make an effort in finding the brand that makes the difference. In this view, it will have to assure some quality contents that can combine, as far as possible, entertainment, plurality and the diversity of society. On their part, the private televisions, which are necessary in a competitive market, mustn’t lose sight of their public service vocation.
Technological convergence will allow the television to look for new broadcasting channels and as a result of this, part of the contents of the traditional channels will end up migrating towards new forms of visualization. This fact merely shows that, once more, the contents will always be prioritized in the comprehension of the television phenomenon. Regarding this aspect, we have to emphasize the importance of talent in the new television space. But talent cannot be always found on television, so it has to be looked for on the streets, at the training centers or wherever it is necessary. In this view, the economic resources for the new television will have to be at the disposal of the new models belonging to the productive channel of the public and private audiovisual industry.
The understanding between the different agents of the audiovisual sector and Management, is now more necessary than ever, because of the delicate social and economic moments that we are going through and the change that brings the definition of a new television pattern. The Audiovisual Council and the law that orders the functioning of the television industry, are necessary, because they have to bring together a series of dispersed regulatory measures and be able to give transparency to its functioning. The self-regulation or the regulation through a set of successive measures hasn’t brought us any advantages. It is necessary to build a strong yet prudent pattern that must be open to the changes that the Information and Knowledge Society asks of us. A pattern that, undoubtedly goes beyond the presence or absence of publicity within the media owned by the public.
The Organizing of the CONTD Sessions
