The media sector is poised to hog the European headlines in the months ahead, writes Mediaweek. There is a big conference in Liverpool to rewrite the borderless European television directive during the EU presidency of Tony Blair this September.
The original 1989 directive defined the rules governing what was then an emerging and menancing industry: pan-European commercial satellite broadcasting – the Sky revolution. Sixteen years later, the issue now becomes whether the spirit of the directive should be modernised and substantially extended to cover internet radio and mobile communications.

Crucial to this are issues such as ad minuteage, sponsorship, the freedom to schedule advertising breaks – imaginative solutions. The argument should surely be for liberalisation, handing decisions to broadcasters and media owners. Trusting them, in the spirit of self or co-regulation, not to alienate audiences.Which is pretty much the way the UK media is headed under Ofcom, whose chairman recently compared good regulation to the drains – you don't see them, or smell them, they just work invisibly. And indeed, this is precisely the UK Government's starting point: that Europe needs better, but less regulation.

Secondly, in divvying up the commercial impact of a single European TV market, there are grounds for optimism so far. TV research company David Graham Associates last week published a downbeat study saying the directive had not produced any great creative cross-fertilisation. With notable exceptions such as Champion League football and the more popular reality television programs, the EU media market remained pretty nationalistic.

The UK, along with its reputation in cutting edge content and all round leadership in the creative industries, also excels at public relations, marketing, communications. The European Union needs to explain itself far better. Harnessing that talent should also be a goal for Mr Blair's presidency.