Reform of AVMSD: Towards Coherent Rules for EU-wide Platforms that Provide Access to Media Content

Rowena is the Head of International Content Policy at the UK Office of Communications (Ofcom), where she oversees media, content, and broadcasting policy at a global level. In this role, she leads Ofcom’s collaboration with international media regulators and global organisations, representing Ofcom on a wide range of media and content policy matters.

Before joining Ofcom’s International team, Rowena spent six years in its Broadcasting and Media Group, specialising in the audiovisual sector, media ownership, and European regulatory frameworks. She directed major programmes of work that shaped the foundations of UK broadcasting regulation, while driving forward-looking policy initiatives to anticipate emerging trends.

Earlier in her career, Rowena spent eight years at the Financial Ombudsman Service, progressing to the role of Ombudsman. She holds an LLB (Hons) in Law from SOAS, University of London.

Carolina Lorenzon, International Affairs Director at Mediaset, heads its parent company MFE’s Brussels Office. MFE-MediaforEurope N.V. consolidates the Groups’ activities within the EU, with extensive broadcast, content production and advertsing operations in Italy and Spain. Carolina is at present Chair of the Board at ACT (Association of Commercial Televisions and VOD services in Europe) member of the General Council at CRTV (Confindustria Radio Televisioni, the Italian Association of public and private broadcasters) and Board Member at GII – Gruppo d’Iniziativa Italiana – a cross-sector gathering of Italian companies represented in Brussels.

She graduated in Communication/International Affairs (Pepperdine University, Los Angeles) with a senior thesis on “Low Earth Orbit satellites for the development of telecommunication infrastructure in Least Developed Countries”, and holds a master’s degree in Economics and Global Policy (Università Cattolica, Milano).

Marta Sanagustin is Head of Sector for Audiovisual Media Services in DG CONNECT at the European Commission, dealing with the implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) and the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). She is closely involved in the work related to the evaluation and review of AVMSD. The audiovisual and media regulation includes notably rules to preserve cultural diversity, promote accessibility, protect children and consumers, and safeguard media pluralism. The EMFA is a crucial piece of EU legislation that puts in place a new set of rules to protect media pluralism and independence in the EU and provides safeguards against political interference in editorial decisions and against surveillance of journalists.

Before her current post, Marta already dealt with audiovisual matters, working in the copyright field and in particular in the copyright reform. Her previous experience in the Commissions includes positions in digital policies, notably telecommunication, legal affairs, interinstitutional issues, and research.

Sally Broughton Micova is a CERRE Academic Co-Director and an Associate Professor in Communications Policy and Politics at the University of East Anglia (UEA). She is also a member of UEA’s Centre for Competition Policy.

Her research focuses on media and communications policy in Europe.

She completed her PhD in the Department of Media and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), after which she was an LSE Teaching and Research Fellow in Media Governance and Policy and Deputy Director of the LSE Media Policy Project.

Michèle Ledger is a researcher at the Research Centre in Information, Law and Society (CRIDS) of the University of Namur where she also lectures on the regulatory aspects of online platforms at the postmaster degree course. She has been working for more than twenty years at Cullen International and leads the company’s Media regulatory intelligence service.