Lenka Hrivnáková, Author at The Association of Commercial Television

POLICE SHUT DOWN UK ILLEGAL STREAMING DATA CENTRE

City of London Police have seized more than £1.2 million worth of equipment after shutting down a major illegal streaming data centre in Farnborough.

The operation was led by the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU), working with Sky, and disrupted thousands of illicit streams across the UK.

Police said the data centre hosted clusters of high-bandwidth servers used to supply illegal streams to many thousands of customers nationwide.

Two people were arrested in connection with the operation, while £700,000 was seized from one individual. Both have since been released under investigation.

Detective Sergeant Ben Hobbs of PIPCU said the size of the operation showed how widespread illegal streaming had become in the UK.

“We will continue to work closely with industry partners like Sky to disrupt these illegal streaming networks and protect consumers,” he said.

Sky’s group director of anti-piracy, Matt Hibbert, said illegal streaming was part of organised criminality that undermines the creative industries and posed risks to consumers.

Police and industry partners warned that illegal IPTV services can expose users to compromised devices, personal data theft, banking fraud and identity fraud.

Source: broadbandtvnews.com

ACE WINS FRENCH RULING AGAINST SPLIIIT PASSWORD-SELLING SERVICE

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment has welcomed a ruling by the Paris Judicial Court against subscription-sharing platform Spliiit.

The ruling centres on Spliiit’s role in creating a marketplace for streaming subscriptions. The court found the company facilitated the resale of access to services including Apple TV+, Disney+ and Netflix by connecting subscribers with third parties, a practice it said breached the contractual terms governing those subscriptions.

ACE said the ruling confirms that Spliiit was engaged in illicit password selling, where commercial operators facilitate the unauthorised sale of streaming service login credentials to multiple users in return for commission.

The coalition stressed that the case was not about sharing passwords within a family, but about commercial exploitation of subscriptions in breach of platform terms.

The court found that sharing Apple, Netflix and Disney subscriptions with third parties solely for that purpose breached the contracts binding those subscribers.

Larissa Knapp, EVP and Chief Content Protection Officer at the Motion Picture Association, said services that turn subscription credentials into a marketplace “exploit creators, consumers, and legitimate platforms”.

The court also found Spliiit had misled consumers by claiming its service did not infringe copyright or violate platform terms of service.

ACE said the ruling supports its wider efforts to protect the legal market for creative content and reduce unauthorised access to streaming services.

Source: broadbandtvnews.com

TV PIRACY IN GERMANY RISES SHARPLY, HITTING €2.4BN IN ANNUAL LOSSES

Illegal access to free-TV or pay-TV livestreams caused an estimated €2.4bn in economic damage in Germany last year, according to a new study published by industry association VAUNET.

The figure represents a 33% increase compared with the previous assessment in 2022, despite ongoing technical protections, court action and public‑awareness efforts.

The report, compiled by consultancy Goldmedia, estimates that the state missed out on around €542m in taxes and social‑security contributions in 2025, up nearly 40% on 2022. Media companies directly affected by piracy suffered losses of roughly €1.5bn, with further costs arising along the wider value chain.

Around 7.7 million people in Germany accessed illegal linear TV streams in 2025, the study found. Usage was highest among 16‑ to 33‑year‑olds, with almost three‑quarters of respondents saying illicit streams were the most convenient way to watch live television. At the same time, the authors note that willingness to use legal services increases when illegal alternatives are unavailable.

VAUNET Managing Director Frank Giersberg said the findings underline the scale of the problem:

“TV piracy remains a mass phenomenon with significant damage for media providers, media plurality and the public purse. We urgently need more effective tools to curb illegal TV use and protect media diversity.”

The association is calling for faster and clearer obligations for platforms and hosting services to remove unlawful content, more dynamic blocking measures that allow access providers to disrupt illegal live streams during broadcasts, and a more efficient allocation of responsibility so that rights holders can act against illegal services without first having to identify largely anonymous operators.

The study (PDF) is based on passive measurement of the online behaviour of more than 2,500 users, combined with a representative online survey of over 500 people who consume illegal linear TV streams. The survey was conducted between 4 and 16 June 2025. It focuses on illegally distributed free‑to‑air and pay‑TV streams; piracy involving downloads or video‑on‑demand content was not included.

The authors note that the actual extent of illegal use of linear TV streams is likely to be significantly higher than the survey results suggest, due to respondents under reporting socially undesirable behaviour.

Source: broadbandtvnews.com

UK HIGH COURT INTRODUCES BROADER “OMNIBUS” PIRACY BLOCKING ORDER

The UK High Court has reportedly approved a new “omnibus” site-blocking order allowing rightsholders to move more quickly against piracy services that change domains or branding to evade enforcement.

The order, welcomed by the Motion Picture Association (MPA), is designed to reduce the need for repeated court applications each time pirate operators switch websites or launch mirror services. The move comes as piracy operators increasingly automate domain creation and use more agile infrastructure to avoid blocks.

While the judgment itself has not yet been published, reports indicate it stems from a May 7 High Court ruling in Columbia Pictures and others v British Telecommunications and others, filed in late 2025. According to industry reports, the case extends existing UK dynamic blocking powers beyond specific domains and even beyond “pirate brands”.

Previous UK Section 97A Copyright Act orders required rights holders to identify individual domains for blocking. A 2022 extension allowed action against mirror sites and related pirate brands. The new order reportedly goes further, permitting action against “structurally infringing audiovisual piracy services” meeting defined criteria, without fresh applications for every new site or domain.

The MPA said the order reflects the changing nature of piracy operations.

“Piracy operators often respond by quickly moving to new domains, copycat services, or rebranded websites. That constant ‘hopping’ undermines enforcement and forces rightsholders, courts and intermediaries into repetitive processes,”

the association said.

The development is linked to wider MPA proposals presented to WIPO ahead next month’s Advisory Committee on Enforcement meetings. The paper argues that modern anti-piracy systems should involve a wider range of intermediaries including ISPs, search engines, VPN providers, DNS resolvers, registrars and CDNs. It cites evidence suggesting ISP site blocking reduces traffic to piracy sites by an average of 89%, with stronger results reported in markets including Italy, France, Brazil and India.

The UK move mirrors broader European efforts. France’s Arcom last week published new agreements aimed at speeding cooperation between rights holders, search engines, DNS operators and VPN providers, while Italy has expanded use of rapid blocking under Piracy Shield and intensified enforcement actions against sports piracy networks.

Source: broadbandtvnews.com

ITALY DISMANTLES €300 MILLION STREAMING PIRACY NETWORK

Italian authorities have dismantled a major streaming piracy operation centred on an application known as CINEMAGOAL, in a case that investigators say resulted in an estimated €300 million in losses to broadcasters and streaming platforms including Sky, DAZN, Netflix, Disney+ and Spotify.

The investigation, led by Italy’s Guardia di Finanza and prosecutors in Bologna, targeted what police described as a previously unseen piracy system. Unlike traditional IPTV operations based around illegal set-top boxes, the system used an app linked to foreign servers that illegally decrypted content streams.

Investigators said virtual machines operating continuously in Italy captured access credentials from legitimate subscriptions registered to fictitious users and retransmitted them every three minutes. The system reportedly avoided direct IP association, making detection harder for rights holders and platforms. Pirated subscriptions were sold for between €40 and €130 per year.

The operation extended beyond Italy. Working with Eurojust, authorities seized foreign servers holding decryption data and source code, while coordinated actions were carried out in France and Germany.

Italian authorities also uncovered use of traditional illegal streaming devices known locally as “pezzotto”. Around 1,000 identified users now face fines ranging from €154 to €5,000.

Andrea Duilio, Chief Executive Officer of Sky Italia, said:

“I would like to thank the Ravenna Financial Police and the Bologna Public Prosecutor’s Office for this significant anti-piracy operation, which demonstrates their growing effectiveness in combating even the most sophisticated technologies. Those who choose to stream content illegally not only line the pockets of criminal organisations with millions in profits, but also risk penalties and expose their personal data to theft and fraud.”

The case continues Italy’s increasingly aggressive anti-piracy campaign, particularly around sports rights. Earlier operations such as “Taken Down” and “Switch Off” shut down major IPTV services including IPTVItalia, migliorIPTV and DarkTV, with investigators claiming millions of users globally were affected. Those actions targeted illegal distribution of content from Sky, DAZN, Mediaset, Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Paramount.

Italy has also introduced Piracy Shield, requiring rapid blocking of suspected piracy sources, although the system has faced criticism after accidental blocking incidents affecting legitimate services.

The latest action comes as regulators across Europe intensify anti-piracy efforts. On Thursday, France’s Arcom announced new measures aimed at improving cooperation between rights holders, search engines, DNS providers and VPN operators in tackling sports piracy.

Source: broadbandtvnews.com

ARCOM STEPS UP ACTION AGAINST SPORTS PIRACY

French regulator Arcom has published new guidance and model agreements designed to strengthen cooperation between sports rights holders and technical intermediaries in the fight against online piracy.

The documents are aimed at improving exchanges with search engines, alternative DNS services and VPN providers, as France continues efforts to make blocking and delisting measures faster and more effective.

Arcom said the direct loss linked to illegal sports broadcasts in France was estimated at €290 million in 2024, excluding lost tax and social security revenue. The regulator said professional clubs are most directly affected, but the wider sports ecosystem also suffers, including amateur clubs that benefit from France’s “Buffet tax” on sports rights revenues.

In 2025, Arcom said 1,845 services were delisted from search engines out of a total of 6,496 blocked services. It added that 81% of blocking requests sent to internet service providers were also sent to alternative DNS services, representing 5,263 notified requests.

Following the first French court rulings involving VPN providers in May 2025, Arcom has demanded the blocking of 598 domain names from those providers.

The new notice and model agreements are intended to support simultaneous and rapid anti-piracy action by rights holders and intermediaries.

Arcom has also developed a centralised system listing domain names subject to blocking or delisting demands linked to court rulings on sports content.

The regulator is inviting technical intermediaries to connect to the system, with an interface contract available to support implementation.

Source: broadbandtvnews.com

OTO KLEMPÍŘ VS. MARTIN BAXA: THE DIGIMEDIA 2026 CONFERENCE WILL FEATURE A ‘MINISTERIAL’ DEBATE ON PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA

The 21st edition of the DIGIMEDIA 2026 conference, taking place on Wednesday 3 June 2026 in the Congress Hall of Czech Television in Prague’s Kavčí Hory district, will feature a debate between the current and former Ministers of Culture: Oto Klempíř of Motoristé sobě and Martin Baxa of the ODS. Both politicians will take part in the opening discussion session focusing on the funding of public service media, specifically Czech Television and Czech Radio. It is precisely these media organisations that are affected by the draft Public Service Media Act, which was submitted by the Ministry of Culture in April and for which the inter-ministerial consultation process concluded last week.

Continuation of the heated debate from TV Nova

Oto Klempíř and Martin Baxa had already clashed during Saturday’s discussion on TV Nova’s ‘Za pět minut dvanáct’, with the new bill being the main topic on which both politicians did not mince their words. The debate at the DIGIMEDIA 2026 conference will offer more scope for discussion and confrontation with other guests: Marit af Björkesten, Director-General of the Finnish public service broadcaster YLE, Milan Fridrich, Deputy Director-General of Czech Television; Martina Májíček Poliaková, Director of Strategic Development at Czech Radio; Marek Singer, President of the Association of Commercial Television Stations; Jiří Hrabák, Chairman of the Association of Private Broadcasters; and David Smoljak (STAN), Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Media.

Did the previous government destabilise the situation surrounding public service media by pushing through an increase in the TV and radio licence fee and extending this obligation to households with a computer, tablet or smartphone? Or is it, on the contrary, the current cabinet and its plan to abolish the licence fees and transfer the funding of Czech Television and Czech Radio to the state budget that is destabilising the Czech media market? These are just some of the questions to which the guests of the opening debate at the DIGIMEDIA 2026 conference will seek answers, led by moderator Daniel Stach. The views of the current and former Ministers of Culture on the method of funding public service media differ diametrically.

Oto Klempíř believes the law will take effect from the New Year

Minister Oto Klempíř and his department aim to replace the existing legislation concerning Czech Television and Czech Radio. However, his draft bill faces fierce criticism from the opposition, media experts and lawyers, and hundreds of comments were received during the inter-ministerial consultation process, including from government departments. The inter-ministerial consultation process on the bill ended on 14 May, with 30 entities, including 12 ministries, taking the opportunity to comment, and hundreds of comments were received from them. The Coalition Council is due to discuss the bill on 25 May, after which debates with the directors-general of Czech Television and Czech Radio are scheduled. Once the amendments have been incorporated, the bill is to be discussed by the government and subsequently forwarded to the Chamber of Deputies, where the opposition is preparing extensive filibustering.

Despite the tight schedule, Culture Minister Oto Klempíř still believes that the bill will be passed and will come into force on 1 January 2027. However, this deadline is considered unrealistic not only by representatives of the opposition but also by the Ministry of the Interior, which proposes postponing its entry into force until 1 July 2027. The discussion at the DIGIMEDIA 2026 conference will be the first expert platform on which both the bill’s sponsor and its opponents will comment on the law.

The partners of the 21st edition of the DIGIMEDIA 2026 conference are Czech Television, Czech Radio, the Czech Telecommunications Office, Czech Radiocommunications, the Association of Mobile Network Operators, the Association of Communication Agencies and others. Media partners include Averia, Marketing & Media magazine, and the websites MediaGuru.cz and Televizniweb.cz.

A detailed conference programme, list of speakers and registration are available at www.acra-mk.cz.

About the DIGIMEDIA conference

DIGIMEDIA is the largest professional gathering focused on audiovisual media and broadcasting in the Czech Republic. It brings together representatives from television and radio broadcasting, digital platforms, network operators and regulatory bodies. The conference has long been dedicated to topics such as media, content distribution, advertising, paid services and media legislation. The event is organised by the Association of Czech Advertising Agencies and Marketing Communication (AČRA MK). The event has been held since 2006.

Media contacts

Mgr. Pavel Brabec
President of AČRA MK
pavel.brabec@commonline.cz
420 602 330 370

Jan Potůček
Programme Director of the DIGIMEDIA conference
potucek@mediar.cz
420 606 222 928

Veronika Maxová
Head of Production
acra@acra-mk.cz

COMMENTS OF COMMERCIAL MEDIA ON THE DRAFT ACT ON PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA

Associations representing the entire media market, except for public service media, point out that fundamental changes to the operation of public service media cannot be viewed in isolation from their impact on the rest of the media market. They have therefore jointly prepared comments on the submitted draft Act on Public Service Media, drawing attention to major shortcomings in the proposed amendment. Key points include an unclear definition of public service, the absence of regulation of online advertising, and the loss of safeguards contained in memoranda.

Prague, 15 May 2026 – Associations representing commercial television and radio broadcasters, online and print publishers had already strongly emphasised, during previous discussions on changes to the financing of public service media, the interdependence of the public and private media markets. In view of this dual system, we consider it necessary that any changes be consulted with private media service providers as well. Associations representing the entire private media market have therefore prepared several fundamental comments on the submitted draft Act on Public Service Media.

First, the draft act does not define public service with sufficient precision. Nor does it provide any other instrument through which the state could further define public service and the conditions for its provision beyond the statutory framework, for example, for a specific period. The current legislation at least contains the institution of a memorandum on the manner of fulfilling public service. In addition to specifying the scope of public service, the memoranda guaranteed a number of negotiated safeguards and guidelines for the activities of public service media, such as clarification of their operation in the online environment or transparent access to archival productions for other media service providers. All of these specifications are missing from the submitted draft and must be incorporated into the amendment appropriately.

The draft also completely omits the already existing restrictions on public service media in online advertising. This fundamental shortcoming is contrary to the principle of technological neutrality, since the existing restrictions in terrestrial and radio broadcasting remain in place; it goes against the purpose of providing a public service, as it forces ČT (Czech Television) and ČRo (Czech Radio) to compete in the advertising market; and, finally, it raises the issue of distortion of competition, where commercial media compete directly with entities that have state-guaranteed revenues.

The proposer has also removed the existing statutory procedures for approving the introduction of new significant services. The current act assumes that, before launching new projects that could have a potentially significant negative impact on the dual media system, public service media must consult their intentions with the public and supervisory bodies, so that the projects’ impacts and relevance to the fulfilment of the public service function can be assessed.

Following the discussion on the transparency of financial spending, we also propose introducing a benchmark cost control mechanism for public service media through an expert commission. Such a commission could assess, in a qualified and independent manner, whether the costs incurred are efficient, particularly compared to similar costs incurred by comparable media service providers. This instrument is an established practice in many other European countries and is in line with the Communication from the Commission 2009/C 257/01.

The draft rather illogically offers public service media the possibility of publishing their own printed periodicals, which does not correspond in any way to the media type of either Czech Television or Czech Radio. We also propose that the application of the directive on audiovisual media services on demand be clarified, and that obligations to ensure the accessibility of content for persons with visual or hearing impairments be reinstated, as these are omitted in the draft compared to the current act for reasons that remain unclear.

Contacts

Association of Commercial Television (Asociace komerčních televizí, AKTV), contact: Marie Fianová, marie.fianova@aktv.cz

Association of Online Publishers (Asociace online vydavatelů, AOV), contact: Ondřej Neumann, ondrej.neumann@hlidacipes.org

Association of Private Broadcasters (Asociace provozovatelů soukromého vysílání, APSV), contact: Jan Neuman, neuman@mms.cz

Czech Publishers’ Association (Česká unie vydavatelů, ČUV), contact: Kateřina Kroupová, kroupova@cuv.cz

Association for Internet Development in the Czech Republic (Sdružení pro internetový rozvoj v ČR, SPIR), contact: Filip Dotlačil, filip.dotlacil@spir.cz

–

Appendix

Comments of the media market submitted within the consultation process available here.

ACE CONTINUES GLOBAL EXPANSION, WELCOMES CME AS NEWEST MEMBER

European Media Company’s Commitment to ACE Emphasizes Shared Commitment to Protecting IP and Supporting Creative Economy

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE), the world’s leading anti-piracy coalition, today announced that Central European Media Enterprises (CME) has joined the coalition, strengthening ACE’s global network. CME, a leading media and entertainment company operating across Central and Eastern Europe, brings to ACE a strong track record of investment in local content, trusted news programming, and responsible broadcasting. CME’s membership in ACE underscores a shared commitment to safeguarding intellectual property, supporting creative industries, and ensuring that audiences have access to legitimate, high-quality content.

“ACE welcomes CME into a global network dedicated to protecting creative content and strengthening the fight against piracy,” said Larissa Knapp, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Protection Officer with the Motion Picture Association. “Piracy has long been a cross border challenge, but today’s threat is more sophisticated, more coordinated, and more complex. With every new member, ACE grows stronger, broadens its collective expertise, and reinforces its ability to protect content from criminal piracy networks and support lawful distribution of creative content.”

As policymakers and regulators across Europe continue to prioritize digital market integrity, CME’s participation in ACE reinforces the importance of public-private collaboration in addressing piracy. By joining ACE, CME aligns with a global coalition that partners with law enforcement, regulatory authorities, and industry stakeholders to disrupt illegal distribution networks and promote lawful consumption of content. “Joining ACE reflects CME’s commitment to protecting creativity and ensuring a fair, predictable and sustainable media environment,” said Klára Brachtlová, Deputy CEO & Chief External Affairs, CME. “By working with ACE and its members, we aim to strengthen collective efforts to safeguard Europe’s creative industries and uphold the integrity of the audiovisual market.” ACE’s global network includes more than 50 members, ranging from major Hollywood studios and streaming platforms to regional broadcasters and content creators. Together, ACE members leverage collective expertise, technological innovation, and coordinated enforcement actions to combat piracy at scale.

CME’s membership is particularly significant given the evolving regulatory landscape in Central and Eastern Europe, where governments are increasingly focused on strengthening intellectual property protections, supporting domestic creative sectors, and ensuring fair competition in digital markets. Through ACE, CME will contribute to – and benefit from – international best practices, intelligence sharing, and coordinated anti-piracy initiatives.

About The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE)

The Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) is the world’s leading coalition dedicated to protecting the legal creative market and reducing digital piracy. Driven by a comprehensive approach to addressing piracy through criminal referrals, civil litigation, and cease-and-desist
operations, ACE has achieved many successful global enforcement actions against illegal streaming services and unauthorized content sources and their operators. Drawing upon the collective expertise and resources of more than 50 media and entertainment companies around the world—including sports channels and associations—and reinforced by the Motion Picture Association’s content protection operations, ACE protects the creativity and innovation that drives the global growth of core copyright and entertainment industries. The current governing board
members for ACE are Amazon, Apple TV+, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, Universal Studios, The Walt Disney Studios, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Charles Rivkin is Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association and Chairman of ACE.

About CME

CME operates television stations in Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Romania & Moldova, Slovakia and Slovenia, and is one of the leading media and entertainment companies in Central and Eastern Europe. CME broadcasts 47 television channels, both free-to-air and paid, and reaches a total of 49 million viewers. CME also owns and operates the Voyo SVOD platform and new over-the-top service Oneplay.

ACE Media Contact:

Pamela Corante
pamela_corante@motionpictures.org

CME Media Contact:

Martin Civrny
Martin.civrny@cme.net

DFL AND DAZN TAKE DOWN MAJOR PIRACY HUB LIVETV.SX

German football association DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and sports streaming service DAZN have obtained a court injunction ordering the blocking of illegal streaming site livetv.sx in Germany.

The ruling targets what the parties call the largest illegal sports streaming platform in the German market, active for more than 13 years and responsible for a significant share of illicit viewing across the DACH region. The order requires internet service providers to block the site, with further legal steps against related mirror domains currently being assessed.

The case was coordinated through CUII, Germany’s clearing body for internet piracy, with both the DFL and DAZN contributing data and analysis to support the proceedings. The decision is positioned as a breakthrough in efforts to curb organised piracy networks that have historically relied on non-compliant hosting providers, content delivery networks and domain registrars to evade enforcement.

According to the organisations, the outcome underscores the importance of collaboration between platforms, leagues, and enforcement bodies to disrupt illegal streaming operations and sends a clear signal that piracy will not be tolerated.

“This court decision is a turning point in the fight against content theft in Germany. Livetv.sx has operated at scale for more than a decade, undermining rights holders and the wider sports ecosystem. By working through CUII and collaborating with partners such as the DFL, DAZN is demonstrating that coordinated enforcement can deliver meaningful results. This ruling protects the value of sport and creates a fairer, more sustainable market,”

said Ed McCarthy, COO of DAZN Group.

Steffen Merkel, CEO of DFL, added:

“This decision is of great significance for the protection of rights, an area in which the Bundesliga has invested heavily for many years. We can now take more effective action than ever before against illegal streaming networks, in collaboration with international organisations such as CUII, law enforcement authorities and our partners. We thank all parties involved for their close cooperation and determined action in this case.”

DFL and DAZN stress that they will continue to invest in legal, technical, and industry led measures to combat piracy across the markets in which it operates, as part of its commitment to safeguard premium sports content worldwide for all legitimate parties in the sports ecosystem.

Source: broadbandtvnews.com

SPANISH POLICE DISMANTLE KODISPAIN PIRACY NETWORK

Spain’s Guardia Civil has dismantled Kodispain, one of the main platforms accused of providing unauthorised access to live LaLiga football matches.

The operation followed a complaint from LaLiga and Telefónica, as the Spanish authorities continue to take enforcement action against illegal sports streaming. According to the Guardia Civil, the network distributed instructions, manuals and links to live Spanish First and Second Division matches through a messaging channel with more than 26,000 active followers. One man is under investigation over alleged offences against intellectual property and consumers.

Investigators analysed more than 91,000 files and around 25,000 lines of code to reconstruct the system and identify its operational structure.

Authorities also warned that installing unknown software linked to piracy services could expose users to malware, data theft and unauthorised access to their devices.

The Guardia Civil said the takedown was made possible through cooperation between the rightsholders and specialist public bodies.

Source: broadbandtvnews.com

THE ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCIAL TELEVISIONS HAS ENTERED ITS TENTH YEAR OF EXISTENCE; MAREK SINGER REMAINS AS PRESIDENT

This spring marked the ninth anniversary of the Association of Commercial Television, which, during its existence, has become a respected voice for commercial broadcasters and a reliable partner in both professional and legislative debates. The AKTV continues to participate in key legislative processes that affect the operations of commercial television, is actively involved in the fight against internet piracy, and promotes awareness of television as a trustworthy and effective advertising medium. Marek Singer remains at the helm of the Association of Commercial Television, which brings together the Nova, Prima and Óčko television groups, for another year.

The main focus of AKTV’s activities this year will be copyright protection, with a particular emphasis on public education. The cornerstone of AKTV’s preventive and awareness-raising activities is the launch of the information website NormalneLegalne.cz, which offers a catalogue of legal content sources as well as education on copyright issues. The aim of the project is to explain clearly why respect for copyright is important and how viewers can easily and safely access legal content. This year, we anticipate the involvement of further partners from among rights holders, the preparation of comprehensive educational materials and, last but not least, an information campaign.

“Over the past few years, we have been very active in combating the piracy of our protected content, which remains one of our priorities this year as well. However, we would like to complement our successful legal actions with preventive measures. Piracy services are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and it can be difficult for ordinary viewers to distinguish them from legitimate services. That is why we want to focus more on education this year,”

says Marek Singer, President of AKTV.

In addition to copyright protection, the Association of Commercial Television Stations systematically promotes television as an effective and safe advertising medium that has long enjoyed high levels of attention and trust from viewers. Through the ScreenVoice.cz website, it regularly publishes interesting news, research findings and information on trends in television advertising and the world of total video, covering both the Czech market and international developments.

About ScreenVoice ( www.ScreenVoice.cz)

On the ScreenVoice.cz website, readers will find inspiration, trends, research and news about developments in the world of television in the Czech Republic and abroad. Each month is dedicated to a single theme, for which original content is prepared. Readers can look forward to magazine-style articles on the very first television advert, Christmas or Valentine’s Day advertising specials, or reflections on advertising during the Covid pandemic or the war in Ukraine. The theme of the month is complemented by a calendar of industry events, a glossary of terms from the world of total video, and the popular ‘Myths and Facts about TV’ section, which provides a range of data refuting the most common myths about television. A separate category is the AKTV events archive, where visitors can find all recordings of speakers’ presentations from the last six years.

About Normálně legálně ( www.NormalneLegalne.cz)

The Normálnělegálně.cz website is an information portal that helps users navigate the range of legal online services for watching films and TV series, listening to music or reading books in the Czech Republic, whilst also raising awareness of copyright protection. In addition to an overview of legal content, it also offers news, answers to frequently asked questions, a glossary of terms and further explanatory information on copyright and the impacts of internet piracy.