The Barroso Commission, after some havoc, took off yesterday. A matter of primary concern seems to be their relationships with the media industry. The new European Commission thinks that these need improving and has proposed to appoint Commissioner Viviane Reding (the new Commissioner for Information Society, Audiovisual Policy and the Media Economy) as the �coordinator for relations with the media�. As explained by Mrs. Reding herself in the opening speech of the European Newspaper Publishers� Association Congress earlier this month (available here) the idea would be to create a one-stop-shop for the media industry within the Commission, so that all legislative aspects, proposals or decisions that might affect the media are considered in a coherent manner.

This coordination will involve three aspects:

• Consultations between Commission departments and with the industry itself at all levels to ensure that the media are adequately represented during the preparation of Commission decisions (it has been suggested that a contact point for the media sector in the new DG for Information Society and Media could be created, supplemented by correspondents for �media affairs� in the various cabinets)
• Monitoring of economic and social developments in the media sector
• Encouraging advocacy, including proposals of ideas and initiatives to help the media become more competitive.

This is a move that should be welcome for various reasons. For a start, it might help to arbitrate the heated and often unfriendly debates that have regularly taken place between the different DGs (most prominently Information Society, Competition, Education and Culture and Internal Market) in charge of various media related issues. The tensions between competition, media and national politics were certainly not eased by an internally fragmented Commission when it came to preferential policy objectives. Second, it can help the Commission to better understand the numerous challenges of a converging sector. Finally, and related, it will allow regulators to strike a better balance between the economic and competition aspects of media markets on the one hand, and their social, cultural and integrating dimensions on the other.

However, there is also room for concern. It is important that the pledge for �improved cooperation with the media� is not limited to administrative reshuffles or a better marketing of the Commission�s image. Even worse, the establishment of permanent contacts could, if not inclusive and responsive to all interested parties (surely businesses, but also consumer associations and citizens� representatives) open up a new path for regulatory capture.

The proposal for greater cooperation and coordination should be seen, first, and foremost, as an opportunity to enhance coverage of European issues in the media with a view to increase a much needed transparency about the Commission�s activities in this area, and about European matters more generally.