The main television associations in Europe have sent a warning to Brussels that has not gone unnoticed: Smart TV operating systems and voice assistants have become a crucial filter for accessing audiovisual content.However, they are not subject to the same obligations as the large digital platforms already regulated by the European Union.
For years the debate focused almost exclusively on the war of streaming Netflix, Disney and AtresmediaPrime Video and company making headlines— while traditional television gradually lost ground. However, the focus has shifted: The debate is no longer so much about who has the best catalog, but about who controls what you see when you turn on the TV and how that access to content is organized..
Smart TVs become the new "doormen" of the European living room
The employers' associations of broadcasters and audiovisual groups from the continent maintain that Big technology companies have taken over from traditional television distributors, but with a much wider reach.We are no longer talking about a dominant operator in a single country, but about the same names repeating on televisions, devices of streaming and platforms across much of EuropeGoogle, Amazon, Samsung, LG, Apple… the same lineup over and over again.
The core of the concern lies in the software layer. When a Smart TV decides which applications are highlighted, which services are buried in submenus, or what content is displayed as soon as the device is turned on, it is no longer a merely technical matter. It's about business, visibility, and who holds the key to accessing the audience., an area that the television sector considers too sensitive to leave unsupervised.
Market share data illustrates why the issue is causing concern in Brussels. According to figures cited by the industry, Android TV has gone from controlling around 16% to nearly 23% of the market in just a few years, Fire TV has climbed from approximately 5% to 12%, and Tizen hovers around 24%.. That is, A handful of operating systems account for a very significant portion of connected televisions in Europe.This is reminiscent of other cases in which the European Commission has intervened.
In this new scenario, It is no longer enough for a chain to have its application available in front of blockades and safe alternativesThe crucial factor is whether that app appears prominently, is relegated to the back of the menu, is well integrated by the system, or is subtly pushed towards its own video service. All of this user experience design, which often goes unnoticed by the user, It gives manufacturers and operating system owners considerable power over what is seen and what is not..
The chains are asking for the strictest EU law to be applied to the living room.
The organizations representing major European television groups, including ACT, have submitted an explicit request to the Commission: that the operating systems of smart TVs and devices streaming are included under the umbrella of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the regulation that monitors the behavior of platforms with a dominant position in the digital environment.
In practical terms, this would mean that Companies like Google (Android TV), Amazon (Fire TV), Apple, or Samsung (Tizen) could not unfairly favor their own services. within their connected televisions. The goal, the television companies explain, is that The TV interface should not become a playing field tilted towards the operating system provider.relegating other services, applications or channels to a secondary role.
The protest doesn't stop at the screens. The associations are also focusing on Voice assistants and new systems based on generative artificial intelligenceThis includes those integrated into Smart TVs, as well as those found in mobile phones, speakers, or even cars. In his opinion, These assistants are increasingly influencing how content is searched for, discovered, and selected.And yet they still operate in a much less defined regulatory environment.
A key aspect of the request is that Brussels is asked to, in defining which actors are "gatekeepers", Don't limit yourself to purely numerical criteria such as 45 million users or a valuation of 75.000 billion euros.Television networks are urging the inclusion of other programming as well. qualitative criteria that take into account the degree of control over the distribution of audiovisual contentto prevent certain platforms from falling off the radar despite their influence.
A highly concentrated market and a regulatory vacuum in voice assistants
The conflict posed by traditional television is both technical and strategic. Smart TV operating systems manage the interface, recommendations, and access to applications.And for the industry, that means controlling the main gateway to audiovisual content from more than 700 million people worldwide, a significant figure when considering audience.
In the eyes of the broadcasters, Whoever controls that intermediate layer between the user and the video services effectively acts as a distributorIf the system can prioritize its own service... streaming, prioritizing certain applications or redesigning navigation to favor some over others, It fits quite well with the definition of "gatekeeper" that the DMA is trying to define..
The chapter on voice assistants adds another twist. Tools such as Alexa, Siri, or other voice-controlled systems powered by artificial intelligence These commands are becoming the standard way to interact with television: requesting a specific series, searching for a movie by genre, or simply saying "put on something for kids." At that point, The intermediary visually disappears, but your ability to decide which service responds first or which platform opens increases..
Television stations warn that These assistants are not yet fully covered by the DMA and they work on a wide range of devices: television, mobile phone, car, smart speaker, and other connected devices. This cross-platform presence, combined with the massive collection of usage data, This reinforces their position as key intermediaries without a regulatory framework as specific as the one already applied to other digital services..
Hence, the sector speaks openly of a regulatory vacuumIt's not just about what content is prioritized, but also about What information is collected about viewing habits and how is that data used to refine recommendations, advertising, or promotion of certain services?Television broadcasters believe that, without clear rules, the competitive balance between content providers could suffer.
The European Commission is listening, but for now it's not making any moves.
For now, nothing changes in the viewer's daily life. The European Commission has formally received the request from the television broadcasters and is analyzing it, but there is no immediate decision or fixed timetable. to modify or expand the scope of the DMA in this specific area.
Although the European regulatory process is usually slow, The political signal is relevant.This is the first time the traditional television industry has so directly targeted tech giants like the new owners of audiovisual distribution in the halla role that for decades was in the hands of cable, satellite or DTT operators.
The debate also brings up something that is often overlooked when buying a television. Beyond screen size, resolution, or brightness, The user is acquiring an operating system that decides what is seen first, how applications are ordered, and what services are suggested, almost imperceptibly.In practice, that software determines a large part of the daily audiovisual experience.
For European chains, The battle is no longer fought solely on having an app installed on every possible platformThe challenge is to ensure that this application doesn't get relegated to a corner of the interface, that it doesn't have to compete on unequal terms against the manufacturer's own services, and that Access to the audience should not depend on opaque commercial agreements or unilateral operating system decisions..
In this new landscape, the hall has become a strategic space of the first order for European digital policies. What was once seen as a simple remote control is now a layer of intelligent software capable of directing the user's attention., selecting what is highlighted and, ultimately, influencing which content succeeds or goes unnoticed.
Everything suggests that, if the European Commission ends up heeding the demands of the television networks, Smart TVs, devices streaming And voice assistants could be included in the list of services subject to the most demanding rules of the European digital market.For the end user, this could eventually translate into somewhat more neutral interfaces and greater transparency about why they see what they see each time they turn on the TV.
