This report has been prepared at the request of the Council of Europe's Group of Specialists on Public Service Media in the Informa­tion Society (MC­S­PSM). The terms of reference specify assessment of "the role of public service media [PSM] in promoting wider individ­ual participation in democratic processes in contemporary Europe", as articulated in Recommendation CM/Rec (2007) 3 on the remit of public service media in the informa­tion society, adopted by the Com­mittee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in January 2007. The Coun­cil of Europe demonstrates leader­ship in policy development that is pertinent for public service media in Europe, with emphasis on the dem­ocratic, social and cultural needs of European societies, as well as the need to preserve media pluralism, as agreed in the 1997 Protocol on Public Service Broadcasting annexed to the Treaty of Amsterdam.