Television Across Europe Follow-up conference, 8-9 June 2006: Conference report

Between 7 and 10 June 2006, an OSI-sponsored conference was held in Budapest, in which reporters and editors who worked on the EUMAP's Television Across Europe report and representatives of partner organizations as well as other interested organizations brainstormed on potential follow-up projects for supporting and promoting the recommendations contained in the report.

- Read an overview of conference conclusions

The conference gathered together about 60 participants and it was divided into five sessions. Two of them were devoted to an assessment of the project by reporters and editors. The other three sessions were focused on the main areas where potential follow-up activities could be expected. These areas included:

• public service and commercial broadcasting (strategizing at national, regional and pan-European levels);
• new technologies;
• capacity strengthening;
• media education;
• public participation;
• self-regulation;
• training of journalists

During the session on public service and commercial broadcasting, the discussion focused on the role that the PSB will have in the digital market. Points made included:

• With the broadcasting spectrum expanding due to the introduction of digitalization, there is a need for serious research and monitoring of the content aired on PSBs. Very important in this work is to define basic PSB concepts and to develop a set of standards that would ensure diversity and pluralism of opinions on PSB.
• Public participation in the governing of the PSB, including by consumer organizations, is particularly needed in several European countries.
• Informational campaigns aimed at educating the public on the role of the PSB and public service values in general should be organized. In this context, media literacy was mentioned as an important part of the follow-up work. There was also the idea of creating a regional database of existing media education policies with the aim of importing good practices to other countries.
• Many participants stressed that attention should be paid to local and community media.

Much of the debate during the conference focused on the imminent digitalization process. One of the main conclusions was that the entire debate on the future of television is linked to how digitalization will be implemented in Europe.

The final session focused on strengthening the capacity of broadcast regulators and of the governing bodies within the public service broadcasters. The session also included debates on other issues that might be included in follow-up activities, including training of journalists, media literacy and education.

Following the conference, the OSI's Network Media Program started to work on implementing actual follow-up projects. The first of these activities are to be put in place by the end of the year 2006.