Activity Details (ID# 1642)

Activity Synopsis

The general objective of the Conference was to gather professionals from the broadcasting sector of the three countries in the region (Moldova, Ukraine, Romania) in order to exchange experiences and discuss 3 essential topics:

- Multi-cultural programmes addressed to a diverse public (from the ethno-cultural point of view);

- Mono-cultural programmes addressed to a precise ethnic segment of the public, which would reflect social life in all its diversity;

- Exchanges of programmes through the frontiers.

A particular objective was to synthesise a series of good practices and concrete proposals in this field.
 

The organisation of the Conference by the Electronic Press Association (APEL) was excellent.

The participants received files containing several appropriate documents, including CoE documents relating to the theme of the Conference, such as the Framework Convention on the protection of national minorities and the European Charter of minorities and local languages.

The objective of this first regional activity on this theme was reached. The participants assessed the topicality of the theme in a region with several minorities and evoked the problems they meet in the promotion of multi-cultural programmes, as well as certain good practices which enables these problems to be solved.

While examining the situation in the region, several elements were established, such as:

- At the difference of Romania, the national culture/language in Moldova and Ukraine (under-developed during the soviet period) should be emancipated, along with minorities cultures/languages;

- It is necessary for ethnic minorities to be better integrated into the socio-cultural texture of these two countries. One of the federating elements could be the official language of the country, which is not well known by all the representatives of the ethnic minorities;

- At the same time, the consequence of the long soviet period was a loose identity of ethnic minorities. This is why broadcasters should be encouraged to broadcast programmes aiming at the development of minority cultures/languages;

- The situation in Chisinau concerning the local audio-visual production is worrying: most of the broadcasters prefer, for economical reasons, to re-broadcast programmes from Moscow; the role of the national regulatory authorities in the broadcasting sector is essential in this field in order to encourage the local production in both majority and minority languages;

- The situation in Romania is radically different: the majority language is not in danger;

- the public service broadcasters and even many commercial media broadcast in minority languages.
 

At the end of the Conference, several participants welcomed the initiative to organise this first activity in the region addressing the minority problem from the audio-visual viewpoint. They agreed that the activity was useful and that it was necessary to continue the dialogue. The organisers pointed out that the Conference was the beginning of a pilot-programme including a series of activities, for instance reciprocal visits amongst broadcasters from the three countries to continue exchanges of experience. The participants agreed that dialogue between broadcasters had an important role in building bridges between ethnic communities.

The contribution by the two CoE experts was very useful, giving the debates a pan-European perspective. The participants learned useful information about the experience of the multicultural broadcasting system in Sweden and the Netherlands. The Electronic Press Association (APEL) of Moldova indicated its intention to co-operate with the European Centre of Information and Expertise on Media and Diversity (Utrecht, the Netherlands).

Amongst the proposals formulated at the end of the conference, the participants agreed that it would be useful:

- To speak of cultural ''communities'' instead of ''majority-minorities'';

- To create in Moldova a channel for the Ukrainian minority – the most important one;

- To organise in the three countries, in a reciprocal manner, festivals of RTV programmes with the participation of different cultural communities;

- To create a periodical duplex of programmes between Chisinau and Cernauti (Ukrainian city with an important Romanian speaking minority).

At the same time, the participants agreed that it was necessary to elaborate a strategy which would allow the emancipation of the ethno-cultural communities and the permanent dialogue between them. In any case, the fragile balance between the affirmation of self-identity and the respect for other cultures should be respected.

 

Broadcasters representing ethnic minorities from the three countries of the region –Moldova, Ukraine, Romania; representatives of regulatory authorities in the broadcasting sector, media professionals from the Moldovan and Ukrainian State RTV and from the Romanian public RTV, representatives from NGOs promoting minorities rights

 

Ms Inger Etzler, Sveriges Television (Sweden); Mr Ed KLUTE, European Centre of Information and Expertise on Media and Diversity (Netherlands)

 

Mr Eugen Cibotaru, Programme Counsellor, Media Division, Directorate General of Human Rights