Activity Details (ID# 7333)

Activity Synopsis

This seminar was aimed at senior TV professionals (newsroom managers, editors in chief and editors). Emphasis was placed on inviting participants not only from the Stability Pact countries and emerging democracies in Eastern Europe, but also from countries in Western Europe in order to share experiences and views at a variety of levels.
The seminar was designed to improve the quality of news programmes and to help sharpen the production of news reports, interviews and investigations in an increasingly competitive broadcasting world. The participants also learned how to improve the quality of newsroom management by incorporating evaluation and assessment of the professional performances of journalists using reliable methods and editorial feedback.
The participants learned to better define a clear editorial leadership while taking into account the viewers’ expectations. They also looked in some detail at the constraints of programme making, management planning and their role and obligation to the audience. They also learnt how to better plan newsroom activities and the newsroom budget.
Last but not least, they experienced the new order of the digital revolution: multi-skilling and new technologies, how this will influence the daily running of newsrooms and how money can be saved by introducing new working practices by using digital equipment.
The principal and most specific aim of the seminar was to increase the sharing of experiences, and to learn and analyse best practice and evaluate the consequences linked to the use of new technologies, namely in the field of management. The Circom Regional network encourages contact and exchange of information through its member stations. Group emails from past seminars are still being exchanged and the 2003 participants have already established an email chat room to continue their exchange of views, problems and solutions, thus complementing the aims of the workshop by increasing communication and support for an independent media throughout Europe.
 

The good organisation, the technical equipment and offices made available by France 3 Alsace helped to make this seminar successful. A very concentrated programme of 6 days, renewed and revised compared to the 3 previous sessions, was considered very attractive and applicable to the delegates. All participants adhered to the planned workshop schedule. Attendance and concentration was admirable, and there was much interactivity due to both the readiness of the trainers and to the experience of the experts.
The participants received support material in French and English, i.e. educational publications and technical documentation.
For the first time the Newsroom Management delegates visited the Council of Europe’s premises. They learned about the Council of Europe’s communication policy and the functioning of the European Court of Human Rights.
The participants appreciated above all the sessions on “critical viewing” and the practical work about shooting and editing (one of the reports was shot at the Council of Europe). These elements of the course were the basis of great exchanges between managers and editors-in-chief coming from 16 different channels and 16 countries, whose audiovisual culture and professional practice are very different but always complementary.
A certain number of case studies were also presented and analysed.
The target group and objectives of the workshop were reached.
At the end of the course, as each year, an assessment was set out and all the participants made an evaluation.
The general opinion was that the 2003 session took place successfully in excellent conditions (welcome, teamwork, and interaction with trainers, experts and participants).
If the aim was reached, some points needed improvement:
- More relevance should be given to the “managerial” part : evolution in the field of human resources, comparison of used methods, personal assessment, evaluation of the programme…
- A better balance should be found between theory and practice.
 

Overall the seminar was a success. The points made in the feedback forms were valid and will be incorporated into the programme for the next seminar.
Everybody welcomed the visit to the European Court of Human Rights. The participants also appreciated the knowledge and contacts they made should they need information or assistance within the media field from the CoE.
The participants were encouraged to return to their home stations with specific action-points.
They also made a commitment to form a chat-room “news group” whereby they would keep in touch with each other and exchange their views and share their problems.
Considering the positive feedback obtained from the participants, it was decided, provided financial support could be obtained from the Council of Europe and the territorial authorities, to renew this seminar in 2004 at France 3 Alsace, from 15 – 20 November 2004. In the meantime, Circom Regional would try to build an even more attractive and concrete programme in line with the daily problems faced by the managers.
 

Senior TV professionals : newsroom managers, editors in chief and editors. 

Mr Alun DRAKE, Press Department,
Ms Anne-Marie DOUGIN, European Court of Human Rights