Tunis, 13 September 2011 - An EBU delegation, led by its President Jean-Paul Philippot, met Tunisian Prime Minster Béji Caïd Essebsi and the Minister in charge of Relations with the Institutions, Ridha Belhaj, in Tunis this afternoon to discuss the unwavering commitment of the EBU and its Members in favour of the public service media in this new era that is opening up for Tunisia. This support started immediately after the revolution with specialized training courses at all levels, in some cases provided by the EBU and in others by its most active Members under its aegis.

Now the EBU has developed a specific support programme in the technical and editorial sectors to help Tunisian television and radio to cover the upcoming elections in October, reaffirming its full support for the country's democratic future. The EBU and its Members will provide technical support together with services and transmission capacity and additional professional expertise, for a total amount estimated at EUR 200,000, partly in the form of a loan.

This financial assistance is linked to the upholding of a code of ethics that sets standards for editorial independence, impartiality, and transparency for the coverage of the forthcoming elections.

This initiative follows on from the declaration of support for the broadcast media in Tunisia and Egypt  by the EBU and several of its Members at a conference organized in collaboration with UNESCO in Paris on 1 June. (click here for the press release)

Other initiatives (technical training, legal advice) will be launched after the elections in a bid to help turn Tunisian radio and television into truly democratic public service organizations.

Click here to view video coverage of the meeting courtesy of Télévision Tunisienne.

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European Broadcasting Union (EBU)
The EBU serves 85 national media organizations in 56 countries in and around Europe. It represents its Members and promotes the values and distinctiveness of public service media in Europe and around the world. The Eurovision and Euroradio networks deliver news, sports, events and music to EBU Members and other media organizations. Services to Members range from legal advice, technical standardization and development to coproduction and exchange of quality European content. For further information about the EBU: www.ebu.ch and www.eurovision.net/