Audiovisual cooperation to meet Mediterranean challenges was the message launched in Turin by the Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators (COPEAM), at the 64th annual Prix Italia festival, organized by Italian EBU Member Rai.  

The media are gaining increasing importance in tackling some of the biggest social challenges Mediterranean nations face, such as the tension between modernity and tradition, the role of women, the problems and the future of young people, environmental priorities, religion and interreligious dialogue.

COPEAM Secretary General Pier Luigi Malesani said his Association was addressing these issues through 13 international cooperation projects, involving 26 broadcasters in 21 Euro-Mediterranean countries. The projects represent an overall value in excess of five million euros, he said.

Four projects were presented as examples:

• Terramed Plus: the first Mediterranean TV network, cofounded by the EU and soon to launch. The multimedia platform www.terramedplus.tv is devoted to documentary and fiction. This initiative, led by Rai, is run in partnership with France Télévisions, ARTE (France), RTVE (Spain), EPTV (Algeria), SNRT (Morocco) with technological support from the commercial sector.
• Joussour (Bridges): a coproduction project of cross-border documentaries, financed in the framework of the EU CBCMED Programme, on Mediterranean environmental issues
• Med-Mem (Euromed Heritage IV): Audiovisual Mediterranean Memories, with the participation of Rai Teche and 13 other regional television stations region
• Copeam University: training for journalists, held in Algeria

SOURCE: COPEAM PRESS RELEASE