EBU President Jean-Paul Philippot stressed the unique power of the 24-hour Eurovision News Exchange, which lies in the public service values that set EBU Members apart, as he addressed the seventh EBU News Assembly, in Barcelona on 13 November.

He told assembled journalists and executives from 38 EBU Member organizations that “Member solidarity, Member reciprocity and Members’ commitment to one another” were the defining principles that make the exchange so valuable.

He said: “It is these principles that differentiate public service broadcasters from other media and lie at the heart of the Public Service Values that were adopted unanimously at the last EBU General Assembly, in Strasbourg. They allow us to serve our publics with integrity and trust while empowering and enriching society.”

Mr Philippot, who is also Director General of French language Belgian broadcaster RTBF, then turned the focus on the economic crisis, a theme shaping many of the conversations at this year’s News Assembly.

“The crisis continues to impact us all, with increasing demand for more content but with fewer resources,” he said.

“But we must not lose sight of the principles that I have mentioned and the human component of public service (…) As long as we adhere to these principles I am sure that the News Exchange will continue to prosper, and to enrich Europe’s public service media news content for many years to come.”