An EBU regional conference has called for a stronger partnership between public service media and the citizens they serve, and for greater adoption and promotion of core public service values.

The conference in the Montenegrin capital on 5-6 March is one of a series of events and activities to be mounted by the EBU Partnership Programme under an action plan targeted at EU accession countries newly signed in Brussels.  It was opened by EBU Director General Ingrid Deltenre, EU ambassador to Montenegro Mitja Drobnic and Waldemar Figaj, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to Montenegro.

Participants included EBU Members in the accession countries of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia, and also of EU neighbouring countries Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine. Jose Maria Guerra, President of the European Alliance of Listeners’ and Viewers’ Associations, made a keynote speech, and other representatives of civil society also took part.

Hans Laroes, former editor-in-chief of NOS, the Netherlands, addressed the meeting on the core values of public service media. Klaus Unterberger spoke of “public diplomacy” through the experience of ORF, the EBU’s Austrian Member. Sabrina Povsic Stimec of RTVSLO presented the work of Slovenia's public broadcaster to engage with citizens. And Marija Nemcic made a presentation on the importance of branding and presentation of programme output at HRT, Croatia. The meeting was chaired by former EBU Vice-President Boris Bergant.

From left to right: EU Ambassador to Montenegro Mitja Drobnic, Hans Laroes, former chair of the EBU News Committee, speaking on public service values and editorial guidelines, Klaus Unterberger of ORF, and former EBU Vice-President Boris Bergant moderating the conference

Among other points, the meeting agreed that:

1. The future of public service media requires a stronger partnership with the citizens they serve.

2. The core public service values adopted unanimously by EBU Members in June 2012 are key to distinguishing public service from commercial media, and to strengthening their relationship with society.

3. Public service media should engage in an open and interactive dialogue with citizens – also through social media such as Twitter and Facebook.

The conference conclusions may be found here.

The EBU Partnership Programme proposes to organize a follow-up meeting on public service media and citizens before the end of 2013.