By Claude Mussou
From 8 to 11 April 2010, the Permanent Conference of Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators (COPEAM), has met in Paris under the patronage of Mr Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic. Co-organised by Institut National de l’Audiovisuel (Ina) and supported by France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Culture and Communication, the 17th General Conference presented three flagship projects :
• The Channel for the Mediterranean: A multi-lingual and multi-cultural Mediterranean satellite television channel.
• MeD MeM: an Internet portal for the Mediterranean audiovisual heritage, supported by the Euromed heritage programme.
• The Mediterranean Audiovisual University: a network of universities and schools training in audiovisual media and cinema within the Mediterranean region.
700 attendees from all European Mediterranean countries made the conference successful. INA CEO, Emmanuel Hoog, was unanimously re-elected as COPEAM President for the next 2 years. A call was launched to support the creation of the multi-cultural, multi-lingual Mediterranean Channel that will broadcast in all countries around the Mediterranean, addressing over 770 millions inhabitants. Many countries will contribute and the programmes will combine North and South perspectives.