The 67th EBU General Assembly closes in Geneva

The 67th EBU General Assembly closed in Geneva today with special focus on the core values of public service media today.

Hans Laroes, of Dutch EBU Member NPO, is leading an EBU taskforce charged with defining public service media values, as broadcasters find themselves in a rapidly evolving, multimedia market.

The taskforce will report on its progress at the next General Assembly in June, which will be in Strasbourg.

Today's sessions also covered technologies and strategies for media production and delivery, and the EBU Special Assistance Project (SAP), which provides ad hoc support for Members facing especially difficult financial, technical or political problems.

As broadcast and broadband technologies play an increasingly pivotal role in shaping Members' strategies and services, EBU Technology & Development Director Lieven Vermaele gave an overview of recent key developments, including hybrid broadcasting, the 'ICANN issue' and programme production technology.

EBU Vice-President Claudio Cappon gave delegates a full report of the activities of the EBU's Special Assistance Project (SAP), designed to reinforce support for Members encountering financial, technical, political or other difficulties and to uphold the Union's prime principle of solidarity.  Mr Cappon's report included details of the project's activities over the past year (including activities in northern Africa, particularly in Tunisia, in the wake of the "Arab Spring") and covered the SAP's planned and potential future activities.

(Source : European Broadcasting Union)