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French speaking network of regulators looks at the future of Public Service Media

posted on 18 January, 2017   (public)

French-speaking network of regulators looks at the future of Public Service Media

During a three-day event  from 16 to 18 November 2016, the members of the Network of French-speaking media regulatory authorities (REFRAM) met to discuss public service media governance and remit in the current context, as well as ways to ensure independent regulation.

Media regulatory authorities members of REFRAM gathered together in Tunis at an international seminar organised by the Tunisian regulator (HAICA) with the support of the Council of Europe and the organisation internationale de la francophonie.

  • They discussed safeguards and necessary adaptation of public service media governance to effectively deal with new challenges brought by media landscape evolutions and public expectations.
     
  • Debates also focused on the definition of public service media remit in a connected and competitive world and on its features relating to political pluralism, diversity or content production.
     
  • Finally, participants looked at the role of media regulatory authorities with regard to developments of public service media as well as at means to ensure an independent and efficient monitoring of their remits.

At the end of the seminar, REFRAM members adopted recommendations inviting media regulatory authorities, public service media managers and public authorities to guarantee fair access to public media, to ensure good governance and to provide for the necessary means which foster the development of a strong and innovative sector serving the public.

The Network of French-speaking media regulatory authorities (REFRAM) held its constitutive meeting on 1st July 2007 in Ouagadougou, Burkina-Faso. The purpose of REFRAM is to work towards the consolidation of the rule of law, democracy and human rights. REFRAM aims at establishing and strengthening solidarity and exchanges between its members. It is a forum for debate and exchange of information on issues of common interest and fosters training and cooperation between its members. This platform comprises 29 media regulatory authorities from 27 French-speaking African and European countries as well as Canada. The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) has observer's status. The current REFRAM Chairman is Mr. Ibrahim Sy Savané President of the HACA of the Ivory Coast. M. Philippe Metzger, Director General of the Swiss Federal Office of Communication (OFCOM) is REFRAM's Vice-Chair.
 

Source: Websites of REFRAM/Council of Europe