Italian public broadcaster RAI is leading a project for the launch of a multilingual and multicultural satellite TV channel for countries in the Mediterranean region. At a meeting of the Permanent audio-visual conference of the Mediterranean (COPEAM) held in Casablanca on May 18, representatives of 25 countries gave the go-ahead for the launch of EuroMed TV.

A feasibility study for a 30-month trial of the new Arte-style channel financed with EU funds will be ready by September. Besides RAI, pubcasters from France, Spain, Morocco, Tunis, Egypt and Algeria have confirmed their willingness to take part in the channel, which would eventually transmit in eight languages.

Participants at the COPEAM meeting discussed the need to defend their own cultural identity and also considered problems facing the TV market and new media.

RAI president Roberto Zaccaria reminded delegates that the EU Commission recently highlighted the annual deficit in the European audio-visual sector, compared to the United States, which covers 90 per cent of the market of member countries. He pointed out that European broadcasters have to do business in a very competitive market with an offer which is able to reach all, adding that there is a need to verify the disposability of those who want to move in that direction.

The results of a survey conducted by a group of research institutes from the region, revealed that 79 per cent of those polled favoured the launch of EuroMed TV. This was because they consider that the news as well as the artistic and cultural expression of the Mediterranean area are not adequately represented on existing TV channels. Whether they tune in is an entirely different matter.