Civilmedia 08 – „Cultures – Participaton – Dialogue”: The Civilmedia is an annual international UnConference, organised by Radiofabrik Salzburg in co-operation with VFRÖ. This year it took place at the end of the “European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008” from 4th to 6th of December. In bringing together international and national alternative media practitioners, researchers, policy makers, activists, and community development workers, Civilmedia08 reviewed the importance of community media and Web 2.0 for intercultural dialogue in Europe. More details at. http://www.civilmedia.eu/

Contribution:
Panel discussion “European Community Media Policy”

The panel will discuss recent developments in European Community Media Policy, including: 1) the opportunities and challenges that arise from the approval of the EU Parliament resolutions on Community Media and, partly, Media Pluralism; 2) the opportunities that might arise from the approval of the Draft Declaration on Community Media discussed at CDMC committee at the Council of Europe, as well as the findings emerging from P.Lewis research on community media and social inclusion; 3) the emerging findings from the comparative research done by Helmut Peissl and Otto Tremetzberger in five EU countries; 4) issues and opportunities emerging from current community media practices (AMARC) at the global and European level, also with reference to the recent AMARC conference in Montreal and the 25 years of AMARC declaration issued there; 5) national and regional perspectives in the European context.

Moderator: Salvatore Scifo, European Union Institute, Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey / Community Media Forum Europe

Panelists:
– Dr. Patrick Segalla, member of the Office of the Austrian Federal Chancellor, with responsibility on Media Affairs and Information Society matters, and Chair of the Group of Specialists on Public Service Media in the Information Society (MC-S-PSM) at the Council of Europe;

– Mr. Peter Lewis, Senior Lecturer in Community Media at London Metropolitan University, author of several publications, including ‘Promoting Social Cohesion. The Role of Community Media’, published by the Council of Europe earlier this year;

– Mr. Helmut Peissl, Vice President of the Community Media Forum Europe and Chairman of the Austrian Free Radio Federation;

– Mrs. Nadia Bellardi, Board Member of AMARC-Europe (World Association of Community Broadcasters);

– Mrs. Karin Resetarits, via videomessage, rapporteur for the motion on Community Media at European Parliament, European Member of Parliament (Liberal-Democrats group, Austria)