YEAR 2009 NEWS

The Youth4Media association (Y4M) established the first all-European internet television programme produced by volunteers called diverCity! “But we reach further”, explains Michał Wójcik, vice-chairman of Y4M. “We want to create a web platform serving as a true community media TV channel with similar broadcasts from all across Europe”, he says.

ZOn the occasion of the launch of diverCity the Y4M network wishes to underline the importance of community media as a tool for the expression of young Europeans and the building of civil society. The start of diverCity will therefore be accompanied by a conference entitled „We are the voice of Europe - Community media in Europe” on the 4th of March 2009 in the Representation of the State North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union, Brussels.

The conference is directed to the representatives of community media centers, non-governmental organizations, companies and trade unions. It aims at proposing answers to important questions related to the future of community media in Europe. The participants will have the chance to present their ideas to members of the European Parliament and Commission and engage in a dialogue with them.

The following issues will be raised in two discussion panels:

• How can a sustainable community media sector be built all across the European Union?
• The Internet - a unique chance for community media or a rival for citizen's radio and TV?
• The EU institutions - a new hope for community media abandoned by national governments? XXX
• Strict regulations or „independence in poverty“ - what community media sector do we want?
• Community media foster civil society – civil society fosters community media?

The conference will be enframed by workshops led by NGO representatives from Great Britain, Germany and Poland. They will present new methods in political and media vocational education.

The conference „We are the voice of Europe” is a common project of
the Youth4Media network, the Citizens' Media Center Bennohaus (D) and
the European Meeting Center - Nowy Staw Foundation (PL)
supported by the „Europe for Citzens' “ programme of the European Commission and
the Federal Government of North Rhine-Westphalia.