A new regional radio station will both train young journalists and improve cultural dialogue across the Mediterranean basin.
Regional radio professionals and an international organisation promoting cross-cultural dialogue joined together to launch a Mediterranean-wide radio station from Tunis on Tuesday (January 19th).
Representatives from the Permanent Conference of the Mediterranean Audiovisual Operators (COPEAM) and the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for Dialogue between Cultures kicked off the new "Waves of the Mediterranean" project.
The programme's goal, said COPEAM Radio Commission chief Robert Kudelka, is to "strengthen and perpetuate Euro-Mediterranean-oriented radio co-productions" while also training young people how to use the broadcast medium for cross-cultural discourse.
Waves of the Mediterranean will produce a daily news radio variety magazine for the next 20 months. "This is an addition to two radio series to be co-produced by the members of the Radio Commission in COPEAM ... calling for promoting dialogue in the region," said Julie Royer, vice-president of the Radio Commission.
Funded by the Anna Lindh Foundation with 200 million euros, the new radio station will be under the supervision of Radio Tunisia. In addition to broadcasting programmes designed to build a bridge between Mediterranean countries, the station will also train local journalists in new technologies. Eight training sessions for radio professionals in project member states will also be offered.
"It's the fruit of partnership between the radio operators in Tunisia, France, Algeria and Morocco, as well as the Superior School of Visual Arts in Morocco and COPEAM," said Royer. Radio France, ENRS in Algeria and SNRT in Morocco will also act as project partners.
Ridha Bouguezzi of Radio Tunisia will help manage the committee overseeing the new station. He hopes the project will bring "opinions closer in the Mediterranean region and [make] the radio a tool for supporting dialogue and openness", he told Magharebia on January 19th.
Media expert Ali Ben Mansour told Magharebia that the project is an important one for the region.
"The project...seeks to kick off a rich and diverse dialogue, especially via the radio ... a journalism tool that fosters closeness," he said, pointing to the successes of European and Maghreb FM stations.
Local journalists had varied reactions to the new project.
Jamel Hani said the project was a solid step toward cementing Mediterranean ties, but he still had misgivings.
"I'm not enthusiastic about the idea," he told Magharebia on January 20th. "How can the Europeans call for dialogue while they are driving our sons towards the borders? How can this dialogue be kicked off when there are disputes over minarets, the veil and the increasing debate about identity and nationality?"
Insaf Kheireddine of the Tunisian Radio and Television Establishment said the new channel could build a solid bridge between the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean.
"The media alone can get the message across," she said. "Launching a dialogue between the two sides of the Mediterranean is an important matter, and I don't think we're achieving an immediate result - rather, the important thing is that there's an ongoing dialogue."
By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis
© Magharebia.com 2010
