The Mediterranean TV Channel Project presentation
Key figures for the Euro-Mediterranean area 43 countries Member States of the European Union Mediterranean coastal States A population of about 700 million people Around 500 million people in the European area Around 270 million people in the African/Middle Eastern areas Approximately 165 millions households More than 2 000 television channels 28 languages Up to 4 time zones 2
Genesis Key dates The COPEAM today January 1996 : COPEAM set up in Cairo by 63 founding members April 2009 : Cairo conference The members of COPEAM unanimously adopted a final resolution including 10 emblematic projects around 3 axes : Structuring the Mediterranean audiovisual landscape Developing and promoting the Euro- Mediterranean production Facilitating the flow of contents 130 members from 26 Mediterranean countries : Albania, Algeria, Cyprus, Croatia, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Montenegro, Palestinian Authority, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey. The Mediterranean Channel, This project backed by the COPEAM since the start of the Euro-Mediterranean process can and must be carried out by the Union for Mediterranean (UfM) 3
COPEAM AND THE MEDITERRANEAN CHANNEL Genesis November 1995 - Declaration of Barcelona: The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership gives impetus to the audiovisual operators. 1996 - COPEAM foundation: COPEAM is officially constituted in Cairo. January 1997 - Project of a Euro-Mediterranean television channel: COPEAM launches a study to determine the feasibility of a multicultural, multilingual TV channel for the Euro-Mediterranean area: EUROMED TV. April 1997- Launch of a preliminary study: The Euromed Malta Conference confirms the audiovisual industry as a priority sector for joint action in the Mediterranean. A strategic committee and a group of experts are set up to carry out a prefeasibility study for a Euro-Mediterranean TV channel. April 1998 - COPEAM Conference in Tunis: The Conference adopts the idea of creating a Mediterranean television channel. 1998/1999 - Feasibility study for EUROMED TV: A call for proposals issued by the European Community funds the feasibility study. March 1999 - Study presentation: The project is officially presented: a multicultural, multilingual channel to promote dialogue, mutual understanding and shared know-how. 2001-2005 - Project development: The Barcelona Process and Euro-Mediterranean Partnership begin to lose steam. Against this backdrop, COPEAM on the occasion of its 8th Conference launches again the idea of a Euro-Mediterranean channel. France Télévisions (France), RAI (Italy), 2M (Morocco), ENTV (Algeria), ERTT (Tunisia) and TVE (Spain) start off a promotional window on Mediterranean-oriented programmes via satellite and internet: TERRAMED. 2006-2008 - TERRAMED gets underway: COPEAM starts to work on TERRAMED pilot phase. July 2008 - Paris Declaration: The Paris Declaration confirms the role of the media as one of the building blocks of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). April/May 2009 - Cairo Conference: COPEAM General Assembly adopts a final resolution promoting ten emblematic projects aimed at shaping the Mediterranean audiovisual landscape, including that of the TV Mediterranean cultural channel. In May, Terramed pilot phase is launched. It provides satellite promos of Mediterranean-oriented programmes by public broadcasters of the Euromed area. September 2009 Brussels: COPEAM presents its ten projects to UfM Ambassadors in Brussels. June 2010 - the Mediterranean channel: A new pre-feasibility study for a Mediterranean TV channel is presented to UfM Ambassadors. 4
The 3 main goals of the project are : Disseminate and promote Mediterranean-inspired audiovisual contents; Support the production of programmes, reports, magazines, fictions and entertainment shows fostering dialogue between populations; Highlight the founding elements of the Mediterranean identity 5
Technical specifications BASIC SPECIFICATIONS: Start-up phase 1.Issues related to the editing of audiovisual contents - 24h/7 Broadcast - 2h00 of initial Broadcast - of which 30 minutes of internal production - 3 broadcast languages 2. Broadcasting issues - Broadcasting in the area via 2 satellites - Possibility of local retransmissions free of charge 3. Organization of the channel 4. Business model and status - Registered office of the channel located in one of the countries members of the UfM - Simple organisation and restricted team - The channel will be hosted in the premises of a member of the consortium, supplied with the necessary technical means - Status: private law legal entity with a majority State stake - Financial package of 20 million Euros in Year 1 (excluding the working capital required for the preparatory phase) - Funds mainly coming from public subsidies provided by the UfM and the EU 6
BASIC SPECIFICATIONS: Start-up phase Issues related to the editing of audiovisual contents 1/2 EDITORIAL LINE Editing, production and broadcasting in the Euro-Mediterranean area: DOCUMENTARIES SPORT REPORTS LEISURE MAGAZINES ENTERTAINMENT Sharing contents Encouraging discovery programmes Promoting real-life and cultures of each country Offering Euro-Mediterranean events-based programming The editorial charter will be developed in agreement with the Mediterranean Network of Regulatory Authorities (RIRM) 7
BASIC SPECIFICATIONS: Start-up phase Issues related to the editing of audiovisual contents 2/2 Broadcast 24/7 (see outline) : ORGANISATION OF THE PROGRAMMING GRID -2hours of programmes in first run : 30 minutes of internal production Programmes made using content possibly provided as contributions in kind by Mediterranean partners (particularly broadcasters). 1 hour 30 minutes of purchased programmes Reruns 22h 22h -22 hours of reruns. Internal production Purchased stock Broadcast 30min 1h30 1h30 Reruns MULTILINGUILISM - Broadcasting will be done in 3 languages (at least one from the Southern Mediterranean area and one from the North). - Each additional language will cost 1.5 million Euros. Objective in the selection of languages: reaching the largest audience. 8
BASIC SPECIFICATIONS: Start-up phase Broadcasting issues SATELLITE BROADCASTING LOCAL RETRANSMISSION OF THE SIGNAL Reception possible with a 90 cm antenna Reception possible with a 120 cm antenna Terrestrial transmission Transmission Cable /DSL Broadcast across the whole Euro- Mediterranean area. Use of a minimum of two satellites so to cover the whole area - 1 for Europe - 1 for Northern Africa and the Middle East. Terrestrial broadcaster Local retransmissions: satellite, terrestrial, cable, etc. A web distribution platform could also be envisaged. Objective: increasing the public. Operator Cable- ADSL Start up: local retransmission will initially be free of charge (ADSL essentially according to countries) 9
BASIC SPECIFICATIONS: Start-up phase Organisation of the channel LOCATION OF THE CHANNEL S HEAD OFFICE No technical or technological limitations impose a specific geographic location. The Mediterranean Channel will be located in a UfM member country. THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CHANNEL Simple, operational and effective organization: - small team - single site - hosted on the premises of a broadcaster member of the consortium, supplied with the necessary technical means for it to function properly THE PERSONNEL Three specific teams: - a technical editorial team, - a team in charge of the editorial line, - a team in charge of operating the channel. 10
BASIC SPECIFICATIONS: Start-up phase Status and business model STATUS OF THE CHANNEL The 30minchannel will be a private law legal entity with a majority State stake. 30 BUDGET AND FUNDING - Budget of the channel start-up phase: 20 million (excluding the working capital required for the first preparatory year). 22h - Funded through public subsidies from the UfM and the EU. - The consortium s own resources may consist of contributions in kind or funds coming from advertising (that should not influence the editorial line of the channel), sponsorships and complementary institutional public subsidies. 11
Technical specifications BASIC SPECIFICATIONS: Development within 5 Years 1. Content Editing - Progressively higher share of first runs to minimum 3 hours and 30 minutes; - Progressively higher share of internal productions to 1 hour; - Number of languages expanded to a minimum of six. 2. Broadcasting issues - Widen the coverage/reception of the channel on the Euro-Med area by multiplying the agreements for the local retransmission of the signal (satellite, terrestrial, cable, etc). 3. Organisation of the channel - Providing the channel s central unit with its own premises; - More decentralized and partnership-based organization: A central organisation in charge of contents reception, programming, adaptation and broadcast of the TV signal + local branches in charge of the purchase and production of programmes; - Setting up of an autonomous dedicated team + its own technical infrastructure. 4. Business model - All of these requirements are covered by the UfM s annual financial package of 20 million Euros in Year 1, that will be by increased of 1 million Euros per year, so as to reach 25 million Euros in Year 5; - Complementary funds may also come from advertising, sponsorship, further subsidies, etc. 12
BASIC SPECIFICATIONS: Development within 5 Years Audiovisual contents editing ORGANISATION OF THE PROGRAMMING GRID 20h30 -Increase of first runs compared to reruns, so to achieve at least 3 hours 30 minutes of first run per day in Year 5. -Increase of internal production so to achieve 1 hour per day in Year 5. Reruns 22h 22h 30min 1h30 1 h 2h30 Internal production Purchased stock Reruns Broadcast 1h30 1h30 22h N N+5 MULTILINGUALISM Extension from 3 to 6 broadcasting languages in Year 5. Reminder: Objective in the selection of languages: reaching the largest audience. 13
BASIC SPECIFICATIONS: Development within 5 Years Organisation of the channel THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CHANNEL - Consortium s commitment to provide the channel s central unit with its own premises. - Decentralisation of the channel's structure, based on partnerships and exchanges between local branches: Antenne locale 1 Antenne locale 5 Unité centrale de la chaîne Antenne locale 2 Central Unit: Local branch: - reception of contents - programming - adaptation and broadcasting - programme purchases - production of programmes Antenne locale 4 Antenne locale 3 14
BASIC SPECIFICATIONS: Development within 5 Years Business model of the channel BUDGET AND FUNDING - Main funds: 30min Public subsidies, UfM, EU 1 st year : 20 million (excluding the working capital required for the launch of the channel) Increase of 1 million 30 per year. - Other funds: Progressive increase so as to achieve 20% in Y+5 Possible sources: advertising, sponsorship, further subsidies, 22h etc. 35 30 25 20 15 10 Répartition du financement de la Allocation of the chaîne Channel s funds 20 25 20 % Autres Other financements* funds* Financement Public subsidies public 5 0 N N+1 N+2 N+3 N+4 N+5. 15