Voice of the Listener and Viewer (VLV) represents the citizen and consumer interest
in broadcasting and works for quality and diversity in British broadcasting.

Arne Wessberg, incoming President of the European Broadcasting Union, gave the keynote address at VLV's seventh International Conference. 

The conference was held at the Royal Society of Arts in London from the 6th - 8th June and that an edited transcript or a audio cassette of the proceedings will be available shortly. It will cost £35. Orders may be e-mailed to vlv@btinternet.com 

Mr Wessberg, Director General of YLE, the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation, gave his first public speech in London since becoming the EBU's President earlier in the year. 

The theme for the conference in 2001 is 'Public Service Broadcasting and Citizenship in the Global Information Society'. Mr Wessberg outlined his vision of the role which public service broadcasting can play in e-Europe and the contribution which it can make to fostering cultural diversity and the development of active citizenship.  

Sessions covered ways of developing active citizenship, the effect on audio-visual services of WTO moves to liberalise world-trade, the protection of children, and the funding of original and indigenous programmes, education and lifelong learning.

Speakers included:

Nicholas Argyris, 
Director, Communication Policy & Regulatory Framework, Information Society Directorate, EC
Philppe Chauve, 
Telecommunications and e-commerce, Directorate for Trade, EC 
Jean-Eric de Cockborne, 
Directorate for Education & Culture, EC
Caroline Diehl, 
Director the Media Trust and the UK Community Channel;
Ulla Martikainen-Florath, 
Director of Education, Finnish Broadcasting
Johanna Frelin, 
Head of Children & Youth, Swedish Broadcasting  Corporation
Chris Grace, 
Head of Animation, S4C, The Welsh Fourth Channel;
Professor Sylvia Harvey, 
Sheffield Hallam University
Robert Emmett O’Reilly, 
Executive Director, Radio Canada International
Andrew Ramsay, 
Director, Broadcasting & Creative Industries Group, DCMS, 
Professor Vincent Porter, 
University of Westminster
Don Redding, 
Public Affairs, Intermediate Technology and Development Group
Elizabeth Smith, 
Secretary-General, Commonwealth Broadcasting Association;
Caroline Thomson, 
Director of Public Policy, BBC;
Lord Thomson of Monifieth, KT, PC, DL 
Carole Tongue, 
Consultant and former MEP 
Philip Whitehead, MEP

* VLV reserves the right to make changes in the programme.

Commenting, VLV chair Jocelyn Hay said: ‘We were delighted that Arne Wessberg, was able to give the keynote speech at this conference.  His knowledge of the contribution that public service broadcasting makes to democracy and the quality of life in Europe is unparalleled. 

Other distinguished speakers, included Guillaume Cheneviere, the new President of the World Radio and Television Council, will bring views from Europe, Africa, North America and the Pacific. 

VLV had look forward to sharing experiences and to forging stronger links with colleagues from the Friends of the ABC, Australia, the Friends of Canadian Broadcasting and with representatives from the member organizations of EURALVA, the European Alliance of Listeners’ and Viewers’ Associations who also attended from Denmark, Finland, Portugal and Spain. 

As EURALVA grows in strength we shall be considering ways of developing our cooperation in support of public service broadcasting world-wide and the role it plays in fostering democracy and cultural diversity in the face of increasingly competitive and globalized media environment.’

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For further information, contact: Linda Forbes or Jocelyn Hay.  Tel: (00)1474-352835; Fax: (00)1474-351112. 

Telephone: 01474 352835. 
Fax: 01474 351112. 
E-mail: vlv@btinternet.com 

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