The European Audiovisual Observatory, part of the Council of Europe, has just added two new members to its Advisory Committee: the European Producers’ Club (EPC) and the European Association for Viewers’ Interests (EAVI). The EPC will be represented by its Managing Director, Alexandra Lebret while the EAVI will be represented by its Secretary General, Mr Paolo Celot.
The Strasbourg-based Observatory is a clearing house for information about the audiovisual sector in Europe, covering film, television and on demand services from an economic and legal point of view. The information it produces is available in the form of publications, on-line reports, databases, and a newsletter, almost all available free-of-charge at: www.obs.coe.int. The Observatory also shares its information via numerous conferences and conference presentations throughout the year. The Observatory’s Advisory Committee currently brings together 37 different European and international professional organisations representing the various branches of the audiovisual industries. Sectors such as film production, distribution, exhibition, public and private broadcasting, and the press are represented within this body. The Advisory Committee meets once a year in Strasbourg in order to inform the Observatory on the information needs and concerns of the various different branches of the audiovisual industries.
Executive Director Susanne Nikoltchev stated that she was “very satisfied with this positive enlargement of the Observatory’s Advisory Committee”. She underlined the importance of “grass roots feedback from the industry representatives” which allows the Observatory to make sure that the subjects covered by its work are of interest and value to the media industries in Europe. In addition to advising, the Advisory Committee ensures that key audiovisual players engage in supporting the Observatory’s work as a neutral platform delivering strategic factual information.
The Observatory’s next conference will take place on the 27th of September in Brussels. More information and registration form here.