OBJECTIVES

To examine Regional Television in Europe from an innovative and practical angle and contribute to the development of regional culture and identities;

To bring together researchers and professionals from the mass media across borders and initiate a dynamic cultural approach in regional development;

To provide a unique forum for ideas and experience and a network for exchanging personnel and equipment between European regional stations;

To foster communication between members;

To make coproductions and encourage the exchange of regional programmes: theme programmes, news magazines, cross-border news bulletins, documentaries, programmes for young people and cultural and music programmes;

Award the Prix CIRCOM Regional to the best regional programmes in Europe;

Increase vocational training for journalists and technicians.

MISSION

To coordinate this international audiovisual network of 376 television stations in 38 countries - a unique network in Europe to enhance promotion and communicate more efficiently;

To develop relations with the European Institutions - The European Commission, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament and increase co-operative ventures with other European audiovisual organisations, the various international and national partners and local and regional authorities;

To represent and ensure the active participation of CIRCOM Regional (CR) at conferences, conventions and seminars of the audiovisual industry in Europe;

To distribute information on audiovisual developments in Europe;

To increase the number of programme exchanges and coproductions, encourage cooperation, stimulate vocational training on a European level and strengthen relations between CR members.

Through the close relationship which regional TV stations enjoy with their viewers, the Association fulfils four key roles:

• forming a local link with television viewers;
• enhancing and promoting European culture with all its rich diversity;
• helping people become more familiar with others in readiness for tomorrow's multicultural society, characterised by democratic participation and tolerance;
• displaying, preserving and promoting regional cultures and values for the ethnic and language groups which make up the Nations of Europe;

BRIEF HISTORY

1973 Founding of CIRCOM - International Cooperative for Research and Action in Communication - at the Prix Italia in Venice, when a small group of professionals from public television met with Pierre SCHAEFFER, member of the Audiovisual High Council, Director of the Research Department of ORTF, France. Their initiative aims to accelerate the development of regional identities.

1983 Creation of CIRCOM Regional following the success of the debate organised by CIRCOM during the Prix Italia in Riva in 1980 on the theme "Regional Television: the last network", based on the growing awareness that regional television would play a key role in the development of the European idea.
Founding members: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy.