EBC and World Bank to Organize International Conference on Public Media in Latin America

Specialists from Latin America, Spain and the US will discuss the sustainability of public communication during the fourth edition of this event

The role of public media and its future trends will be discussed during the 4^th International Public Media Forum – Sustainability, Inclusion and the New Latin American Reality, which will take place at the Empresa Brasil de Comunicação’s (EBC) Cultural Space on August 29^th and 30^th in Brasilia.

The conference is co-sponsored by the World Bank and the Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), and has the institutional support of the Office of the President of the Republic’s Communication Secretariat (Secom) and the Inter Press Service (IPS) news agency.

More than 30 specialists from around the continent will be participating. Among them, the director of Argentina’s Channel 7, Martín Bonavetti; the director of Once TV, Mexico, Enriqueta Cabrera; the director of Telemedellín, Colombia, Wladir Ochoa; the representative for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in the United States, Patrícia Alvarado; the Secretary of Communication, El Salvador’s Office of the President, David Rivas.

Also taking part in panel discussions will be the Director of Communication for Peru’s Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Blanca Rosales; and communications experts Luis Arroyo from Spain; Martín Becerra from Argentina; Venício Lima and Murilo Ramos from the University of Brasília (UnB).

Over two days, discussions will deal with public television financing models, citizen participation in public media management, the challenge around creating and sharing regional content and the advantages and disadvantages of sector regulation.

Two publications are scheduled for launching as part of the program. Resulting from the debates taking place during the first three forums, the Magic Boxes book raises questions such as the contribution of public media to society, their space vis-à-vis private TV stations, and quality programming for children. This publication was supported by the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the International and Latin American Foundation for Public Administration and Policies (FIIAPP).

On the other hand, the Brazil 4D – Socioeconomic Impact Study of Interactive Public Digital TV book shows the results of the interactive Digital TV project – undertaken by the EBC, with support from the World Bank’s Spanish Fund, in the city of João Pessoa in 2012 among low income families. The study follows the use that these families made of the interactive content provided by the public services, such as job listings, healthcare appointments and financial education.

With previous editions taking place in Uruguay, Paraguay and El Salvador, the 4^th International Public Media Forum intends to promote debate and dialogue between the main public TV broadcasters in Latin America. The conference is open to the public and registrations can be made via email at cerimonial@cp.ebc.com.br.

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4^th International Public Media Forum – Sustainability, Inclusion and the New Latin American Reality

Location: EBC Cultural Space - Edifício Venâncio 2000
Setor Comercial Sul, Quadra 8
Bloco B-60, Primeiro Piso inferior
Brasília, Brazil