Promoting social cohesion: the role of community media - amarc

committing funds to support thesector, both directly, withschemes such as the French levyon the commercial audiovisualsector (FSER), the allocation of aportion of the licence fee (Ireland,some German Länder) orby lowering the cost of licences,and indirectly, through fundingprojects as part of governmentprogrammes directed towardshealth, community development,education, social inclusion,support for minority ethniccommunities, etc.More specifically, the Council ofEurope should consider:• commissioning studies of bestpractice in community media,surveys of emerging needs suchas multicultural programmingand audience research on theAustralian model;• supporting a trans-Europeannetwork to monitor policy, acommunity media observatory;• encouraging training schemes aspart of lifelong learning andmedia literacy;• supporting programmeexchange within the Europeancommunity media sector andbeyond, with regions which arethe “homelands” of diasporiccommunities;• supporting the exchange of staffand volunteers for short periodsbetween community mediaprojects;• facilitating workshops to studyfunding opportunities;• inviting representatives ofAMARC and the CMFE to attendrelevant committees as observersand to participate in meetingsand conferences.6 Promoting social cohesion: the role of community media