Today there are about 100 ethnic newspapers and magazines in France, while ethnic radio stations make up about one quarter of all stations in the Paris area. These media are flourishing in Europe, from the UK to Italy, and the Netherlands to Sweden, attracting the interest of the mass media. For example, the August issue of Le Monde’s radio and television supplement was devoted to community / ethnic radio in France, while the Nouvel Observateur recently ran a feature on black women’s magazines, and the France 3 television channel included a report in its evening news slot.

There is an interest in France today in recognising the diversity that makes up the nation. And various recent initiatives show that there is a genuine desire to discuss ways to take account of this diversity in all sectors of French society, and at all levels. For example, there have been the recommendation from the Higher Council for Integration submitted to the Prime Minister on 17 March, recent declarations by the Minister responsible for equal opportunities, Azouz Begag, and the Fauroux report on racial discrimination in the workplace.

So, how do ethnic media in France and Europe, and their mass media colleagues, treat the issue of racial and cultural diversity? What contribution do they make to this debate? What partnerships and bridges can be forged between the various media to multiply the impact of different initiatives, and to speed progress towards genuinely egalitarian forms of living together?

In order to open the debate on these questions, Institut Panos Paris is holding a European meeting on Media, diversity & pluralism, bridges to build…, on 21 & 22 October 2005 in Paris at the Institut du Monde Arabe (IMA).

Over 100 journalists are expected, from ethnic media and the mass media, along with researchers, representatives of the authorities, coming from France, Italy, and the Netherlands, as well as Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Sweden and the USA.

On 21 October at 6.30 pm there will be a public debate, for an invited audience, in the IMA Higher Council meeting room, on Immigrant and minority media / mass media – building bridges to diversity and pluralism.

This European meeting is part of a process launched in January 2005, within the framework of a 3-year European programme called Mediam’Rad. The primary objective of this programme is to help bolster pluralism in opinions and points of view, and to facilitate partnerships between ethnic media and the mass media.

Coordination by the Institut Panos Paris,
in partnership with Cospe (Italy) and MiraMedia (Netherlands).

By invitation only

Contact
communication@panosparis.org

Institut Panos Paris
www.panosparis.org

Mediam'Rad is supported by
European Union	CCFD - France	Fasild