Parliament hopes to tune into public consciousness with own TV channel

By Martin Banks

Date: 24/03/05

THE European Parliament is considering launching a dedicated TV channel to broadcast its activities to the public.

The channel, given a provisional title of EPTV, would be modelled on the highly successful C-SPAN cable network which covers the US Congress. It would probably be funded by the Parliament.

If the plan is approved, the 732-member assembly could start televising its activities as early as next year.

A feasibility study into the idea has been launched by the Parliament's information department which has been asked to report back with its findings before the summer recess.

Julian Priestley, the Parliament's secretary-general, said the study would investigate the practicalities of such a venture, including the cost.

"We are at a very early stage," he said. "We need to look at a whole range of issues, such as whether the channel would be on terrestrial or cable television, before we go any further.

"We live in an age when television is a very powerful medium and the feeling is that we need to work more on our audio-visual activities."

Some of the Parliament's business, including plenary sessions, is already broadcast on EBS (Europe by Satellite), a TV network shared with the European Commission.

But EBS is not widely available to the general public and Priestley said the Parliament was keen to reach out to a wider audience.

"People have the right to know what is being done in their names in the European Parliament," he said.

"We have a large number of visitors but it is impossible for everyone to come to the Parliament so one of the benefits of having our own TV channel is that more people would know what we are doing.

"Although TV stations are making increasing use of our facilities, they cannot offer a comprehensive coverage of the many activities undertaken here.

"The idea is yet to be fully costed but, as this is a multi-lingual Parliament, the costs involved would inevitably be higher than a similar sort of venture in a member state."

Priestley said that a dedicated TV channel was only one of a number of options. Others included webcasting on the internet, and extending radio coverage of its activities.

Hans-Gert Pöttering, leader of Parliament's biggest political group, the European People's Party (EPP-ED), said: "I would support any proposal that can help improve the range and quality of information our citizens receive about the EU, particularly the Parliament and a Parliamentary channel is certainly a very attractive idea.

"But before embarking on such an enterprise we need to analyse fully whether this is the most efficient way forward or whether there are other, possibly less expensive, options."

Socialist group leader Martin Schulz said: "We must ensure that this does not carry a heavy price tag or turns out to be some sort of vanity TV production."

The channel would cover all aspects of Parliamentary activity, from plenary and committee meetings to public hearings.

Article reports that the European Parliament was considering launching a dedicated TV channel to broadcast its activities to the public. The channel, given a provisional title of EPTV, would be modelled on the highly successful C-SPAN cable network which covers the US Congress. It would probably be funded by the Parliament.