French Media Experts in Bahrain
Bahrain Government is to broaden access to the media by engaging French experts. Bahrain Government moves forward on media issues as recommended by the BICI Report.
Information Affairs Authority, Manama, 05 January 2012: As part of the Government’s efforts to fully implement all recommendations of the BICI Report, the Information Affairs Authority has engaged the top media regulators from France to advise on broadening access to the Bahrain media, developing professional broadcasting standards, and to strengthen the ethical code for people working in the media in Bahrain.
Shaikh Fawaz Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of the IAA, said: “The Government is committed to an inclusive, pluralistic and tolerant media environment. France has a strong, open and diverse media sector that reflects all points of view in society. The French experts will provide us with the best expertise in legislative drafting, regulatory structures, technology requirements and content development to help us achieve our goals.”
Shaikh Fawaz Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, President of the IAA, said: “The Government is committed to an inclusive, pluralistic and tolerant media environment. …”
The French experts, drawn from globally recognized media consultancy IMCA, will be led by Pascal Josèphe, its Chairman and CEO. Josèphe is a highly experienced expert – regulator who served as the longstanding senior adviser to the chairman of the French High Council for TV and Radio Regulation. He is widely experienced in all media sectors. Josèphe will be supported by Didier Sapaut, the former Vice Director of the French Ministry of Communications and Secretary General of France Télévisions. The team will include regulatory specialists/experts in new digital technologies, radio broadcasting and audience measurement and analysis.
“We are very pleased and proud to take part in the development of measures that aim at liberalizing the media in the kingdom of Bahrain”, Josèphe said.
IMCA has assisted a number of countries transition their media regimes to an open access framework. In particular, IMCA worked with eleven Eastern and Central European Governments to reform their laws and administrative schemes to bring them in accord with the best international standards, which was a prerequisite to these countries joining the European Union.
The Information Affairs Authority said there is real momentum to bring the Bahrain media environment in line with the recommendation of the BICI Report and mentioned in this regard the MOU with the Rotana Group to establish their headquarters in Manama, the launching of a new independent television channel, Al Arab, and the publication of a proposed “Journalists’ Professional Ethics Charter” by the Bahrain Journalists Association.
The press release above has been issued by Information Affairs Authority, P.O. Box 253, Isa Town, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: (+973) 17 872 556 / Fax: (+973) 17 682 777.