About CIRCOM Coproductions
Through it's coproductions, CIRCOM is creating unique opportunities for European regional stations to work together, in spite of the differences in language, cultural background, editorial approaches and TV formats.
In 2010 CIRCOM started developing a new strategy for coproduction and exchange based on the principle that CIRCOM coproduction and exchange will remain as one of the main objectives and benefits in the coming years. Facilitating coproduction and exchanges, precision about the content through “Prix CIRCOM” or transfer of best practice and skills in the fields of coproduction of European wide projects, as well as development of technical exchanges, translation and subtitling, are the main lines of this strategy.
It is clear that the momentum begun in recent years made a significant scale for the next years. The coproduction strategic plan aims to favor co-operation between stations and co-productions which are defined as any programme which is produced as a co-operative venture by two or more regional stations in different states. The subject matters should highlight topics which have wider European interest or which explore cultural similarities or differences between European peoples, states and differing regional and other ethnic cultures. Coproduction needs as well more focused approaches than just being “international” stories.
And, of course, CIRCOM coproduction respects the main rules of public journalism: impartiality and respect of the pluralism; no incitement to hate or racism and exclusion.
Past CIRCOM Coproductions
Since 1983 CIRCOM is promoting and developing cooperation between members, especially through co-production and exchange of programmes. The CIRCOM statutes foresee indeed that one of the missions of CIRCOM is to facilitate co-operation between regional television stations, particularly through co-production projects (Article 2: Aims and Objectives); as one of the objectives of the annual conference is to launch co-production projects (Article 9: The Annual Conference...).
On the CIRCOM various documentation, plenty of elements describing the association itself are related to co-production, such as: the objectives are… “to make co-productions and encourage the exchange of regional programmes: theme programmes, news magazines, cross-border news bulletins, documentaries, programmes for young people and cultural and music programmes”, “to increase the number of programme exchanges and co-productions, and encourage cooperation”, etc…
Since that time, co-production, exchanges, formats and ideas take various forms. CIRCOM facilitaded exchange of the existiing programmes between members, helped members find partners for their cross-border projects and organised coproduction projects. Traditionally, the main exchanges of existing programmes proposed by the CIRCOM members are made through the Prix CIRCOM Winners.
CIRCOM's goal and role is to motivate its members for the coproduction and exchanges by proposing contents which interest a majority of members in order to develop these activities. Various kind of content were identified: existing programmes proposed free of charge by the members; items produced by the members, proposed to be insert in programmes produced by other members; specific coproduction between limited number of members.
Here are some examples of past CIRCOM coproduction projects:
Citizen Heroes Co-production Project – EU Protects (June - September 2019)
Fifteen TV stations members of CIRCOM Regional took part in Citizen Heroes co-production project – EU Protects, producing 16 stories about European Citizen Heroes part of European Networks that protect EU citizens throughout the continent
Citizenship Project - round 6 (September 2018 – June 2019)
Fourteen TV stations members of CIRCOM Regional took part in 6th edition of the Citizenship co-production project, producing stories under four themes: Clean Europe, Money,money,money and Brussels decides?
Citizenship Project - round 5 (September 2017 – June 2018)
Twelve TV stations members of CIRCOM Regional took part in 5th edition of the Citizenship co-production project, producing stories under four themes: Jobs, Feeling Safe, Values in Question and Innovation Paradox
Citizenship Project - round 4 (November 2016 – June 2017)
Thirteen TV stations members of CIRCOM Regional took part in 4th edition of the Citizenship co-production project, producing stories under three themes: Big Cities, Future and Borderlines
Citizenship Project - round 3 (June 2015 - March 2016)
In the third round of a successful Citizenship project 10 active member stations produced 40 stories under 4 themes: Climate Change, Migration, Cultural Diversity and (Un-)employment.
Citizenship and Election Process (September - December 2014)
Following the big success of the first Citizenship project, 2nd CIRCOM Regional Citizenship coproduction project – Citizenship and Election Process - was launched on May 9th 2014.
Citizenship coproduction project (April 2013 - May 2014)
Seven European Regional Stations produced items on common themes related to European Citizenship. Coproduction gathered more than 20 millions viewers all around Europe, and offered to CIRCOM Regional member stations more than 150 stories to broadcast.
Six co-productions, financed by the European Commission, realised between 2003 and 2010:
"Networking Europe" was a BR - CIRCOM Regional co-production project with the collaboration of the European Union, which broadcasted classic magazine program contributions with a length of three to fife minutes. It covered all aspects of networking during the enlarged Europe.
Project Manager: Heike Stiegler
Executive Producer: Peter Sauer
Head of TV-News and Multimedia Studio Franken on behalf of Bayerisches Fernsehen
"Frontrunners" - a CIRCOM co-production project with the collaboration of the European Union, which broadcasted classic magazine program contributions with a length of two to four minutes. It covered all aspects of the enlargement of the European Union.
Topics included: Agriculture, adjustment of legal systems, economic opportunities for new EU member states, the situation at the borders between the old and new member states of the European Union. Each program contribution covers typical stories to show the progress made in special areas of the integration process in the enlarged European Union.
Project Manager: Heike Stiegler
"Families of Europe" was an ERT3 - TVSYD - CIRCOM Regional co-production project with the collaboration of the European Union.
For some families in Europe the Enlargement changed their lives almost overnight. Coproduction reports are about such families, their hopes and anxiety, their joy and despair.
Executive Producers: Lefty Kongalides ERT3 and Tim Johnson TVSYD
"Specials: Christmas Traditions in Europe" - CIRCOM Regional co-production project with the collaboration of the European Union, about how people in different countries celebrate Christmas.
Project Manager: Heike Stiegler
"Voice of the People" - CIRCOM Regional co-production project with the collaboration of the European Union. This co-production project took the form of a giant vox-pop: people in the street faced our cameras and asked challenging questions about what the EU really means to their daily lives. Then we turned our cameras on local, national and European politicians, looking for the answers...
Project manager: Lene Krüger
"The New Teen-Age Europe" - CIRCOM Regional co-production project with the collaboration of the European Union
Project manager: Lene Krüger
"The Last Straight Line" - CIRCOM Regional co-production project with the collaboration of the European Union
Project Manager: Heike Stiegler
RAI's "Levante" news programme aired at 11,30 every Saturday on the RAITRE channel.
A world so close, yet so overlooked and almost neglected by the Italian media: the Balkans. This region, often unknown, is just across the Eastern Mediterranean and is now facing one of its toughest calls, the European call. The Balkans enjoy a lively culture, a growing economy and an emerging political scene, often hindered by surviving ethnic disputes. Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo, where international peacekeeping forces remain at task, prove as an enduring example. However, the Balkan regions, considered as a whole, do struggle to overcome past misunderstandings and conflicts, reaching for a European status and sometimes looking at Italy as a model.
Levante describes these efforts by letting the citizens talk, or by simply listening to emerging communities. New entrepreneurs, free politicians and the wonderful Eastern people, too often referred to only as risky immigrants, are the main characters of our stories. With the hope to stay clear of common places and stereotypes.
Reporting from Eastern Europe used to be a challenging assignment, now those efforts are producing innovative news packages and a professional legacy for the Italian RAI Television. Written, produced and aired by the Regional RAITRE Bari-based station, Levante is created with contributions by other RAI Regional stations.