With the active participation of URTI (International Radio and Television University) and some other partners, UNESCO is implementing the Screens Without Frontiers project. Its main objective is to put some quality programs at the disposal of the service channels in developing and transitional countries.
An audiovisual co-operative undertaking with multiple advantages :
- To take part in the readjustment movement of North-South information exchanges, that has been encouraged by the worldwide development of the Internet. In order that the developing countries don’t have to remain simple consumers of products and information services made by others anymore, but can become in their turn the producers and distributors of information.
- To reassert the value of public audiovisual resources for countries who want to defend and maintain the cultural and educational mission of public service.
- To encourage quality broadcasting.
- To favour the use of new technologies in the developing countries.
- To build up and safeguard a memory of cultural productions within the framework of a universal audiovisual heritage.
- To incite an international awareness of the importance of assistance for the countries with no resources to meet their audiovisual cultural needs.
UNESCO, initiator of the project
UNESCO’s and URTI‘s common concern with the development and the strengthening of the public service broadcasting supported by many other professional organisms, led them naturally to bring their efforts together to make the Screens Without Frontiers project succeed.
In concrete terms, what offers Screens Without Frontiers?
A worldwide database with audiovisual programs (fictions, documentaries, magazines) for the public television channels in developing countries. The listed programs are put at TV channels disposal by audiovisual services to be broadcast free of charge.
This database contains the complete description of available TV programs. For each product the beneficiary regional zones and the obtaining conditions are specified.