ABUGA 2014: ABU Programming forms new consultative body & elects new leadership
The ABU is setting up a special group to advise its Programme Committee and provide additional links to members.
The decision to establish a Programme Bureau was taken at a meeting of the ABU Programme Committee in Macau, in the run-up to the Union’s 50th Anniversary General Assembly on 27-28 October 2014, where the Committee also elected a new Chair and Vice Chair.
Mr Song Jay-heon of KBS was elected Chair of the ABU Programme Committee and Mr Hideki Tazuke from NHK Japan was re-elected Vice Chair, with Ms Deborah Steele of ABC Australia remaining as Vice Chair to complete her term.
The new Programme Bureau will advise the Programme Committee on organisational matters between annual meetings, promote and protect the interests and rights of all members, coordinate Programme Department activities and monitor the progress of the other working groups or parties, providing suitable guidance to them as necessary.
The bureau will also review projects and training programs proposed by the Programme Department and provide support to promote the development of TV and radio production in the region.
It was decided there will be 10 elected members and three ex-officio members – the Chairperson and two Vice Chairs of the Programme Committee. The 10 elected members are AIR India, HUM TV Pakistan, RTM Malaysia, TRT Turkey, CCTV China, MNB Mongolia, NHK Japan, RRI Indonesia, IRIB Iran, EBS Korea.
Members felt the initiative would help focus the activities of the department and bring in feedback between the annual meetings of the committee. It would also be an opportunity to involve smaller and less well resourced broadcasters to ensure the Programme Committee had programs relevant to their development.