Colombia. In a plenary meeting, which takes place this week in Bogotá, the founding bodies of the Platform of Audiovisual Regulators of Ibero-America, PRAI, approved the statutes for the entity, proposed by Elisenda Malaret, one of the founders representing the Autonomous Community of Catalonia (Spain).
Among the main points of the approved document is the determination of the functions of the Platform: to be a space for joint reflection on the regulation of television and other forms of audiovisual; to become a platform for the exchange of information on legal and regulatory aspects of common interest to all regulators, and to be configured as a space for the discussion and dialogue solution of problems and dissensions between regulatory entities.
The working languages are Portuguese and Spanish. In addition to the founders and the countries of the region that want to join the Platform, there will be observer countries, as is the current case of Morocco, a country that has accompanied the process of formation and consolidation of the Platform.
With these statutes, the PRAI is consolidated as the most important regional forum to enhance and support the work of independent regulatory entities of Ibero-American countries, in their work to guarantee human rights, cultural diversity and representativeness in the audiovisual content broadcast and distributed to the various audiences.
After approving the statutes, the Plenary chose Colombia as the seat of the presidency of the Platform for the next two years, and the vice presidency will be exercised by Chile. The secretariat functions were in charge of Catalonia and Colombia with the accompaniment of Portugal. The presidency shall be rotating, elected by the Plenary every two years. The country holding the presidency will also host the headquarters of the Platform.
The Plenary also approved the Strategic Action Plan 2014-2016, presented by the ANTV (Colombian regulatory entity). The plan contemplates the main lines of action for the next two years. Beatriz Quiñones Cely, member of the National Television Board, who presented the Plan, said that it postulates, among other strategies and activities, the generation of an information web center, in which both regulatory bodies and citizens in general can consult high-quality resources on audiovisual regulation, as well as on academic aspects, research, market and audiovisual industry.
