Roma Co-Production Fund

The Roma Media Co-production Fund (hereafter the “Co-Production Fund”) was launched by the Network Media Program (NMP) of the Open Society Foundation and medienhilfe in mid-2005. In its pilot phase, the project was linked to the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015. The aimof the co-productions was to help strengthen co-operation among Roma and mainstream media, both nationally and cross-border; underline or assist in the creation of national and cross-border Roma policy; enhance public debate on and community participation in Roma issues; and reinforce the Roma media’s informative and educative role for Roma and non-Roma communities.
The co-productions covered the four pillar priorities of the Decade, i.e. health, employment, housing and education, in the eight countries involved in the Decade (Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, FYR Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia), and in neighbouring countries with significant Roma populations. Co-productions were envisioned to play a dual role of watchdog on the Decade in order to ensure government accountability, and of community facilitator, in order to encourage the broadest participation of Roma communities in the Decade.
The co-productions included Roma and non-Roma broadcast and Internet media, and news agencies. Eight co-productions, carried out by 14 Roma and non-Roma media outlets from 7 Central and Southeast European countries, were supported. The co-productions were broadcast on a number of local, regional and national broadcasters, including national public televisions in Bulgaria and Slovakia as well as the private national Radio and TV B92 in Serbia.

The implementation approach

The Co-Production Fund has been revised in 2006, further to the evaluation of the pilot phase and the new OSI strategy for support to Roma media.
The 2007-2008 Co-Production Fund will continue to support co-productions of Roma and non-Roma broadcast and Internet media, and news agencies, and envisages initiatives including but not limited to, television and radio programs, short documentary films, written articles, bulletins and journals, and on-line collaborations. However, priority is given to joint applications from Roma and non-Roma media. Only a small portion of the Co-Production Fund – up to 25% – has been reserved for co-productions between Roma media.
Due to the fact that the primary target audience are non-Roma, co-productions are content-wise not strictly and explicitly linked to the priority pillars of the Decade of Roma Inclusion. A variety of issues, most of all stereotypes, prejudices and discrimination against Roma among the mainstream population, have been given equal importance.
Professional mentoring and on-site training components have been introduced in order to strengthen the capacity and professionalism of Roma media outlets and respond to their particular training needs. The mentoring component will also help to maximize the desired impact of the co-production, and creative production techniques and outreach. All outlets whose applications are selected for support will participate in these activities.

Board of the Roma Media Co-production Fund

The Board of the Co-Production Fund was established in August 2005 during a first meeting held on August 9. Roma media outlets who are the members of the Rrommedia.net – the network of Roma media that was established with support of the Open Society Institute – Network Media Program and medienhilfe – have been actively involved in the process, by submitting their proposals for the possible Board members.
In the pilot phase, the Board of the Co-Production Fund consisted of 5 members. It has been expanded to 9 members in the current project phase. The Board of the Co-Production Fund comprises competent persons with relevant professional experience on Roma issues; TV, radio and multimedia production; and media development.

see also the Rroma-Media Network rrommedia.net