10 Countries

1. IREN (International Radio Research Network) was created as a Co-ordination Action under the European Commission’s Sixth Framework Programme of Technological Research and Development (FP6), within the framework of the thematic priority 7: “CitizensandGovernanceinaKnowledgeSociety", and in research domain No 7:“Newformsofcitizenshipandculturalidentities”. Contract No. CIT2-CT-2004-506475 IREN’s aim is to encourage and co-ordinate radio research and study across Europe. Within the growing field of media, cultural and communication studies, interest in radio has been slow to develop, but has gathered pace in the last few years. Academic networks and study groups have been formed in France, Italy, Scandinavia and the UK, and IREN has drawn on this experience in its plans to provide the infrastructure that new subject field needs to develop. Thirteen partners from ten countries are the founding members of IREN. Among their main tasks are to map academic research projects and competencies concerning radio across Europe, placing the results on a database accessible through a website, to identify fields of collaboration across disciplines, between universities and with broadcasters, particularly having regard to radio’s capacity to encourage citizen participation in the creation of a European public sphere. Since its launch in April 2004, IREN has organised academic gatherings in Bordeaux and Siena and plans further conferences in Seville and Italy. At present IREN’s programme has funding for 30 months from the European Commission, and in order to continue its activities beyond the funded period, a membership association, IREN-A, will be formed and funding sought to develop the network, particularly in Southern and Eastern Europe.

2. 10 Countries Belgium, France, Germany (2), Greece, Ireland, Italy (2), Poland, Spain (2), Sweden, United Kingdom 13 Partners • CNRS, CERVLPouvoir, Action Publique, Territoire, UMR 5116, France, Jean-Jacques Cheval (Co-ordinator) • London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE, United Kingdom, Peter M.Lewis (Scientific Co-ordinator) • Caricomm Konsult, Sweden, Carin Åberg • Hans-Bredow-Institut, Germany, Uwe Hasebrink • University of Siena, Italy, Enrico Menduni • EMA-RTV, Spain, Manuel Chaparro Escudero • Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, Frédéric Antoine • University of Limerick, Ireland, Rosemary Day • Lublin Catholic University, Lublin, Poland, Stanislaw Jedrzejewski • University of the Basque Country, Bilbao, Spain, Carmen Peñafiel Saiz • IULM University, Milan, Spain, Marta Perrotta • University of Hamburg, Germany, Hans J. Kleinsteuber • National & Kapodistrian Athens University, Greece, Angeliki Gazi Contact addresses • Jean-Jacques Cheval (IREN Project Co-ordinator), GRER IREN - Maison des Sciences de l'Homme d'Aquitaine, 10, Esplanade des Antilles, Domaine universitaire - 33607 PESSAC Cedex FRANCE. Tél. + 33 (0) 5 56 84 45 73 Fax 33 (0) 5 56 84 68 10 jjcheval@msha.fr • Peter Lewis (IREN Scientific Co-ordinator), Research Fellow, Department of Media & Communication, London School of Economics & Radio Studies Network, tel: + 44 (0) 207-911-0763 p.m.lewis@lse.ac.uk

3. AGENDA • 31 January 2003 - Founding meeting at the University of Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium) • 1-3 April 2004 – Launch at International Colloquium, Bordeaux (France), organised with the GRER (Groupes de recherches et d’Etudes sur la Radio). • 26 July - 1st August 2004. International Radio Summer School, Siena (Italy), organised with University of Siena and the Radio Studies Network. • 23-26 February 2005. IREN at EMA-RTV’s 5th Congress in Seville (Spain). Creation of membership International Association • 2005 (Autumn) Regional meeting in East Europe (Poland ?) • In 2005, IREN will also be represented at meetings in Paris (February), Mallorca(May), Melbourne (July) • In 2005, Setting up of the Iren website and database : http://iren-project.org/. • 2006. Final conference in Italy

4. IREN project aims • creation of a membership Association • map research competencies and projects • identify fields of collaboration across disciplines, between universities and with broadcasters • identify areas in need of development, especially involving comparative research • exchange and share research methodologies • Dialogue with broadcasting organisations • Possible research areas • Industry structures and economic models of radio in Europe • European policies on pluralism of information and culture, concentration of ownership, local radio and access for democratic expression • Forms and formats: • - news/information: contribution to construction of European public spheres - music radio • Does radio favour existence of public spaces for exchange and debate? Encourage active participation of citizens ? • Audiences: implications for streaming on Internet • Radio technology: Internet, mobile telephony, DAB • European radio services in developing countries and towards other continents

5. Measures of success (indicative list) • Setup an realisation of Four international meetings • Website set up, database and a printed handbook of European radio systems published • Radio-related research competencies and research projects in Europe mapped and recorded to give special encouragement to younger scholars • IREN-A (international membership association) created - continuing after end of project and encouraging involvement by researchers from Eastern and Southern European countries • Dialogue with national and European broadcasting organisations begun • Numbers of association members • Numbers of participants attending meetings, conferences • Number of bilateral visits made by consortium members • Number of conferences (outside the IREN programme) attended by consortium members • Academic publications noticed outside country of origin, referenced, translated, published