PRIX EUROPA Opens in Berlin
The 25th PRIX EUROPA is now "en route"
With inspiring content and ecstatic dancing the tone of the week-long festival opened in the Haus des Rundfunks.
Susanne Hoffmann, the PRIX EUROPA Festival Director looked back on 25 years of quality media content by building bridges between the two worlds of the analogue era and the current flood of readily available information. Twenty five years ago the topics in Europe were practically the same as they are now - the multi-cultural society, fortress Europe, integration, financial crisis...
How we are telling the stories have however changed dramatically, and the starting point of telling any story is the research.
The role of journalists and "media practitioners" is more and more shifting from investigator to processor. Angus Stickler from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism gave a lecture about the value of investigation, it's importance for our society, and it's integral role to the broadcasting industry. In his experience broadcasters are saving money in all the wrong spots - "We have become News Processors". He explained the importance of co-operation, and saw globalisation as a chance for broadcasters to work together in integral parts of their daily business. "There is - and always will be an important place for quality media in our society".
Ruurd Bierman, currently PRIX EUROPA President, Head of the EBU TV Committee and Executive Board Member of the NPO joined Angus in his plea for quality. He stressed the importance of independent, identity building media as a harbour where the audience can meet, where they can tell the stories of their lives. "Also in the next 25 years, we need the programmes you are making" he said to the audience. Ruurd Bierman invited the participants to board the PRIX EUROPA ship, to leave the daily drudge behind, and to be inspired by the quality Europe has to offer this year. Excellent productions await the participants. Inspiring discussions and fruitful exchange is the basis of the coming week.
From outside the hall in the Haus des Rundfunks a fog horn blew, luring the audience back to see PRIX EUROPA's tribute to the Norwegian Spirit. Slow Media in it's purest form: The longest submission ever for PRIX EUROPA: Almost 6 days or 134 hours or 8040 minutes of documentary. The trip of the Hurtigruten (the traditional post ship line) along the Norwegian coast from Bergen to Kirkenes, minute by minute.
"Hurtigruten: Minute by Minute" is competing in the Online Category and will accompany the PRIX EUROPA Participants for the following six days on a big screen in the Atrium.
The evening closed off with a surprise: A flashmob mixed in with the crowd - the whole evening completely unnoticed by anyone - and started dancing.
All in all, an evening with food for thought, inspiring, surprising and personal. Welcome to PRIX EUROPA 2011.