CMFE – Community Media Forum Europe

Community Media (CM) have been present in the European landscape for a long time now and have an equally long history of self-organisation. But since 2002 there had been a lack of presence of community media at the European policy level. That is why in 2004 representatives of national federations, media activists, practitioners and academics initiated the Community Media Forum Europe (CMFE), which has been formally established in 2006 as an action-oriented network of CM-related organizations and people to present the potential of CM within the European media landscape. The short history of CMFE is a real story of success. Whereas until 2006 there had not been any relevant reference to community media on the European level at all, community media-related issues are now part of the political agenda, both in the EU and in the CoE. Community media organizations, activists and politicians around Europe can now refer to a resolution on community media of the European Parliament and to a CoE-Declaration. CMFE has developed a flexible strategy of political intervention and expertise, which combines diversity and common principles, openness and effectiveness. Nevertheless there are still serious problems and challenges characterizing the European lobbying work for community media.