The European Broadcasting Union says 25 public service media organisations from the EBU Member community have stepped up to provide content following the disruption of production by the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the EBU, broadcasters have shared 200 TV programmes, amounting to 1,300 hours of content, for use by other PSBs.
The rights-cleared programming covers multiple genres, including drama, history, lifestyle, performing arts, education, and a range of programmes aimed at children. Content has made available to all EBU Members whether they have provided programming or not.
Contributors to the scheme include Spain’s RTVE; the BBC; Croatia’s HRT; Italian broadcaster Rai, TRT from Turkey); Ireland’s RTE, Japanese broadcaster NHK; and Switzerland’s RTS.
Matthew Trustram, the EBU’s head of TV, said: “The speed with which Members have responded to the appeal is exceptional. As a result of their generosity, we have been able to make an impressive range of content available to wider audiences, plug gaps in schedules, and address that issue which all broadcasters dread – the potential for dead air.”
