The FIAT/IFTA World Conference :
Brussels, September 6th-9th 2003

 This year's Conference will take place in Brussels, co-hosted by our colleagues from VRT and RTBF. At the Executive Council meeting in Paris in December, the Council approved the outline proposal from our hosts and the Conference Organising Committee will meet in Brussels in February to advance the arrangements. After that, we will make registration and hotel booking information available to members as soon as possible. The dates of the conference have been set to coincide with those of IBC in Amsterdam, which begins the following week, thus allowing our members and exhibitors to participate in both as part of the same trip. However this means that the registration process must take place earlier than usual, so, to allow you to begin budgeting and planning now, here is an update containing as much information as we have so far.

The conference will take place in the famous Hotel Metropole in the centre of the city, which has excellent conference facilities. A rate has been negotiated of 140 Euros for a single room and 165 for a double room, which is very favourable for a hotel of this quality, although we realise that this will still be expensive for some members, so 50 rooms have been reserved in another hotel nearby at a rate of 110 Euros. Rooms will need to be reserved directly with the hotel by 15th July. You can check the Hotel Metropole website on www.metropolehotel.com

Conference registration will be organised by VRT. It is expected that the registration fee will be in the region of 200 Euros, and will include all lunches, two receptions and the closing dinner. The two receptions will be the opening event on the Saturday night, hosted by the Mayor of Brussels in the historic Grand Place, and on Monday at the European Parliament, which will also include a tour of the building.

The general theme of the conference will be television history, as our hosts, along with many other European members, will be celebrating their fiftieth anniversary in 2003. This will be interpreted in the widest sense, and will include updates on the latest developments by which we keep television history alive. A detailed programme will be available after the meeting in February and will be made available on the website, but in the meantime, here are some of the topics already proposed for inclusion :

• EBU use of metadata
• Establishment of FIAT's own archive
• Convergence of TV production with other media
• Film preservation issues
• Newsreels
• Oral history projects

A call for papers will also be issued, but, if you wish to offer a contribution now, please contact the Conference Content Organiser, Sue Malden - sue.malden@btopenworld.com

I have also proposed a workshop on FIAT statutes and election rules, which I will write about further on the website in due course.

It seems only a short time since we were together in Antalya, but this year's conference will be upon us sooner than we imagine, so start planning your trip to Brussels now. It promises to be an outstanding event.

Steve Bryant, General Secretary
January 2003