EP launches webTV channel

European Parliament (EP) President Hans-Gert Poettering launched EuroparlTV, the Parliament's own webTV channel. As from today anyone with Internet access will be able to watch a regularly changing set of programmes based around the life of the Parliament.
The aim of EuroparlTV is to bring Parliament closer to European citizens in a modern and creative format.
EuroparlTV is available at the following address: www.europarltv.europa.eu.
In his speech Poettering said: ''As we approach the European elections of June 2009, EuroparlTV should be an excellent Internet tool for citizens, especially young people, to keep themselves informed about the activities and decisions of the directly-elected European Parliament – decisions which have an impact on the everyday lives of almost 500 million European Union citizens''.
As it is noted, EuroparlTV is not a single channel but rather is split into four channels, each directed to a different audience:
Your Parliament, aimed at those with a particular interest in politics at the EU level: informed citizens, industry groups, social partners, lobbyists, academics as well as those working in the EU institutions.
Your Voice conceived for the general public and providing the possibility of featuring user-generated content.
Young Europe, aimed particularly at school-aged children, high users of the Internet and the European electorate of the future.
Parliament Live provides continuous coverage of live events in the Parliament, notably debates in the plenary sessions, with a link to the audiovisual archives of previous sessions, as well as in the coming months, the activities of the committees.
The press release says that anyone with Internet access will be able to watch EuroparlTV. Internauts will be able to choose between Windows Media and Flash 9.
All programmes will be translated into more than 20 languages, making the site unique in the world. Some programmes will be voiced-over, while others subtitled. This system will be tested and refined over the coming weeks.
According to its Editorial Charter, ''the channel shall ensure that the plurality of opinion in the European Parliament is reflected, with due respect to the relative strengths of the political groups, in accordance with a neutral, non-partisan editorial policy''.