Tunis, December 11, 2009 - The Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) will be hosting soon, at its headquarters in Tunis, meetings of its most important legislative bodies, namely the eighty-second session of the Executive Board (December 15-16) and the General Assembly’s twenty-ninth regular session (17-18 December). Delegates from all ASBU active, participating and associate members will be participating in these important annual meetings.

Both ASBU President, Dr. Riad Kamal Najm, and its  Director-General, Mr. Slaheddine Maaoui, will attend the gatherings. The Executive Board is to review a number of major issues, including in particular the General Directorate’s activity report for 2009 in the fields of television, programming, radio, news, sports, engineering, documentation and research, as well as Arab and International Cooperation.

It will also discuss reports by ASBU’s Arab Center for news and program exchange (Algiers) and the Arab Center for radio and television training (Damascus), in addition to a report submitted by the third meeting of the Expert Group in charge of studying a strategy to attract more channel membership.  The meeting will consider applications submitted by some radio and television channels to join ASBU.

The Board will then submit its recommendations on these issues to the General Assembly for final adoption. The latter will also be reviewing recommendations and reports submitted by ASBU Standing Committees, following a series of meetings held in November and covering areas of programming, television news, radio, sports, engineering issues, administrative, financial and legal affairs.