AthenaWeb: new EU portal to increase science film production and circulation in Europe

Brussels, 06 Jun 2005

The European Commission has launched a new professional portal for audiovisual scientific information with the aim of boosting science film production and circulation in Europe.

Presenting the new AthenaWeb portal during the European research and innovation conference, which took place in Paris, France, from 3 to 5 June, Patrick Vittet-Philippe, a press and information officer from the Commission's DG Research, explained that the portal offers relevant EU stakeholders a fully searchable electronic library of science television and radio programmes that exist in Europe.

'Currently science films do not travel well in the EU,' explained Mr Vittet-Philippe. 'There is a lack of information about existing programmes as well as issues of languages and copyright. The AthenaWeb approach is to bring the EU scientific community and the EU science information professionals together for the benefit of both.'

'AthenaWeb will be a one-stop shop,' he added. 'It will be a single 'vertical portal' to reference, deposit and access science information and material from across the EU. It will increase production and circulation of content, helping EU science information officials do their job, and helping the scientific community valorise the scientific material and information available.'

According to Mr Vittet-Philippe, there is a huge amount of exciting scientific material, such as films, news and interviews, from a large number of sources in the EU. However, this material is difficult to locate and access, and tends to be under-used and under-exploited.

AthenaWeb, named after the Greek goddess of science and wisdom, is the first portal of its kind in Europe. Still in its pilot phase, it currently offers a sample of 30 hours of programming, covering over 200 subjects in two thematic areas: environment and industrial technologies. The database is expected to grow to some 100 hours of science programming, covering 14 themes by autumn 2005.

Other aims of AthenaWeb are to ease the development, production and circulation of new science programmes; facilitate co-productions; improve the visibility of science and research news, and to provide better networking opportunities for all those involved in science communication.

Accessible to professionals only (TV commissioning editors, TV science magazines and programme producers, science journalists, science directors and audiovisual departments of research institutes, corporations and industry), AthenaWeb offers innovative contractual solutions for the negotiation, sale or exchange of science TV material such as online licences for copyright, copyleft (the relinquishing of copyright protection) and copyshare.

'Most European citizens get their information from television, including on science and research issues,' said Janez Potocnik, the European Commissioner for Science and Research. 'We need to make sure that the information available is of the highest possible quality. AthenaWeb is an innovative response to some of the problems faced when communicating about science and technology.'

For further information about AthenaWeb please visit:
http://www.athenaweb.org

CORDIS RTD-NEWS / © European Communities
Item source: http:///dbs.cor dis.lu/cgi-bin/srchidadb?C ALLER=NHP_EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=&RCN= EN_RCN_ID:23928 Previous Item Back to Titles Print Item