Functioning
URTI is a non-governmental Organization (NGO). Its statute is that of a non profit-making association falling under French law (law of 1901). UNESCO also gave URTI the official statute of “formal relations of consultation”, which is the highest level of relationships established with NGOs.
The superior authority of URTI is its general Assembly which meets each year to define the general directions, discuss the assessments and projects of its Commissions, decide about the applications submitted to it, and deliberate on the budget previsions and the approval of the annual accounts. The Union is managed by an executive Board elected by the general Assembly for a two-year mandate. This Board chooses a Director general for a four year mandate.
The executive Board which meets twice a year on average, applies the decisions of the general Assembly, ensures its management and controls its good execution. It is its responsibility to submit to the general Assembly a programme of activities and an estimated budget, and to proceed, during the financial year, to the adjustments required by the evolution of the accounts, in the limit of the financial commitments fixed by the general Assembly. The executive Board is entitled to make agreements with any organization which, sharing URTI’s goals, will contribute to achieve them in the best conditions.
The general Direction ensures the organization and coordination of the entirety of URTI’s activities as well as the coordination with all the international organisations. It looks for external partnerships, financial in particular. It also examines the application requests, notably in accordance with the criteria scheduled by article 5 of the current statutes, and can proclaim the provisional membership of the candidates (this statute allows to enjoy all the services until the next general Assembly meets).
Activities
URTI is the oldest audiovisual international organisation, the only one entirely dedicated to the world. Today, its activities develop around three main lines, in radio as in television:
- the programme exchanges
- the international Grand Prix
- the trainings and co-productions
The programme exchanges
URTI has an unequalled experience in the organization of programme exchanges, in television as in radio.
In television, our Union has at its disposal a consolidated catalogue of more than 4,000 programmes free of rights, offered to the members for free.
In radio, the very innovative new Web platform allows our members to exchange, co-produce and transmit programmes in real time wherever they are.
Extracts and technical forms of these programmes can be viewed on our site, in the video library space.
The international Grand Prix
Each year URTI organizes the International URTI Radio Grand Prix and the International URTI Grand Prix for Author’s Documentary. These prizes of international renown allow to promote the vitality of contemporary audiovisual production. Each of the two juries is made up of professionals from the whole world, who take crossed views to single out the most remarkable works by their quality and originality.
Trainings and co-productions
URTI wishes to favour co-productions.
To the television members is offered a space for contacts which will allow them to launch co-productions on subjects of their choice.
To the radio members is offered a simple and high-performance tool: the Exchanges Co-productions Transmissions platform. It allows first to dispatch programmes free of rights, in real time and between the entirety of the members around a federating big event of international scope (Current events). It also gives members the opportunity to start co-productions on the subjects of their choice. Each member is free to propose or to join a co-production according to the chosen subject or language of work.
URTI regularly enforces trainings, notably in the priority field of radio archive digitalization.
The general Direction plans to develop cooperation with its partners, in particular with the other audiovisual and institutional organisations.
URTI is at the same time a high-performance tool for use in radio and television organisations facing a more and more competitive environment, and a place for synergies and exchanges between its members. Our Union develops after a model which allows its members to save important amounts of money but also to meet around a similar will to share values and contents in order to enrich the world audiovisual landscape.
