The European Commission (EC) has recommended that bids by the European Script Fund's David Kavanagh and Fernando Labrada, ex general secretary of the Media Business School (MBS), should be chosen to run the Intermediary Organisations (IOs) for Development and Training in the MEDIA 2 Programme.
The MEDIA 2 Committee met yesterday (8 May) to discuss both the European Media Development Agency (EMDA) proposed by Kavanagh and other employees at SCRIPT, as well as the bid put in by Labrada.
Discussions could lead to a delay in the announcement that these offers have won the calls for tender. But it is extremely unlikely that either bid, having received EC backing, will be overturned.
Discussions, however, are likely to have centred on the EC's rejections of all tenders to run the Distribution IO in MEDIA 2, including one originated by EFDO, EVE, GRECO and the CNC which was rejected because of its budget and structure.
The EC looks set to ask internal permission, perhaps this week, to negotiate the Distribution IO directly with a company.
The alternative - to propose further discussions of the Distribution IO at the next scheduled MEDIA Committee in June - could push back the IOs launch until after the Summer.
John Hopewell
