European Broadcasting Union

"EBU" redirects here. For other uses, see EBU (disambiguation).

European Broadcasting Union
Union européenne de radio-télévision
PredecessorInternational Broadcasting Union
Formation12 February 1950; 74 years ago (1950-02-12)
TypeUnion of broadcasting organisations
HeadquartersGeneva, Switzerland
Membership
  • 112 member organisations
  • (in 54 countries)
Official language
English, French
President
Delphine Ernotte[1]
Director-General
Noel Curran
Websiteebu.ch Edit this at Wikidata

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU; French: Union européenne de radio-télévision, UER) is an alliance of public service media organisations whose countries are within the European Broadcasting Area or who are members of the Council of Europe. As of 2024, it is made up of 123 member organisations from 56 countries,[2] and 31 associate members from a further 20 countries.[3] It was established in 1950, and has its administrative headquarters in Geneva.

The EBU owns and operates the Eurovision and Euroradio telecommunications networks on which major television and radio broadcasts are distributed live to its members. It also operates the daily Eurovision news exchange in which members share breaking news footage. In 2017, the EBU launched the Eurovision Social Newswire, an eyewitness and video verification service. Led by Head of Social Newsgathering, Derek Bowler, the service provides members of the EBU with verified and cleared-for-use newsworthy eyewitness media emerging on social media.[4]

The EBU, in co-operation with its members, produces programmes and organises events in which its members can participate, such as the Eurovision Song Contest, its best known production, or the Eurovision Debates between candidates for president of the European Commission for the 2014, 2019 and 2024 parliamentary elections.[5] The Director-General is Noel Curran since 2017.

  1. ^ "EBU elects new Executive Board". ebu.ch (Press release). 4 December 2020. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  2. ^ "EBU Active Members". ebu.ch. EBU. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  3. ^ "EBU Associate Members". ebu.ch. EBU. Archived from the original on 27 October 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
  4. ^ "The Eurovision News Exchange Social Newswire: the EBU'S First Line of Defence in Breaking News". ebu.ch. EBU. 27 November 2019. Archived from the original on 7 October 2022. Retrieved 8 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Eurovision Debate". ebu.ch. EBU. 23 May 2024. Archived from the original on 27 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.