Deutsche Welle Develops New Coproduction with Algerian Broadcaster EPTV

Deutsche Welle is working together with the Algerian public broadcaster EPTV to produce an Arabic talk show. “North-South Dialog” will feature two guests from Maghreb and two from Europe who will discuss current topics from a European and North African point of view. It will air on DW-TV ARABIA und EPTV simultaneously and will be produced every month, alternating between Berlin and Algiers. This is the first time that a European and North African television broadcaster have worked together to produce a television show of this kind.

The first episode, which is being produced in Studio 52 in Berlin, will air on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 and will examine the topic “Illegal Immigrants from Africa: From Maghreb to Europe”. The first guests include Nacer Djabi, Professor of Sociology and M’hand Berkouk, Professor of International Politics (both from the University of Algiers), as well as Markus Garcia Ray, Freelance Journalist from Spain and Stefan Buchen, from the German show “Panorama”. The show is moderated by Khaled Bensalem (EPTV).

“The relationship between Europe and North Africa is becoming more and more important,” says DW-TV Director Christoph Lanz. “With this talk show, we want to develop a real dialog between the cultures – instead of just broadcasting our programming in Arabic countries.” Whether it’s the movement of refugees from Africa, the supply of raw materials to Europe or religions in the Islamic world – North Africa and Maghreb play an important role in economic and social issues. Algeria is getting more and more attention from the outside world due in part to its oil and gas resources as well as its experience in dealing with Islamic-related terrorism.