Meeting in Sant Fruitós de Bages
The Association of Information and Communication Media has held its 27th Ordinary General Assembly in the picturesque municipality of Sant Fruitós de Bages. This event has brought together 120 partners who have come together in order to evaluate the work carried out in the last year, as well as to define new goals and discuss the future challenges facing the entity.
Inauguration by its president
Ramon Grau, president of AMIC, was in charge of opening the Assembly, thanking the presence of colleagues from the different territories that make up the Catalan-speaking countries. He highlighted the relevance of AMIC as a fundamental pillar in communication within these communities. During the inauguration, Joan Carles Batanés, mayor of Sant Fruitós de Bages, and Carme Ruiz Sánchez, first deputy mayor and councilor for Economic Services and Economic Promotion of the town’s City Council, also spoke.
Report of the year and new objectives
During the Assembly, the report of activities carried out by the Association was presented, as well as the services offered by AMIC. The income obtained in 2023 was reported, which has exceeded 2,890,000 euros, and growth is expected to more than 3,200,000 euros for the following year. In addition, it was reported that the association has almost 600 members, of which 216 are print media and 356 are digital platforms. These figures have been increasing since 2014. It should be noted that of the associated media, 309 are audited by OJD, PGD or OJDinteractiva, which constitutes a unique fact at the state level.
Awards and honours
Among this year’s novelties, mention was made of the first edition of the AMIC-Tresdeu Awards, aimed at creators of audiovisual content in the Catalan language, which brought together more than 250 talents from the Catalan countries. Likewise, the AMIC International Proximity Media Awards were highlighted, a tribute that seeks to promote excellence and rigor in the media, framed within a Catalan, European and international perspective. The awards ceremony, held in La Pedrera, was a significant event that attracted international guests who shared their experiences on similar media in Europe and the United States.
Agreement with the Catalan Audiovisual Media Corporation
In addition, a collaboration agreement was formalized with the Catalan Audiovisual Media Corporation with the aim of promoting the entity’s local press and public media. In this sense, it was anticipated that in September a new AMIC advertising campaign will be launched on TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio, which will include an advertising exchange that will allow obtaining a portion of remuneration.
Looking to the future
With an eye to the future, various objectives that AMIC has ahead were addressed. There was talk of promoting innovation, promoting the internationalization of the association, consolidating its territorial presence, increasing income, creating sectoral alliances and continuing to strengthen the social function of the Association. Likewise, the firm commitment to internationalization was highlighted through initiatives such as the AMIC International Prize for Proximity Media and collaborations in campaigns such as the Euroregion.
Advertising campaigns in progress
Another relevant topic was the discussion about recent advertising campaigns, emphasizing two “Culture Territory” initiatives. During the months of November to December, 33 media were involved in the dissemination of content related to the culture of Catalonia, with the support of the Department of Culture of the Generalitat. Between February and October, 19 media outlets carried out more than 65 insertions of cultural content from the Girona district. Also highlighted was the project for the exchange of cultural content between the media of the “Catalan Cross-border Space”, known as “Casa a Perpinyà”, which facilitated the arrival of news, activities and cultural content from Northern Catalonia for publication in the demarcation of Girona and vice versa. The purpose was to promote cooperation between cross-border media and promote the use of Catalan in the media in Northern Catalonia.
Agreement with TV3
This year, the Association also maintained an agreement with TV3 to carry out an advertising exchange. During the months of November, July, September and October, different advertisements have been published in the media associated with AMIC in order to promote the new 3Cat platform. Starting in September, AMIC will start a new advertising campaign that will be broadcast on TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio, achieving a total of 103 print and digital media to promote the new 3Cat platform.
Closing of the Assembly with a lunch
Following the Assembly, a lunch was held during which the president of AMIC, Ramon Grau, gave a summary of the activities report, highlighting institutional support, new communication formats and the short- and long-term goals facing the Association.
Words of gratitude
The event closed with the presence of the Secretary of Media and Broadcasting of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Marc Bataller, who extended his congratulations to AMIC for its 27th Assembly. Bataller recognized that “Catalonia has an exceptional local press ecosystem and a mass media that covers the entire territory. “Proximity media are fundamental in the Catalan media landscape.” Joan Carles Batanés also expressed his gratitude to the people who made the celebration of the assembly possible, pointing out that “it is a gift for us to be able to organize this assembly in Central Catalonia after 27 years.”
Recognition of prominent media
To conclude the event, the Association awarded diplomas in tribute to those media that celebrate significant anniversaries this year, highlighting their career and contribution to the world of communication.