This effort to bring high-quality television programming to Colombia's children uses face-to-face contact and ICTs to foster networking and action around 5 key areas:

• promoting regulations and incentives wherein private enterprises may show their social responsibility and its commitment to children
• boosting national production of children's television
• strengthening and offering qualifications for training of programmers, producers and students
• increasing emphasis on creative research and development
• stimulating parents' and educators' oversight of children's TV in Colombia, forming an educated audience that provides feedback to national producers.

This initiative is being highlighted and accomplished, in part, through the commitment and involvement of prominent personnel - that is, through partnership. At the 2005 event - which drew 10 international experts and more than 300 Colombian delegates (legislators, programmers and producers, communication students and teachers, parents and educators, and advertisers) - a "Commitment for Quality Television for Children in Colombia" was signed in Bogotá at the Casa de Nariño, official home of the President of Colombia. It promotes incentives for stronger national production of children's television that is characterised by a concern for social responsibility and a commitment to children. The commitment envisions training young professionals and new producers of children's programming, with increased emphasis on creative research and development. Furthermore, it aims to stimulate citizen participation and surveillance of children's television in Colombia, particularly on the part of parents and educators - viewers who could provide particularly valuable feedback.

Specifically, in attendance at the signing were the First Lady of the Nation; the Minister of Culture; representatives of the Ministries of Communication and Education and the President's Special Programmes Advisory Office; directors of public and private television channels; the presidents of the National Association of Communication Media (ASOMEDIOS), the Association of Colombian Newspapers (ANDIARIOS), and the National Advertisers Association (ANDA); a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) representative; and members of the group that promoted this initiative, headed by Fundación Imaginario. In addition to screening international programming from Prix Jeunesse, European Broadcasting Union (EBU), Divercine, and ZDF (Germany), participants engaged in discussion to exchange, analyse, and debate different perspectives on how to create quality television for children.

Advocacy is a key approach, beyond the yearly event. Adopting UNICEF's focus on promoting development and the rights of children, the Commitment will further be formalised by inclusion of media in Colombia's Bill of Statutory Law on Children and Adolescents (which is, as of this writing, currently before the Congress), in the programming and investment of state entities such as the Office of the Attorney General, and in the development plans of the Federation of Governors.

Information and communication technology (ICT) is being used as a key avenue for fostering discussion about the issues being raised in this initiative. An online community of practice, hosted by La Iniciativa de Comunicacion, has focused on improving dialogue and action on quality television for children and youth. This interactive platform is designed to foster knowledge sharing on the following key issues: legislation, regulation and public policy; production and funding opportunities; research and evaluation; public accountability, oversight and participation; education and capacity building; networking with diverse sectors and "protagonists" of the field (public and private channels, private sector and public sector institutions, children and media non-government organisations (NGOs), advertisers, local and regional government); peer review among children and media organisations in the region; and advocacy for strategic action and policy reform at the local and regional level.

Children, Youth.

According to organisers, what children watch on TV is top on the agenda of private and public debate in the region. They note that there are ongoing processes and networks in the region (Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, Colombia, Chile, Cuba, and Argentina) with great potential for promoting change and continuing debate on this issue. The aim is to galvanise these collaborations to foster attractive, quality television that promotes the development and rights of children and that keeps in mind the constant presence of child viewers of what, in most cases, is the only entertainment and recreational medium within reach.