Financial support for Media Salles' Euro Kids Network (EKN) is being stopped as part of an overhaul of the cinema exhibition support initiatives of the MEDIA Plus Programme. The European Union-backed MEDIA Programme will instead concentrate its future support for the exhibition sector within the Europa Cinemas network.

EKN was founded by Milan-based Media Salles in 1996 to support films for young audiences at over 300 screens in over 16 countries.

"Media Salles will continue working on the promotion of European films outside of Europe and on developing its very good database and its Yearbook", MEDIA Plus unit head Jacques Delmoly told Screen International. "But it didn't make any sense to have two networks of [supported] cinemas because there was a degree of overlapping".

Delmoly indicated that EKN member cinemas may continue to be supported for their programming by being accepted into the Europa Cinemas network. He outlined another major change in the exhibition support guidelines when he said that he will increase to 30% the requirement to programme European films.

"Previously, we had required there just to be a 'significant proportion' of programming to be of European films. The goal is now for us to be more specific about our support".