The International Association for Media and Communication Research
(IAMCR) / Association Internationale des Etudes et Recherches sur L'Informationet
et la Communication (AIERI) / Asociacion Internacional de Estudios de
Comunicacion Social (AIECS) is the largest international professional
organisation in the field of communication research. Established
in 1957, the Association now has over 2300 members in some 70 countries.
The IAMCR has consultative status "A" with UNESCO and is accepted as the international umbrella organisation in the field of media and communication research. Category "A" status is given to a restricted number of non-governmental organisations which are broadly international in membership, of proven competence in record of regular major contributions to UNESCO's work. They are invited by the Director General to advise him regularly in the preparation of UNESCO's work programmes.
The IAMCR has also been included in the lists of non-governmental organisations for the UN's Economic and Social Council, Council of Europe and the International Labour Organisation. IAMCR holds consultative status with the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Among the associate members of IAMCR are the major regional communication research associations: AMIC (for Asia), ACCE (for Africa) and ALAIC (for Latin America). Close collaborative relations also exist with such organisations as the International Institute of Communications, International Federation for Information and Documentation, International Federation of Journalists, Article 19, ComNet, International Peace Research Association, International Political Science Association, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, International Communication Association, and World Association for Public Opinion Research.