1. Communications
technology is not an end in itself; it is a vehicle for the provision
of information and content
By definition, the term "information society" refers
to the importance of information and content for the public. Communication
should also involve understanding, tolerance, respect and inter-cultural
enrichment.
Comment by Peter Matlare,
Africa
2. Freedom
of expression, freedom and pluralism of the media and cultural
diversity should be respected and promoted
Freedom of expression, pluralism and cultural diversity are
fundamental values and objectives which should underpin the media
system and the information society as a whole, not least in the
context of globalization.
Comment by José
Roberto Marinho, Latin America and the Caribbean
3. The
electronic media have a vital role to play in the information
society
The
media have a vital role in producing, gathering and distributing
quality content within the information society. Individual communication
has its limits. Communication to the general public will continue
to be essential for, inter alia, selecting and interpreting information
and placing it in its proper context, and to serve as a platform
for the exchange of information and ideas.
Independent
broadcasting services at the national and regional levels play
a major role in providing unbiased information, safeguarding media
pluralism and contributing to cultural diversity, particularly
through the promotion of local/regional culture and audiovisual
production, making full use of the various technical means offered
by the information society.
In many parts
of the world, independent public service broadcasting has a special
responsibility in this regard. Distanced from political and economic
pressures, it has the role of ensuring access to information,
knowledge, culture and entertainment for all citizens, including
vulnerable and minority groups and of being a driving force for
the creation of domestic content.
Commercial
broadcasting, whether funded by advertising or subscription, contributes
to the delivery of key policy goals such as the production of
original and varied content and the existence of a plurality of
news sources. In addition, other forms of legally established
and non-profit media, operated for local communities, can play
an important part by serving women, youth, indigenous people,
children and minority groups.
Comment
by Fritz F. Pleitgen, Europe
Comment by Fred Cohen,
North America
4. Television
and radio are crucial for ensuring social cohesion and development
in the digital world
The
future is not only "on-line". Providing both information
and entertainment to all, radio and television are closely linked
to the daily life of everyone, and they will retain their unique
level of presence, existing, in many countries, in virtually every
home. They have huge digital potential for, for instance, the
distribution of multimedia content.
Especially
for the developing countries, traditional radio and television
will continue to be the most effective way of delivering high-quality
information on, for example, health-care and education, of combating
illiteracy, of debating issues of general interest and of promoting
a culture of peace. These media need to be strengthened to be
able to reach out to everybody. Moreover, poor, remote communities
cannot be made part of the "wired" generation without
a significant improvement in their living conditions.
Comment
by Katsuji Ebisawa, Asia and Pacific
5. Information
should remain accessible and affordable to every one
Access
to information is a fundamental human right. The reception of
broadcast services therefore needs to remain accessible and affordable
for citizens, and broadcasters must have access to events of interest
to the public. The new opportunities offered by the information
age should also be at the service of the whole range of communities.
Free-to-air broadcasting, and especially broadcasting with universal
coverage, are important means of achieving this objective. If
new electronic media are to achieve the same objective, open and
interoperable platforms are essential.
Comment
by Hassan Mohamed Hamed, Arab World
