Activity Details (ID# 14081)

Activity Synopsis

- monitor, in co-operation with the European Audiovisual Observatory, the development of media concentration in Europe, in particular at the transnational level, study its impact on freedom of expression and information and suggest any initiative to preserve media pluralism;

- examine the impact of media concentration on cultural diversity and media pluralism, in particular in the digital environment, and, if necessary, update Recommendations no. R (94) 13 on measures to promote media transparency and no. R (99) 1 on measures to promote media pluralism;

- follow the ongoing preparation within UNESCO of a draft international convention on the protection of the diversity of cultural contents and artistic expressions, examine its consequences for the media and, if it considers it necessary to work out a common pan-European approach to this instrument, propose appropriate action;

- monitor the implementation of Recommendation (2003) 9 on measures to promote the democratic and social contribution of digital broadcasting with a view, as appropriate, to providing further guidance to member States on how to ensure its implementation.
 

At its third meeting, the MC-S-MD:

- noted with satisfaction that, in response to its suggestion, the Committee of Ministers had, at its meeting on 1 February 2006, adopted Recommendation Rec (2006) 3 inviting the member states of the Council of Europe to ratify, at the earliest opportunity, the UNESCO Convention on the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions; decided to set up a select working group to consider measures to provide financial and other measures of support to independent productions and to the cross-border circulation of independent works;

- examined document MC-S-MD(2006)003, containing a preliminary draft recommendation updating Recommendations No. R (94) 13 on measures to promote media transparency and No. R (99) 1 on measures to promote media pluralism which had been prepared by the select working group set up at its previous meeting; reviewed the text with a view to making certain changes and making good any omissions, and instructed the select group and the Secretariat to revise the draft;

- examined the replies to the questionnaire on the implementation by member states of Recommendation (2003) 9 of the Committee of Ministers on measures to promote the democratic and social contribution of digital broadcasting which had reached the Secretariat by 6 March 2006, and the preliminary conclusions that could be drawn from them; decided to prepare some kind of compendium of good practice in member states in connection with two particular issues : preparation of the public for the new digital environment (paragraph d of the appendix to the recommendation, which concerned training courses in the use of digital equipment for persons with specific needs and measures to reduce the cost of decoding and decryption equipment), steps to adapt the public service remit to the digital environment.

- considered that an observatory of media pluralism should be set up under the aegis of the Council of Europe so that the latter would have the information needed to devise a media diversity policy. This observatory could take the form of a network of national correspondents who could supply data, which would be collated using common methodology; decided that a preparatory conference of all the parties concerned should be held; this conference would, inter alia, settle a number of practical matters, such as how the network should be organised and the correspondents chosen, and what its precise terms of reference would be, agree on a common methodology and discuss the funding of the observatory.
 

A follow-up is necessary. One more meeting is planned in September 2006 

Experts from Council of Europe member states involved in media, culture and communication (most of them are civil servants from different ministries).

Observers : Parliamentary Assembly and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the European Audiovisual Observatory, the European Commission, l’UNESCO, l’OSCE, observers with the Council of Europe (Canada, Holy See, Japan, Mexico, United States of America) and the following NGOs : European Broadcasting Union, Association of Commercial Television in Europe, European Federation of Journalists, European Newspaper Publishers Association, European Internet Service Providers’ Association. 

Mr Jan MALINOWSKI, Head of the Media Division, Directorate General of Human Rights - DG II/ Chef de la Division Media, Direction Générale des Droits de l’Homme - DG II

Ms Charlotte de BROUTELLES, Secretary to the MM-S-MD, Administrative Officer, Media Division, Directorate General of Human Rights - DG II/ Secrétaire du MM-S-MD, Administratrice, Division Media, Direction Générale des Droits de l’Homme - DG II