Statement of the Media Caucus

To The World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance

Madam/Mr. Chair,

We, the Media Caucus, represent organizations promoting freedom of expression, racial and gender equality, human rights, and alternative and independent media.

We have advocated that the sections on the media in the Declaration and Programme of Action should be drafted in a manner which affirms and clarifies the positive obligation on States to promote pluralism within, and ensure equal access of all, to the media, rather than imposing new restrictions on the media.

We welcome the fact that certain paragraphs in the Declaration and Programme of Action which placed restrictions on the media beyond what is permissible under international law have been amended or deleted.

However, we note with concern that there has been no mention about the fact that the increasing concentration of media ownership in the hands of a few corporations is a serious threat to social, cultural, and political diversity.

We are also disappointed that these documents have not affirmed and clarified the positive obligation which States have to promote pluralism within, and ensure equal access of all, to the media. The Programme of Action should have provisions which require States to adopt measures such as:

• ensuring that promoting tolerance and equitable access for minorities is part of the mandate of public service broadcasters;
• including the promotion of diversity in society as a licensing criterion for private broadcasters to ensure that minority, alternative and independent broadcasters have access to licenses;
• providing for the establishment of community broadcasting services;
• providing encouragement and protection for the production of local media content without restriction to the free flow of information and ideas; and
• creating an environment in which diverse print media, including community, minority, alternative and independent press, can flourish.

We note with irony that the High Commissioner for Human Rights has criticized the media for failing to report on the diversity of issues at the Conference, yet at the same time some representatives of alternative and independent media, who would have covered those issues, have faced obstacles obtaining, and even been denied, media accreditation.

We demand that the United Nations system follow established practices and provide accreditation to representatives of alternative and independent media on an equal and non-discriminatory basis.

07 September 2001

Ma. Victoria Cabrera-Balleza, Isis International-Manila

Susanna George, Isis International-Manila

Ronald Koven, European Representative, World Press Freedom Committee

Ken Bhattacharjee, ARTICLE 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression (London)

Claudia Motswane, ARTICLE 19 (Johannesburg)

Irene Leon, Agencia Latino Americano del Informacion

Eduardo Tamayo, Agencia Latino Americano del Informacion

Maria Suarez, Feminist International Radio Endeavour

Maria Victoria Polanco, World Association of Community Broadcasters