Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) Position
to
the draft political texts to be submitted to the 7th European Ministerial
Conference on Mass Media Policy
The Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe welcomes the initiative of the steering committee on the mass media to invite the non governmental organisations to the Council of Europe to submit their comments.
First of all FAFCE points out, that we are broadly in agreement with the draft texts. The comments of FAFCE are related to the deepening and the upgrading of some text passages.
1. The draft resolution No. 2, "cultural diversity and media pluralism in times of globalisation" asserts in paragraph 5 that cultural and linguistic diversity in the media should be maintained and promoted in the interest of intercultural dialogue. FAFCE highlights that cultural and linguistic diversity in the media should also be maintained and promoted in the interest of an inter-religious dialogue, because the history of this continent demonstrated often enough that misunderstandings caused by ignorance of other people, their culture, but also their religion, were the reason for conflicts and war. Media could give an essential contribution to reduce prejudices caused on ignorance and to strengthen the inter-religious dialogue.
2. Paragraph 19 of the draft resolution No. 2 asserts the importance of ensuring free and universal access to the services of public service broadcasters. FAFCE supports this importance and calls at the same times attention that the Council of Europe should attempt all efforts to overcome the "digital gap" in Europe. Information means power. The exclusion of some from the new information technologies for economic reasons will develop a "Europe of two speeds". FAFCE suggests a support programme for regions, which are disadvantaged in their digital development.
3. Paragraphs 16 and 17 of draft resolution No. 3 mention the new communication services and their relation to minors and children. FAFCE points out that Mass media are the vehicles of interpersonal communication, mediating information, knowledge and opinion; they are of outstanding importance for acquiring knowledge about and understanding of other cultures. But FAFCE also points out handling risks due to one-sidedness or exaggerated confrontation with violence, e.g. how sexual torts cast doubt upon family value and jeopardize development of personalities, especially of children. FAFCE requests the Council of Europe to demand the Member States strengthened in order to provide funds and human resources to guarantee an effective surveillance of media, above all to protect children and minors in Europe.