A NEW NOTION OF MEDIA?

THE 1st COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR MEDIA AND NEW COMMUNICATION SERVICES
Reykjavik (Iceland) 28-29 May 2009
[22/04/2009]

Facing technology developments and the media–related change they trigger in the society, the Council of Europe decided to address fundamental questions that will set the working direction for the coming years to meet these new challenges.

Democracy does not exist without free, independent and diverse media. The social, cultural and technological changes that are occurring today have a dramatic impact on the media. New communication services and media are appearing, whereas the more traditional types of media are exposed to enormous challenges. The new media represent huge opportunities but also potential risks that still need to be explored.
Facing these continuous innovations, specialists are driven to wonder:

What can be called media today?

How can we approach digital, convergent media, but also media created by new actors or media-like activities performed by non-traditional media actors?

How do media integrate and apply democratic values and principles related to the individuals and communities? Is there a need for new specific standards?

Studying how these new media are creating new risks and opportunities for the protection of human rights is indispensable.

More information about the Conference http://www.ministerialconference.is/

In parallel, several events will take place before the Conference ; their outcome will feed the Conference debates:

· Civil Society: on 5 May in Paris, the Conference of International Non governmental Organisations will hold a Preparatory Forum to the Ministerial Conference
http://www.coe.int/T/E/NGO/Public/

· Youth: the European Youth Forum organises a Youth Event on 26-27 May to. discuss the new challenges for media and communication policy, especially in relation to young people (http://www.youthforum.org/en/press/news/2009/0389-09.htm)

· Freedom of the media and fight against terrorism: on 27 May in Reykjavik, a Forum on “anti-terrorism legislation and its impact on freedom of expression and information”, organised by the Council of Europe, in co-operation with the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science and the Institute for Information Law of the University of Amsterdam.
http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/standardsetting/media/ConfAntiTerrorism/default_en.asp