The public right to know The public right to know in a sea of global mediain a sea of global media

Helen ShawHelen ShawAthena Media -IrelandAthena Media -Ireland

Amsterdam: Summit of the Future Amsterdam: Summit of the Future Jan 26-28 2005Jan 26-28 2005

The sea of global mediaThe sea of global media

Fewer owners – more choiceFewer owners – more choice Fragmented commercial markets Fragmented commercial markets Digital expansion – new mediaDigital expansion – new media The death… or re-birth of public The death… or re-birth of public

broadcasting?broadcasting?

Consumers and citizensConsumers and citizens

‘‘the market is highly efficient but the market is highly efficient but it has no goal, its sole purpose is it has no goal, its sole purpose is to produce more in order to to produce more in order to consume more’,consume more’, Octavio Paz. Octavio Paz.

Consumer and citizen needs and Consumer and citizen needs and rights are different even conflictingrights are different even conflicting

Examples: plastic bag levy, smoking Examples: plastic bag levy, smoking ban.ban.

Information as a public goodInformation as a public good

Citizenship versus consumerismCitizenship versus consumerism Social versus individualSocial versus individual News and information as a public and News and information as a public and

social good rather than a product social good rather than a product and commodityand commodity

Seeing public media like public Seeing public media like public health, part of the social contract.health, part of the social contract.

Death or re-birth?Death or re-birth?

SO much choice on digital media why pay SO much choice on digital media why pay for content?for content?

Yet …media independent of direct state Yet …media independent of direct state and market control has become a and market control has become a compelling issue in today’s world.compelling issue in today’s world.

Why? Why? Global media can mean a choice between Global media can mean a choice between

more of the same – cultural imperialism.more of the same – cultural imperialism. Trust has become the core issue.Trust has become the core issue.

Defining….Defining….

‘‘we have to stop thinking of public we have to stop thinking of public broadcasting as a stand-alone broadcasting as a stand-alone organisation and see it as the organisation and see it as the principal node in an emerging principal node in an emerging network of public and civil initiatives network of public and civil initiatives that taken together, provide the basis that taken together, provide the basis for new cultural space, a digital for new cultural space, a digital commons, that can help forge commons, that can help forge communal connectionscommunal connections..” ..”

Prof. Graham Murdock – Loughborough Prof. Graham Murdock – Loughborough University University

Why do we need public media?Why do we need public media?

Post Iraq and media debatePost Iraq and media debate Tsunami+ interconnectedness of our Tsunami+ interconnectedness of our

worldworld A market driven, globalised world A market driven, globalised world

needs trusted information to needs trusted information to underscore our civil society – our underscore our civil society – our humanity – our inter-relationship.humanity – our inter-relationship.

Why we need public mediaWhy we need public media ‘‘soft powersoft power’ rests on credibility’ rests on credibility The ‘The ‘paradox of plentyparadox of plenty’ – in a global ’ – in a global

information age power flows to credible information age power flows to credible gate-keepers gate-keepers

Plentitude of information – poverty of Plentitude of information – poverty of attentionattention

‘‘power in information flows to those power in information flows to those who can…authoritatively validate, who can…authoritatively validate, sorting out which is correct and sorting out which is correct and importantimportant’ ’ Joe Nye – Paradox of Joe Nye – Paradox of Power (2002Power (2002))

Re-inventing public broadcastingRe-inventing public broadcasting

Content beyond institutionsContent beyond institutions Public media and the internet Public media and the internet Not-for profit content underscoring Not-for profit content underscoring

global civic society global civic society Seeing public funding as a content Seeing public funding as a content

pool pool Public media competition to ensure Public media competition to ensure

quality and accountabilityquality and accountability

Emerging trends...Emerging trends...

In Ireland 5% of the TV licence fee In Ireland 5% of the TV licence fee goes to a fund for all broadcastersgoes to a fund for all broadcasters

Australia has merged internet and Australia has merged internet and broadcasting regulationbroadcasting regulation

BBC Charter Renewal based around BBC Charter Renewal based around seeing content as a public goodseeing content as a public good

DR – Denmark multimedia modelDR – Denmark multimedia model