COUNCIL CONSEIL OF EUROPE DE L’EUROPE Contribution of public service media in promoting social cohesion and integrating all communities and generations Implementation of Committee of Ministers Recommendation Rec (97) 21 on media and the promotion of a culture of tolerance Group of Specialists on Public Service Media in the Information Society (MC-S-PSM) H/Inf (2009) 5 Contribution of public service media in promoting social cohesion and integrating all communities and generations Implementation of Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation Rec (97) 21 on media and the promotion of a culture of tolerance Report prepared by the Group of Specialists on Public Service Media in the Information Society (MC-S-PSM), November 2008 Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs Council of Europe Strasbourg, June 2009 Édition française : La contribution des médias de service public à la promotion de la cohésion sociale et a l’intégration de toutes les communautés et générations Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs Council of Europe F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex http://www.coe.int/ © Council of Europe 2009 Printed at the Council of Europe Contents Executive summary . .5 Introduction . .5 Key developments . .6 Workforce . 6 Requirements . .11 Content and services . 13 Conclusions, recommendations and proposals for further action . 18 Conclusions . .18 Recommendations and proposals for further action . .20 Appendix A. Recommendation No. R (97) 21 . 22 Recommendation No. R (97) 21 on Appendix to Recommendation No. R the media and the promotion of a (97) 21 . .22 culture of tolerance . .22 Appendix B. Questionnaire on public service media and the promotion of a culture of tolerance . 24 Group of Specialists on Public Service Media in the Information Society (MC-S-PSM), November 2008 Executive summary Tolerance is one of the core values of that the general culture of tolerance tolerance and making a contribution our civilisation. The progress our socie- has improved, in part thanks to the to better integration. The issue of tol- ties made in the course of their histo- work of public service media. While erance and integration is not only ries is, inter alia, largely driven by the the political will to support the PSM in linked to ethnic minorities but also to tolerant, open minded approach of carrying out its remit efficiently is visi- other groups of society the members nations and individuals. Without toler- ble, specific problems can be signalled of which are characterised by a certain ance and openness to values of others in relation to resources: a shortage of degree of being distinguished from a there is no real communication and sufficient resources in order to provide “normal” person. There may be the im- co-operation. Promoting tolerance as programmes concentrating on the pression in some cases that measures a general attitude in our culture there- issues of tolerance, discrimination, addressing those groups’ special fore is essential for the European socie- social cohesion; a lack of journalists needs and paying specific attention to ties. Beside our systems of education with sufficient experience in this area; a their situation is, at the moment, more the public service media is also a cus- lack of funding for recruiting good staff; in the focus of concern. Still, the overall todian of the European cultural herit- a lack of qualified personnel of various contribution of raising sensibility to age. Furthermore, PSM is also a ethnic origins among media profes- this sort of implications for reporting, common reference point for our socie- sions. internal structures and staff of public ties. As such, PSM providers are in the In general, the issue of the PSM’s pro- service media, etc. should not be un- position to make substantial contribu- motion of social cohesion and a derestimated since it may positively tion to promoting the culture of toler- culture of tolerance depends to a large enhance a general climate of tolerance ance. extent on the general and/or specific which may induce also benefits for the The report provides a summary of key legal framework which is set to govern appraisal of the situation of ethnic or developments in the public service the respective institution’s work. The other minorities. media across Council of Europe legal framework, in turn, appears to be PSM should continue to play an active member states in the following areas: depending to a considerable degree role in the promotion of a culture of workforce development, including on the general approach of the tolerance in our societies. The Council measures to improve the diversity of country at hand as regards minorities of Europe has to follow the situation in the workforce and to develop codes of and the reflection on diversity and tol- member countries and encourage conduct and statements of values; erance in society. Therefore, often the every action capable to contribute to legal and other requirements imposed “cultural tradition” of a state is decisive social cohesion. Good practice exam- on public service media by govern- for the formulation of focuses on the ples should be widely disseminated ments, legislators and regulators; the manner in which the issues of a multi- via for instance conferences/work- content and services provided by cultural/multi-ethnic society and, sub- shops for public service media provid- public service media. sequently, of integration and instru- ers and decision-makers. A shift of The purpose of the document is to ments to achieve a higher level of emphasis seems to be necessary from present an overview of how PSM con- tolerance is to be dealt with. the theoretical thinking to the identifi- tributes to the promotion of the objec- There is a general tendency in respect cation and handling of practical prob- tives set out by the Council of Europe of PSM to have recourse to instru- lems in the related activities of the Recommendation No. R (97) 21 on the ments of self-regulation in order to Council of Europe. In this regard the media and the promotion of a culture find appropriate and suitable answers role of monitoring based on elaborate of tolerance. The general perception to the questions posed by the role of methodology seems to be of para- flowing from collected information is the media in promoting a climate of mount importance. Introduction This report was produced by the “prepare a report on the contribution of public This task is also connected to item 13 Group of Specialists on public service service media to the implementation of Com- of the Action Plan adopted by the 7th media in the information society (MC- mittee of Ministers’ Recommendation No. R (97) European Ministerial Conference on S-PSM) during the years 2007 and 21 on media and the promotion of a culture of Mass Media Policy held in Kyiv, on 10 2008. MC-S-PSM is a subordinate body tolerance, examining, inter alia, how public and 11 March 2005. of experts of the Committee on the service media can play a part in promoting For the purposes of this study MC-S- Media and New Communication Serv- social cohesion and integrating all communities PSM compiled and circulated a ques- ices (CDMC). According to its terms of and generations, and propose, if appropriate, tionnaire, attached as annex B to this reference the group shall, inter alia , further action on this subject”. report (page 24), among parties repre- sented in the CDMC. The Group of Spe- 5 Contribution of public service media in promoting social cohesion cialists received replies from 16 states analysis of Ms Deirdre Kevin and of the tors; and other special commitments in total (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, EMR provided compatible results. made by public service media; Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, Ger- Further valuable contribution to the the content and services provided many, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Mol- work of MC-S-PSM was made by the by public service media. dova, the Netherlands, Norway, European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The report focuses on recent and Portugal, Sweden, the United King- This contribution was twofold. On the current actions and developments. It dom) and from one NGO, the Media one hand, the EBU published profes- does not attempt to evaluate or assess Diversity Institute of London. The com- sional studies providing practical guid- their success or otherwise or to pilation of these responses, except of ance in cases of broadcasting comment on the extent to which Hungary’s response, that is accessible programmes where questions of mi- public service media are satisfying the separately, is available as document norities are involved. Beyond drawing terms of the Recommendation. How- MC-S-PSM (2007) 006. the attention of MC-S-PSM to these ever, where relevant, the report refers studies, the EBU, on the other hand, to other research or reports which Having received the responses a also provided a compendium of best comment on these questions. summary of them was produced by practices on the contribution of public Ms Deirdre Kevin, consultant of the service media to social cohesion and The purpose of the present report is to Council of Europe. This summary is to the promotion of culture of toler- present an overview of how public available as document MC-S-PSM ance. This compendium comprised ex- service media contributes to the pro- (2007) 008. amples from Denmark, Poland and motion of the objectives set out by from the public service broadcasters of Recommendation No. R (97) 21 of the When evaluating these partial results Germany. Council of Europe, that is attached as MC-S-PSM also found the need to The present report is based over- annex B to this document. It has to be analyse further national examples. To whelmingly on the studies and docu- noted that the analysis provided here this end a short study was prepared by ments referred to above.