Action Plan adopted by the 1st Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Media and New Communication Services A new notion of media? (28 and 29 May 2009, Reykjavik, Iceland)
Action Plan adopted by the 1st Council of Europe Conference of Ministers
responsible for Media and New Communication Services A new notion of media?
(28 and 29 May 2009, Reykjavik, Iceland)
I. Towards a new notion of media and its consequences
1. Examine whether our understanding of media and mass-communication services remains
valid in the new information and communications environment. If appropriate, elaborate a policy document reviewing the concept of media itself to include relevant new media and media-like masscommunication services and service providers.
2. Having regard to the results from this review, establish criteria for distinguishing media or
media-like services from other forms of personal communication.
3. Examine whether and how the requirements of journalistic professionalism, editorial
independence and editorial responsibility apply or should apply to operators of new media and medialikemass-communication services and service providers.
4. In consultation with relevant stakeholders, examine the need for, the modalities (such as selfregulation, co-regulation or regulation) and the subject of regulatory activities required to ensure respect for Council of Europe values in the framework of new media and media-like masscommunication services. If appropriate, provide guidance as to the application of existing Council of Europe standards to these new services.
II. Public service
5. Pursue work on the role of public service media in a democratic society. In particular, examine the modalities for delivery to the widest possible public, including young audiences, of trustworthy, diverse and pluralistic media and media-like services, paying attention to the way in which informatio and media or media-like services are sought and received and to the challenges of obtaining quality or trustworthy content.
6. In this connection, explore and, if appropriate, elaborate a policy document containing
guidance for member states on governance approaches for public service media that will contribute to achieving the above objectives. This could extend to reflecting on other (organisational, financial and technical) features of the public service provision of media and media-like services.
7. Continue to develop the notion of the public service value of the Internet. In this context,
explore the extent to which universal access to the Internet should be developed as part of member states’ provision of public services. This may include policies for redressing market failure where market forces are unable to satisfy all legitimate needs or aspirations, both in terms of infrastructure and the range and quality of available content and services.
III. The individual and the media and media-like mass-communication services
8. Explore how newer or emerging modes of mass dissemination of and access to content, and
the associated retention, processing and exploitation of data, affect the rights protected under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights. If necessary, give guidance on how to strengthen the protection of those rights.
9. Examine how the status and rights of creators or providers of content can change, in particular when others associate that content to their own media or media-like services or income-generating activities (for example, advertising) in a mass-communication environment. If appropriate, elaborate guidance on the matter, including on the legal control of creators and providers over their content and the attribution of responsibility (such as when legal liability arises from the broad dissemination of such content).
10. Pursue reflection on possible means of ensuring the effective, transparent, independent and accountable operation and functioning of complaints bodies and procedures for media and media-like mass-communication services.
11. In consultation with relevant stakeholders, including education specialists, pursue work on
media literacy with the aim of making users, creators and distributors of content (in particular children and young people) responsible, informed and critical participants in the information society. Attention should be paid, as appropriate, to non-formal education as well as to the role of media themselves.
12. Continue to address other challenges to individuals’ (in particular children’s and young
people’s) rights to freedom of expression and information, privacy and other fundamental rights, as well as to their dignity and security on the Internet. In particular, explore possibilities for the removal of content that children create or place on the Internet. Pursue standard-setting work on the processing of personal data and profiling techniques or practices, explore common standards on privacy settings and examine the threats that could derive from systems designed to identify and track objects. In consultation with relevant stakeholders, develop appropriate guidance, benchmarks and tools to protect users’ rights.
13. Explore the question of the possible use of newer or emerging services of mass communication to shape opinion and consumption of different groups in society in a surreptitious, subliminal or otherwise manipulative manner and, with due regard to Articles 8 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, explore ways in which to protect the users or public from such use.
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