"This essay examines the influence of the French concept of the “cultural exception” on European media policy and international agreements. After briefly reviewing the historical background of the cultural exception in France, the essay describes how demands for the cultural exception and those
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for diversity affect inter-/transnational agreements within the European Union and around the world. Special focus is placed on the current secret EU/US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement (TTIP) negotiations that nearly failed because of France’s insistence that media and culture be exempted. The author argues that the concept of the “cultural exception” has been revived in recent years. However, due to the dual character of media (which is both a cultural and economic good), and the lack of a global media policy, the culture and trade debate will continue." (Abstract)
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"Los diecinueve textos que conforman el libro se articulan en torno a siete temáticas: 1) Percepciones sobre el DIC y los medios, 2) Ética, 3) Estructuras de contenido, 4) Coberturas noticiosas, 5) Agresiones a periodistas, 6) Acceso a la Información Pública, y 7) Estado, medios y normativa. Su
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objetivo mayor es motivar a la reflexión de e inaugurar debate en los temas analizados, considerados de importancia estratégica para una mejor práctica periodística y la promoción del DIC en su más amplio sentido: como derecho articulador de la comunicación democrática." (Pág. web UNIR)
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"This series of Briefing Notes is designed to give readers an understanding of the key international legal standards that apply in the context of freedom of expression. They are aimed at an audience which does not necessarily have a deep understanding of freedom of expression issues, but they also a
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im to be of interest and relevance to more sophisticated freedom of expression observers and practitioners." (Page 1)
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"The aim of this handbook is to equip the reader with an understanding of Rwanda’s new media laws, both in terms of the rights and obligations introduced, as well as in terms of the regulatory and institutional structure they have established. The handbook is presented in seven modules, which comp
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lement each other to allow for a full appreciation of the normal and institutional framework for media regulation in Rwanda." (Introduction, page 16)
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"This study carries out an independent assessment of the Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) of Albania. The scope of the study is to apply the INDIREG methodology to the AMA and provide contextual interpretation of the results with policy recommendations. The INDIREG methodology offers a scientifical
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ly backed methodology to appraise the formal and de facto independence of supervisory authorities in the audiovisual media sector on five different dimensions: (1) Status and powers, (2) Financial autonomy, (3) Autonomy of decision-makers, (4) Knowledge and transparency and (5) accountability." (Executive summary)
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"Despite the importance of media ownership transparency for both the individual and the state, only two of the surveyed countries—Italy and Romania—address media transparency directly in their constitutions but in both cases the focus is on transparency of fi nancial sources not ownership. In th
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e Turkish Constitution the state is empowered to require information as a precondition to publication. None of these constitutions therefore impose an express positive obligation on the state to ensure that the public has access to information on media ownership. Although the Constitution of Norway does not expressly refer to media ownership transparency, Norwegian media ownership rules, which do provide for ownership transparency, refer back to the provisions on freedom of expression in article 100 of the Constitution. These impose on the state a positive duty to create conditions that “facilitate open and enlightened public discourse”, thus underlining the link between freedom of expression and media ownership transparency." (Key findings, page 3)
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"This article investigates the flow of communication policy principles across the supranational, international and national levels, through the lens of policy transfer. Policy transfer is a new concept for the field of media and communication studies. The article utilizes and expands on the concept
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to study the case of digital policy flows between leading regional powers, the EU and USA and MERCOSUR. The article argues that EU and US policy priorities are reflected in the Latin American policy framework, which shifts from a focus on audiovisual and culture-centred objectives to the digital economy paradigm. MERCOSUR then functions as a policy broker between 'outside' interests and those of its member states through the influence of international key players whose interests clash with those of regional goals." (Abstract)
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"Internews’ research reveals a confluence of conditions in ASEAN that make the present time a critical moment for Freedom of Expression / Right to Information (FoE/RTI) interventions in the region. As donor support dwindles, and threats to FoE increase, there is a danger of a severe roll-back of t
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he rights and freedoms in the region that underpin thriving democracies. The backdrop to this scenario – ASEAN integration along with various other regional synergies – has created an opening for dialogue on key social issues such as FoE/RTI that connect countries within the region." (Conclusion)
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"The highly debated Protection of State Information Bill (POSIB) in South Africa represents the first attempt of a sub-Saharan African country to create security legislation which is not based on Colonial law. It can be assumed that this law will have a significant impact on similar legislative refo
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rm processes in neighbouring countries, as South Africa acts as a role model." (KAS website, 21.5.2014)
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"El libro que ahora tienen entre sus manos, resultado de meses de ardua coordinación e investigación en Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua y El Salvador, recoge con mucha preocupación la firme tendencia que existe en Centroamérica hacia una mayor concentración de la propiedad de los medios de comun
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icación en oligopolios mediáticos comerciales. Esta preocupación se vuelve más fuerte cuando los procesos de digitalización de las comunicaciones, ya emprendidos en estos países, apuntan a generar más concentración de medios en pocas empresas o familias, afectando directamente a la calidad de nuestra democracia. Los resultados que recogemos en este libro no presentan un panorama alentador, sobre todo porque las autoridades encargadas de conducir este proceso de transformación o convergencia tecnológica buscan digitalizar la radio y la televisión con los mismos marcos jurídicos que nos han llevado a la concentración de la propiedad de frecuencias en pocas manos. Esto no es bueno para la democracia centroamericana. Entonces, es urgente que nuestros gobiernos y legisladores/as enfoquen y le den un nuevo rumbo a la digitalización de las comunicaciones, que no es un asunto meramente técnico, sino pr ofundamente político, que tiene ver con el futuro de las nuevas generaciones en Centroamérica. Todavía estamos a tiempo de modificar este camino, amañado por las asociaciones y cámaras de radio y televisión, pues la multiplicación de canales o las frecuencias resultantes del dividendo digital deben ayudar a modificar el actual mapa de medios en la región." (Presentación, página I)
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"The system of self-regulation for the press was subject to contentious debates in South Africa from 2010 to 2012. The Press Council of South Africa and the accountability mechanism for the press (self-regulation) underwent two separate processes of review during this period, subsequently altering t
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he procedures of the press complaints body to some degree, and replacing the selfregulatory system with one of independent co-regulation. A significant change to the system, in January 2013, was the introduction of the allowance of third-party complaints. In an environment of increasing perceived threats to press freedom from government, and acknowledging the low public profile of the press accountability body, the introduction of third-party complaints enables the raising of public awareness about the purpose of the Press Council of South Africa and its relationship to the defence of press freedom, in a format which was not previously possible." (Abstract)
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"As advertising revenues shift to non-journalistic platforms, news organizations face financial difficulties. To safeguard pluralism and editorial competition, alternative funding sources should be considered. Policymakers can support private media organizations with mechanisms such as tax relief or
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even direct subsidies to specific media companies. Such support need not compromise media independence if safeguards such as statutory eligibility criteria are in place. Given convergence, support for private media should also be extended to online media." (Key messages)
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"In 2010 the Open Democracy Advice Centre undertook a comprehensive review of the state of whistleblowing in South Africa, entitled 'The Status of Whistleblowing' (2010). Three years on, the whistleblowing landscape is due another review. Research demonstrates that progress has not merely halted in
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the current context, but that in fact South Africa appears increasingly hostile to whistleblowing activities. It is not just legislative provisions that may require review, but other broader environmental recommendations are also needed in order to properly enable whistleblowing. This publication looks at how to create an environment in South Africa that can encourage whistleblowers to act – this means not looking at law alone, and understanding that interventions are required at multiple points in the whistleblowing process if people are to feel supported enough to disclose." (Introduction)
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"El objetivo de este trabajo es ampliar la información y difusión sobre el contexto real en el que las radios comunitarias posibilitan el ejercicio de la libertad de expresión desde las comunidades. Con este informe esperamos contribuir a visibilizar e impulsar el análisis sobre el tercer sector
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de la comunicación en el país. Este trabajo ha sido elaborado a partir de los resultados obtenidos de la investigación de campo levantada en siete estados de la república con contextos diversos que han incidido en el quehacer radiofónico de la ciudadanía y de las comunidades. Con la ayuda de nuestras asociadas se contactó a otros colectivos radiofónicos en Puebla, Veracruz, Oaxaca, Michoacán, Sonora, Nuevo León y Chiapas, con quienes se organizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas grupales e individuales." (Presentación)
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"El Manual tiene el propósito de presentar los contenidos principales de las recientes reformas normativas en estos temas con el objetivo de que las y los comunicadores cuenten con una herramienta de apoyo para su labor comunicativa y de difusión [...] La reforma constitucional en materia de derec
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hos humanos, que entró en vigor el 11 de junio del 2011, es un hecho trascendente en tanto reconoce y aporta al sistema de fuentes legales federales y nacionales, un sistema enriquecido con todas los intrumentos internacionales de protección de los derechos humanos, todas las disposiciones y los estándares que México ha firmado. La Ley para la Protección de Personas Defensoras de Derechos Humanos y Periodistas que dio origen al Mecanismo de Protección para Periodistas y Personas Defensoras de los Derechos Humanos, que entró en vigor el 26 de junio de 2012, es de suma relevancia en el contexto nacional actual, dado que crea un dispositivo especializado para que el Estado atienda su responsabilidad fundamental de proteger, promover y garantizar los derechos humanos de periodistas, comunicadores y defensores que se encuentran en situación de riesgo como consecuencia de su labor en la defensa y promoción de los derechos humanos, del ejercicio de la libertad de expresión y el periodismo [...] Los contenidos de este manual están organizados en cinco apartados: el primero se refiere a la Reforma constitucional en materia de derechos Humanos; el segundo a la Ley de protección para Periodistas y Personas Defensoras de los Derechos Humanos y al Mecanismo que originó; el tercero corresponde a la Reforma Constitucional en materia de Telecomunicaciones. El cuarto apartado contiene referencias de utilidad relacionadas con los temas y posteriormente de incluyen las versiones en mixe, zapoteco, mazateco y purépecha, a fin de que comunicadores/as indígenas tengan acceso a la información legislativa." (Presentación, página -6-7)
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"This article focuses on the interdependence between security and human rights. The author advocates that freedom of expression and free media – two basic human rights – play increasingly important roles in fostering a meaningful debate on security issues and that they can help us to effectively
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address new challenges, not least in the new digital era. The article addresses major challenges within media freedom such as Internet freedom and journalists’ safety and the importance these challenges play with regard to the link between security and human rights." (Abstract)
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