Press
Release
Tuesday,
September 9th
In the Ex
Palenque
Press conference:
Monday, September 8th,
Contacts:
International:
This September at the World Trade Organization (WTO)
meeting in
This would spell disaster for vibrant media systems worldwide: public funding
for media, including mass, alternative, community, and citizens' media, could
be attacked as "barriers to trade." Media ownership limits, as well
as laws and initiatives that encourage diverse, locally-owned media, could be
considered outright trade violations. Public funding for cultural and artistic
production could also come under attack.
On September 9th, representatives from the Movements assembled in
Members of the press are encouraged to attend a press
conference the morning of Monday the 8th, to attend this event, and
to arrange interviews with representatives of the Communication Rights movement
during the WTO Ministerial.
Background
In
Requests to include Communication and Audiovisual Services in GATS -
film, radio, television, video, and music production, as well as media
distribution services such as satellite, cable and broadcast - have been
put forward before. To date, many countries have resisted
these requests and fought for an (albeit limited) exemption from GATS known as
the 'cultural exception.' So far, this stopgap has kept many media and
cultural services out of the agreement. If Communications and Audiovisual
Services do find their way into GATS this September, the repercussions will be
severe.
Certain measures taken by governments to defend or build media localism,
diversity, and pluralism could be classified as 'barriers to trade;' other WTO
member nations would be able to attack them using the binding dispute mechanism
of the WTO. Decisions on 'trade disputes' made by the WTO are enforced by
international law - member nations must comply with WTO rulings or face
multi-million or -billion dollar punitive sanctions. A variety of measures
crucial to delivering high quality public service broadcasting would be seen as
clear violations of GATS rules, including limits on media ownership, specific
restrictions on foreign media ownership, public service obligations, and rules
regarding cross ownership.
Even if a country exempts its broadcast regulations and programs that
support media and culture from the current round of negotiations, the goal of
GATS is "progressive liberalization." This means that there would be
strong pressure to discard such exemptions in future, built-in negotiations. In
addition, efforts to improve regulatory structures would be impaired, since the
legally binding trade obligations of GATS virtually "lock-in" the regulatory
status quo. Any adjustments to regulatory structures that would change country
commitments under GATS would require compensation to all trading partners. At a
time of such dynamic change in the regulatory environment for media and
broadcast, this would be a public policy disaster.
For these reasons, concerned citizens in many nations (including the European
Union) have so far successfully lobbied their governments to reject US
proposals on Communications and Audiovisual Services, and to block agreements
that could impact their nations' media systems. People everywhere recognize
that a free, diverse, local, and independent media system is a fundamental
requirement for a functioning democracy, and that ensuring such a media system
requires regulation in the public interest as well as support for public
service, local, nonprofit and independent media.
Organizers:
AMARC - World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
CENCOS
Centro de Medios Independientes
COMCOSUR
CRIS - Communication Rights in the Information Society
Free Press
Global Project
Las Agencias
OURMedia/NUESTR@Smedios
Clemencia Rodriguez
Associate Professor
Department of Communication
Phone 405 325 1570
Fax 405 325 7625