Quality Public Services Also Needed in Media, Say IFJ and UNI MEI on World Public Service Day

June 23, 2011

Today the International Federation of Journalists and its European group the European Federation of Journalists, together with UNI Global Union Media Entertainment & Arts (UNI-MEI) expressed their joint support to strong public service in media and in particular in broadcasting, at the occasion of UN world public service day and as Global Unions launch their "quality public service" campaign.

"In many countries we see unprecedented attacks on public service values in media and on public broadcasting, at a time when cultural diversity and independent information are cruelly needed", said IFJ President Jim Boumelha. In particular in Europe, under-financing, privatisation, commercial and political pressure are putting public service values at risk, with hundreds of jobs to be cut. "It is in the interest of the public to defend and reinforce public values in media in order to create and develop them in regions or countries of the world where they are still weak", said EFJ President Arne König.

"In the global digital economy, public broadcasting, while continuing to service traditional platforms, must be present on the new platforms in order to guarantee its continuity, further development and cultural diversity", said UNI MEI President Heinrich Bleicher-Nagelsmann. "In the debate over EU's digital agenda we need to ensure that sustainable funding of public missions of broadcasters extends to all existing and new media platforms", stated, EURO-MEI President William Maunier. "Growing media concentration represents a threat to the emerging democracies in many countries in the Americas. Public service broadcasting is a prerequisite to guarantee respect for pluralism and cultural identity, said Nascimento Silva, President of America's region of UNI-MEI, PANARTES.

As global unions launch a special campaign to reinforce public services across the world, the IFJ/EFJ and UNI-MEI express their strong support to public service values in the media and in journalism. In particular, the IFJ/EFJ and UNI-MEI underline the call made in the Charter adopted by Global Unions last year, "for national and regional regulations that provide for diversity in the media and access to culture".

Global Union's Campaign - Quality Public Service Now : www.qpsactionnow.org/

IFJ/EFJ: www.ifj.org / http://europe.ifj.org
The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries. The EFJ represents more than 250.000 members in over 30 countries in Europe.

UNI MEI: www.uniglobalunion.org/mei
UNI MEI represents 140 unions and guilds and 300 000 workers in the media and entertainment industries in over 70 countries worldwide


For more information contact:
International Federation of Journalists
Phone: +32 2 235 22 00
Website: www.ifj.org