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International Organizations and Global Technology. Meeting 4. Origins of Global Media. US origins are rooted in commercial media systems where advertising and market forces play crucial roles; view media and culture as commodities
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Origins of Global Media • US origins are rooted in commercial media systems where advertising and market forces play crucial roles; view media and culture as commodities • Europe and other countries use government model of control (BBC) • Duality of approach underlie debate on international organizations
UN Economic Social Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Resolutions regarding media issues: • Satellite broadcasters must obtain prior consent of national governments before transmitting messages to foreign territory; rejection of ‘free flow’ notion (passed, US only dissenter) • Regional meetings of experts will discussion national communication policies • Acknowledge responsibility of governments to control media messages (USSR sponsored; failed to pass UN General Assembly
New International Economic Order (NIEO) • Pressed for changes to enhance development opportunities of peripheral nations • Changes in economic orientation and philosophy influenced all aspects of UNESCO activities
New World International Communications Order (NWICO) Debated influence and regulation of Western media in peripheral nations • Argued against commercial orientation of media and for government control • Attack on one-way flow of information through TV and Hollywood films from US without reciprocity
General Assembly Decisions • Approved NWICO and MacBride report endorsing activities to promote development journalism and communication • US withdraw from UNESCO in 1985 because of 1) politicization of issues, statist concepts and mismanagement
Recent UNESCO Events • UK rejoined • New leader - Japanese ambassador • Budget problems resolved • MacBride RoundTable of academics and journalists meets every 2 years to examine peripheral nations state of affairs and global communication imbalances
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) • 188 nation membership • Decisions made on one-nation, one-vote basis; Majority status of peripheral nations • Promoting international mobile system IMT-2000 (provides wireless access to global telecom system, coordinates public & private networks, applies satellite and terrestrial systems, promotes conversion in technical standard)
International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT) • Regional support centers to increase market awareness (Pacific Rim, SE Asia, Europe) • Competitors include 1) PanAmSat, Loral Orion Networks and 2) fiber-optic cable systems with broadband width and speed
World Trade Organization (WTO) • US views media properties like film as economic entities; other nations view products as central to their culture and want to exclude them from WTO negotiations • Intellectual property right ground rules being established
Conclusion • Global village with fractured ITU or weak Intelsat would impact assignments of international frequencies relating to electromagnetic spectrum • Commercial losses for core governments and private sector would suffer • More attention to ITU issues required to keep global economy healthy