Independent Media Forum Calls for Actions
Mainstream media:
* Start action to restructure ownership patterns for increased shareholding by citizens.
* Provide greater freedom and autonomy for individual journalists from corporate interests and a broader margin of criticism and participation in editorial matters.
* Remove all obstacles to journalists' right to unionize on all levels of media organizations.
* Abide by norms and values of professional ethics and provide necessary mechanisms for audience participation in editorial issues.
* Refrain from racist, sexist/heterosexist, discriminatory language and approach in the shaping of news and information.
* Abide by international conventions pertaining to the role of media in protecting the rights of children.
* Abide by international conventions pertaining to the role of media regarding the rights of women, and the right to free expression of gender identity.
* Refrain from any direct or indirect endorsement of war or encouragement of moves toward war.
* Develop better internship facilities for Communication and Journalism students.
* Work toward more constructive relationship between media organizations and the academia, especially as regards students beginning their careers.
Local and independent media:
* Examine carefully the different options for democratic decision -making inside their organizations.
* Examine carefully the different options for engaging the readers and audiences in active participation.
* Develop strong horizontal relations among non-profit organizations and with other independent local media.
* Increase internship and employment opportunities for Communication and Journalism students.
* Develop a carefully worked-out professional ethic for their relation to local authorities.
* Improve writing level to make reports lively and stimulating.
* Engage with numerous aspects of the lives of the public, not only negative polices.
* Develop ongoing training opportunities for upgrading professional skills.
Governments:
* Ensure maximum protection for journalistic freedom to report the news.
* Retreat from policies restricting media freedom and develop policies underpinning it.
* Cease using national security fears as an excuse for control over journalistic freedom.
* Grant immediate freedom for all journalists imprisoned for pursuing their professional tasks.
* Prosecute those guilty of crimes against journalists and bring them to justice.
* Provide extra funding to public universities for Communication and Journalism programs to enable more effective training and education.
* Provide funds for the development of independent media initiatives and projects, to be disbursed by representative grassroots citizens' initiatives.
* Provide proper resources at arms length from government for a healthy public service media sector. Enact public service media legislation supporting the media access rights of children, women, and other disadvantaged groups. Abide by international treaties in this direction and lift reservations to particular provisions. (TK)
Click to download full text in english (PDF document, 63 K)