October 3 2003

In a paper delivered at the Bellagio Symposium on Media, Freedom and Poverty, James Deane emphasises the important role of media in society stating that issues of hunger, development and poverty are closely intertwined with issues of media freedom.

"For many, including myself, media freedom and freedom of expression are fundamental, non-negotiable components of media pluralism, but they are not the same thing. Media pluralism implies that people have access to the media, a capacity to make their voices heard through the media, and a content of the media that relates to their needs. A media, for example, that is entirely free of governmental interference but which is accessible to perhaps only 20% of the population and is concerned only with the concerns of the wealthiest 10% of the population is not a plural media. "

Deane elaborates on the role of media on society and how media has essentially been impacted by four revolutions and one evolution:

"One starting point to a new debate on these issues is that our global society has been revolutionised over the last decade with huge consequences for the role of the media. In a short paper like this it is impossible to summarise all these changes but I would highlight four revolutions – and one evolution – that have taken place over the last decade and a half years, the years since the NWICO [New World Information and Communication Order].

An economic revolution, a political revolution, and two information revolutions. And finally a fifth evolution, rather than revolution, that of current development policy and thinking.

All of these have had profound implications for how developing countries – governments and people – tackle the issues that challenge them, and how the media in particular either enable or disable their capacity to do so. And all these raise profound questions of how well served the poorest countries, and particularly the poorest people within these countries, are served by current media structures and trends."

Panos works to stimulate informed and inclusive public debate around key development issues in order to foster sustainable development. They aim to ensure that the perspectives of the people whose lives are most affected by development (mainly the poor and marginalised) are included within decision-making and that decisions are subject to their scrutiny and debate.

Click here for the full presentation in PDF format.

The Panos Institute.