UNESCO and Information Policy

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UNESCO and Information Policy: The US withdrawal, the IGOs IFAP and IPDC, and Other Information Programs

By Louiza Patsis, MSInformation PolicySpring 2005 Dr. Charles Hildreth

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UNESCO was founded on November 16, 1945 as an agency of the UN. Its biggest purpose is to promote world peace. Constitution Article I under “Purposes and Functions”

“…contribute to world peace and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world…”

Some of the aspects of its actions are (Maheu 1974, 114-115): Respect for human rights and the establishment of the rule of peace The advance of knowledge, exchange of information and communication The development of people ad society The balance and harmony between people and nature

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Constitution and IP

Constitution Article I “collaborate in the work of advancing the mutual knowledge

and understanding of peoples, through all means of mass communication…to promote the free flow of ideas by word and image, and to “maintain, increase and diffuse knowledge by assuring the conservation and protection of the world’s inheritance of books, works of art and monuments of history and science…by encouraging cooperation among the nations in all branches of intellectual activity including the international exchange of persons active in the fields of education, science and culture and the exchange of publications, objects of artistic and scientific interest and other materials of information, by initiating methods of international cooperation calculated to give the people of all countries access to the printed and published materials produced by any of them.”

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UN Declaration of Human Rights and IP Article 19 of the UN Declaration of Human

Rights “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and

expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

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UNESCO IP

Its two main areas of IP are the division of the free flow of information, mostly encompassed by Information for All (IFAP), and the division of the development of communication systems, mostly encompassed by the International Program for the Development of Communication (IPDC)

Move toward a global information society Information superhighway Increase human, legal, policy and technical capacity,

especially of LDCs Free Flow of Information: the access to information among

member states and individual organizations, thereby facilitating communication on a local, national and global scale.

Equitable access of information

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Stakeholders

People of the world; we are interconnected Less Developed Countries (LDCs) UNESCO Government Corporations Media Institutions such as universities and libraries Fundraisers Taxpayers

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Information Control and Bias

As Harold Innis wrote in 1951, there is a bias in communication. People, groups and countries that have the most money get to control

the creation, access, distribution and selection of information. A bias of a communication technology can be that the poor cannot

afford electronic communication technologies. Those with money and power can define and structure social agendas

and priorities of nations and the world. The issue of information equality and freedom is complicated further

because it is often more costly to develop information systems than to import mass technologies. This is felt especially in poor places such as certain African LDCs, where much of the information infrastructure remains from colonial times and most information is imported.

Information illiteracy Inequitable access

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Media Continued

News services can be neutral and mechanical.

Four main news agencies control media flow in the world: AP, UPI, Reuters, and Agence France Press (Smith 1980)

Usually coverage of LDCs is of natural disasters and wars.

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What is national IP?

Set of decisions, laws and regulations taken by a government to meet specific information needs (INs), and develop information transfer activities of a country. (Sengupta 1987, 82)

Financial, human and institutional means and instruments are needed

First you need to know the information needs of the people, literacy and information literacy of the people, and resources of the government.

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Culture and Media

Culture is highly regarded by UNESCO as the “fundamental component of the vitality of any society...the sum total of a people’s creative activities, its methods of production and of appropriation of material assets, its form of origin, beliefs and sufferings, its work and leisure, dreams and successes.” (Thinking Ahead 1977, 19)

LDCs would often like information about their cultures transmitted to the world, and would like to be more in control of what they receive. In return, important information on human rights can be disseminated to LDCs, if they have the means to receive it. This includes trained personnel, equipment, information technology and networks and user information literacy.

Anthony Smith, in the Geopolitics of Information: How Western Culture Dominates the World, published the same year as the MacBride Report, wrote that Western audiences have become conditioned to a view of the Third World which is founded upon wrong that is often exaggerated, distorted and condescending

Information superhighway

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1970’s UNESCO Meetings on Information General Conference in 1970, a Byelorussian resolution was

passed that affirmed the “inadmissibility of using information media for propaganda on behalf of war, racialism and hatred among nations”. (Singh 1988, 78)

At the 1972 conference, a “Declaration of Guiding Principles for the use of satellite broadcasting for the free use of information, the extension of education and the spread of greater cultural exchanges” was passed with United States and United Kingdom objections

In the 1972 general conference, two forms of resolution were submitted by the Soviet Union alarmed the US. (Giffard 1989, 20) The first one called for prior consent to be applied to satellite-transmitted television programs. Only the US opposed this, which seemed to them to indicate support for the statutory control of information flow.

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1970’s UNESCO Meetings on Information Continued The second proposal called for the preparation for a

declaration on the fundamental principles governing the use of mass media.

Between 1972 and 1978, the West succeeded in changing the language of the draft, eliminating references to state control of media, an international code of media ethics, and responsibility or duty of media.

The declaration did include that “journalist must have freedom to report and the fullest possible facilities of access to information.” (Giffard 1989, 24)

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The 1978 Media Declaration

Began with the Declaration on the Fundamental Principles Concerning the Contribution of the Mass Media to Strengthening Peace and International Understanding, to the Promotion of Human Rights, and to Countering Racialism, Apartheid and Incitement to War.

The declaration had fourteen clauses and eleven articles alluding to the UNESCO constitution and to the UN charter, and to world information and communication problems.

Articles were about the rights of opinion, expression and information.

The declaration called for information freedom and information reciprocity.

The document called for conditions to guarantee journalists the best conditions for their profession, although it was not specific.

It called for the equitable distribution of world wealth, but was not socialistic in nature, although some interpreted it thus.

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New World Information Order (NWICO) and the MacBride Report 1980 In 1976, UNESCO commissioned the MacBride Commission, or the

International Commission for the Study of Communication Problems, a panel chaired by Nobel Prize winner Sean MacBride to find out the prevailing world communication problems.

The term NWICO was widely used by the MacBride Commission. Created a set of recommendations to make global media

representation more equitable. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, UNESCO led the initiative for

NWICO, and tangentially, for a New International Economic Order (NIEO).

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) was involved. This movement was an organized movement of mostly

third world nations that attempted to form a force through a policy of nonalignment with the United States and Soviet Union in different information flow areas such as culture, science, and finance, but mostly media.

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The MacBride Report: Many Voices, One World - Findings De facto hegemony and will to dominate –

indifference to developing countries, information as a commodity, and capitalistic use of information

Mostly unfavorable information on developing countries

Propaganda, control of channels, advertising, opposition to social evolution, and cultural domination

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MacBride Report Continued

Communication is a basic human right Freedom of information and the right to seek, receive and impart

information Social, cultural, economic and technological imbalances cannot

be rectified without rectifying imbalances in national information and communication systems

Promote understanding of diversity and plurality, “movement from disadvantage and dependence to self-reliance and the creation of more equal opportunities”

“Every country should develop its communication patterns in accordance with its own conditions, needs and traditions, thus strengthening its integrity, independence and self-reliance.”

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MacBride Report Recommendationson Information and Communication I

Communication no longer be an incidental service and its development left to chance

All languages should be developed to serve the requirements for modern communication.

Wipe out illiteracy Each country sets up its own priorities Set up strong national news agencies Establishment of distribution networks for books, newspapers and periodicals Development of radio networks Increase national capacity for producing broadcast materials Adequate educational and training facilities to supply personnel for the media

and production organizations Financing Rural areas Communication education Community listening and viewing groups for education and entertainment

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MacBride Report Recommendationson Information and Communication II

International effort to increase the supply of paper Decrease tariffs for the dissemination of information More equitably share the electro-magnetic and geostationary orbit as common

property of human beings Development policies should be a central component of communication and

development policy Legislation and patent laws for decreasing communication monopolies Decrease the digital divide Foster cultural identity and creativity; make sure advertising is consistent with

national attempts to preserve cultural identity Transnational corporations should supply the public and governments of

countries in which they do business information to understand their global structure, activities and policies.

Building of infrastructures and adoption of technologies Attention to poor, women, children, handicapped, and minorities Set up a new world information and communication order Relationship between the establishment of NWICO and NIEO

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MacBride Report Recommendationson Information and Communication III

For journalists: Educational preparation ad specific professional training Apply values of truthfulness, accuracy and respect for human

rights Higher professional standards and responsibility Adoption of international code of ethics Set up press ombudsmen and peer group review Countries should take steps to assure admittance of foreign

correspondents and facilitate the collection and transmission of news

Journalists should not commit espionage No special protection for journalists, other than that afforded by

their citizenship; MacBride thought this was inadequate. Journalists should promote human rights and the just cause of

people struggling for freedom

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MacBride Report Recommendationson Information and Communication IV

Set up information data banks and processing centers Collaboration of news agencies of different countries Member States collaborate on information and communication issues

and projects UNESCO set up forums to talk about world communication and

information Pay attention to peace and disarmament (a) marshaling of resources deriving from surplus profits on raw

materials; (b) establishment of an international duty (1) on the use of electromagnetic spectrum and geostationary orbit space for the benefit of developing countries; (c) levying of an international duty (2) on the profits of transnational corporations producing transmission facilities and equipment for the benefit of developing countries and for the partial financing of the cost of using international communication facilities (cable, telecommunication networks, satellites, etc.)*

Future studies *Adapted from http://www2.hawaii.edu/~rvincent/mcbcon2.htm

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Reaction Against UNESCOby Countries and Think

Tanks I Media Coverage Many in the Western press thought that this would mean an abrogation of

some of their rights or a whole new set of rules of foreign countries to work by.

The International Press Institute and the World Press Freedom Committee asked UNESCO to suspend work in the area of communication.

Members of the Western press were concerned with protection of journalists. However, they did not want UNESCO and governments in charge of handing out identity cards or safety cards.

Several think tanks were antagonistic to UNESCO. One was the Heritage Foundation. This organization, as others like it, backed by millionaires Joseph Coors and Richard Mellon Scaife According to Preston (1989, 139), its annual budget was $10 million in

1982,and it had a staff of 90 and a network of 450 research groups and 1,600 scholars and public policy experts.

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Reaction Against UNESCOby Countries and Think

Tanks II The Heritage Foundation Backgrounder contained anti-education issues as well as number 253: “The IPDC: UNESCO vs. the Free Press”. In this Backgrounder, the Heritage Foundation accuses NWICO of preaching the redistribution of Western mass communication wealth.

Other countries also had grievances against UNESCO. They submitted “The Crisis in UNESCO” in March 1984. These countries were: Australia, Canada, Iceland, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. (Giffard 1989, 74-75)

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Accusations

Accusations were mostly of the following (Giffard 1989, 117-135): politicization, mismanagement, reforms needed; too little change in the past; M’Bow criticism; budget and US contribution to budget; and that US credibility was at stake if officials would not keep their word and pull out. M’Bow was accused of being anti-US, anti-Israeli and of nepotism,

mismanagement and favoring Third World personnel. issuing government licenses to journalists and to foster state-run news.

However, the MacBride Report does not mention journalist licensing

UNESCO paid the public relations firm Wagner & Brody in 1984 to improve its image. UNESCO was criticized for this. Warner & Brody pointed out that (Giffard 1989, 264): UNESCO had passed a

resolution in response to politicization remarks, to refocus on some programs; M’Bow had announced he would institute a series of administrative changes to improve efficiently and streamline operations; the Executive Board has passed a resolution calling for zero-growth budget for two years; and UNESCO never approved government licensing of journalists in return for granting assurances of personal safety.

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Basic Problems with NWICO Arose From: NWICO formula Proving veracity of claims UNESCO forum of discussion Bad will from stridency in language Ideological differences between basic

concepts

(Brown-Syed, 1992)

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Benefits of UNESCO Membership to US UNESCO bought $5.5 million of equipment from the

US per year; (Giffard 1989, 265)

UNESCO gave the US a voice in formulating conventions and protocols affecting transborder electronic communications;

UNESCO provided a forum for the US publishing industry to encourage enforcement of the Universal Copyright Convention; and

UNESCO helped to protect US environment; and the US shared in the findings and information of international scientists.

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Pro-UNESCO Reaction

Edmund P. Hennelly, vice-president of Mobile Corporation, headed the US National Commission during the Reagan administration. He was a staunch Republican, yet he concluded that the US should have no concerns with UNESCO regarding communication, politicization, human rights, bureaucratic centralization and budget.

George Gerbner, Dean of the Annenberg School of Communication, conducted a study in 1982 to analyze news reports of the 1982 UNESCO general conference meeting. The meeting was not widely covered. When it was, there was usually a negative focus on UNESCO communication policies. (Giffard 1989, 49)

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The Reagan Administration

On December 28, 1983, Secretary of State George Schultz warned UNESCO that the US would withdraw if UNESCO did not improve the state of politicization in its organization, make budget reforms, and change certain ideologies.

He charged UNESCO of “irrelevant politicization of the programs that should be its most important; an endemic hostility toward the basic institutions of a free society, especially a free market and a free press; and the most irresponsible and unrestrained budgetary expansion in the United Nations system.” (Preston 1989, 172)

Assistant Secretary of State Newell wanted to remove from UNESCO’s agenda: critical and simplistic approaches to disarmament, economic theorizing, and global standard-setting.” (Preston 1989, 181)

One year to conform to its requests, which were not specific. For instance, in its charge of politicization, the US did not seem to consider

that UNESCO was made up of many different governments and ideologies, and to escape politicization was not possible.

The US did not work with UNESCO for these goals. US withdrew on December 31, 1984.

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Some UNESCO Information Programs I Works with many IGOs and NGOs such as IFLA, OCLC,

UNICEF Example: Collaborates with UNICEF, the World Food Program

and Africare to spread AIDS information in Africa Collaborates with southern African NGO SANGONET to provide

information communication technology (ICT) to development agencies in Africa

Work with IFLA and Ugandan Library Association (ULA) to open more public libraries

Information library training programs and schools Often with United Nations International Scientific Information

System (UNISIST) Maintains databases Develops software technology such as CDS/ISIS for libraries

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Some UNESCO Information Programs II Worked with the Federation of

Documentation (FID) for over 50 years to set up documentation centers, bibliographies, professional training and more

Regional Centers Some are cluster offices Example: Nairobi, Kenya Sub-Saharan Africa

science and technology information center and HIV/AIDS clearinghouse

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Some goals of the IFAP (ASTINFO

E-Online and www.unesco.org): development of international, regional and national information policies; development of human resources and capabilities for the information age; strengthening institutions as gateways for information access; development of information processing and management tools and systems; information technology for education, science, culture and communication; digitization and preservation of information and universal access to it; participation of all in the emerging global information society; ethical, legal and societal consequences of ICT developments; providing an international framework for safeguarding world cultural heritage; provide a

framework for the exchange of global environment and climate monitoring information; international observatory on regional, national and international information policies; promoting the use of international standards and best practices; promoting information and knowledge networking in local, regional, national and

international levels; promoting the concept of publicly funded universal access to information and the nature of

information as an essential component of global public goods; promoting the use of ICTs in government offices, public libraries and communication

centers; and supporting the increase of information in the public domain

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Some goals of the IFAP continued initiating and supporting the preparation of guidelines on using ICT

for governance; initiating and supporting international debate, studies and

guidelines for protection of world’s information heritage; developing programs for equitable access to information; developing programs for the interoperability to information; establish an international framework for ensuring literacy and

information literacy; developing and supporting programs for the preservation of world

languages and multilingual information systems; supporting training in Internet journalism; developing support policies to ensure freedom of expression on the

Internet; and narrowing the gap between the information rich and poor.

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Some Recent IFAP Meetings

Moscow, 2004: 6th International Conference “Law and Internet” legal experts, experts in the field of education, science, culture,

communication and ICT, members of the internet-community, and other professionals.

Collaboration with the Ministries of Culture and Mass Communication and of Information Technologies and Connection of the Russian Federation, the Higher School of Economy of the State University, the UNESCO Office in Moscow and the Global Internet Policy Initiative Foundation (GIPI).

Samoa, 2004: The development of video programs with Samoan local content and their dissemination via the Internet

A Thematic Debate on Information Literacy, Paris, 5 April 2005: What is information literacy? What are people’s needs? What education programs are needed to meet these needs? What strategies and actions can UNESCO and IFAPP implement?*

*www.unesco.org

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International Program for the Development of Communication (IPDC) Formed in 1980 Promote media development Works with agencies such as the Non-Aligned News

Agency Prize for Rural Communication

First prize 1985 went to Kheda Communication Project in India, which set up low-power television transmitter that relayed programs from India’s satellite

2003 Prize went to Radio Toco, the first and only community-based radio station in Trinidad and Tobago

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IPDC Continued

Some projects: Multimedia center in Dondo, Central Mozambique, which

offers community access to computers and email, IT training and office services

2003 Ethiopia project to train blind and visually impaired people to use computers; collaboration with Adaptive Technology Center for the Blind (ATCB) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

2003-2004 Swaziland, Africa: Development of media resource center for the national association of journalists

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UNESCO and Technology

Committed to closing the knowledge gap and digital divide Technology can increase information flow and can also be used

to control ideas, information and culture. The digital divide can increase.

Aspects of the digital divide include: access; quality of connection and auxiliary services; and processing speed and other computer capabilities. (Rao 2003, 16)

Problems of LDCs include: poor supply of electricity; illiteracy; information illiteracy; lack of funds; lack of dependable information infrastructure; lack of a popular language; proper participation of government; and government instability.

They are often “have-nots” and “know-nots” . (Brown-Syed 1992, 31)

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UNESCO and Technology Continued During the 2003 32nd meeting of the General

Conference, it was agreed that information and communication technologies (ICTs) can improve the free flow of information in a multimedia context and can present challenges for equitable information access.

Open access solutions such as the formulation of technical and methodological standards of information exchange, portability and interoperability and online access were deemed important.

The free flow of information and the development of knowledge societies would encourage self-realization, openness and communication.

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Conclusion

Information plays a big part in education, science, culture, freedom and self-determination

The reality of UNESCO is idealistic and imaginative. (Hoggart 1978)

Technology offers new opportunities and challenges for development, information freedom and connection of nations.

UNESCO information agencies such as the IFAP and IPDC offer many new programs promoting development, growth, communication, democracy and human rights.

The free flow of information may never be accomplished, but the effort is worth it.

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Future Research

Analysis of the evolution of information programs of UNESCO, and the different agencies involved with them

Different information agencies of UNESCO such as UNISIST

Cooperation between UNESCO and NGOs and IGOs Influence of US withdrawal Influence of regime changes and political environment in

UNESCO programs Budget contributions of the US and other countries and

groups through time US role after return