News

On 7-8 July in Vienna, the Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on the promotion of pluralism on the Internet and in new media takes place in Vienna. The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović and Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) organized the meeting.  Over 200 participants from more than 40 countries are discussing efforts to save the new media – digital broadcasting, social networks and the Internet – from “boundaries” imposed by the government.

Among the participants, there are officials from the OSCE institutions, missions and participating countries, international governmental and non-governmental organizations, media representatives and leaders of civil society.

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović presented the first study of legal provisions and practices related to freedom of expression, the free flow of information and media pluralism on the Internet in OSCE participating States.

“Technological progress allows for transmitting knowledge around the world in real time. Technology must remain an engine for the promotion of media freedom and more opportunities for people to exchange opinions. Unfortunately, the study of the Internet regulation reveals that the media remains constrained by the governments throughout the OSCE region. We cannot allow this to continue,” D.Mijatović said.

Minister Counsellor at the Permanent Representation of Lithuania to the OSCE Andrius Krivas spoke on behalf of Lithuania’s OSCE Chairmanship in 2011.

“Media pluralism has to become a reality and allow many voices to be heard, no matter what type of platform it is, digital broadcast, Internet, mobile phones, or some more traditional media,” A.Krivas said.

Participants are discussing the challenges of media pluralism, of voicing many approaches to public affairs, and how technological progress requires changing an approach to the maintaining of the existing OSCE commitments in the field of media pluralism and freedom.

The meeting agenda also includes a discussion on the opportunities of transition of television broadcast system from analog to digital terrestrial broadcasting. This transition is scheduled for the next year in many OSCE participating States.

Press freedom and pluralism in new media are among the most important priorities of Lithuania’s OSCE Chairmanship in 2011.