Tuesday, May 3, 2011

World Press Freedom Day, twenty years after the Declaration of Windhoek

Today is May 3, 2011, the twentieth World Press Freedom Day is a day of press freedom worldwide. Why we celebrate today? Why dates back to May 3, 1991 Declaration of Windhoek - found at the UNESCO - a charter to outline the future of African states in terms of press freedom. To read what we are? We find many points are still in effect: if you think that everything was designed in 1991 for Africa, a continent apart, perhaps even more than it is today, a moderate effect is noted as some of the points of the manifesto are fully applicable also to ' Italy in 2011 and beyond.

Of course, in the Declaration of Windhoek is missing something without which there reading this post: the Internet. Digital freedom, the infinite possibilities that the network provides the freedom of expression and the press were clearly unthinkable twenty years ago in Europe, let alone in Africa, we try to deepen after the jump.

The first incorporates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: argues that the presence of a free press, independent and pluralistic media is essential to the development and maintenance of democracy of a nation - as well as economic development. The second section explains what is meant by free press means a press independent of government control, political, economic.

Behold, already at this point, some reflections on Italy in 2011 to start doing it. But it is the third paragraph of the Declaration that describes a country that we know quite well: one in which we live. Translate "for pluralistic press, we mean the end of monopolies of any kind, and affirm the largest possible number of newspapers, magazines and periodicals reflecting the widest possible range of views of the community." Here: hear "end of monopolies" and think about the Italian television system ...

It reminds us a bit '. In fact, the Italian is not a monopoly in the strict sense, but not exactly call it RAI and Mediaset as competitors. It is a friendly oligopoly that share out, very, very friendly. Let us always remember: Declaration of Windhoek, Namibia 1991. This post: Milan, Italy 2011.

And it is an oligopoly particularly problematic because it is through television that most Italians receive information and form an opinion - Sartori had dashed perfectly Homo Videns this trend - most of the press, most of the web of course, land is still relatively free. Really free? The web? Free, more or less.

Of course, the Italian situation is certainly not what he told us yesterday Eleonora Bianchini - back from the meeting MediEncounter Alicante - where activists have found themselves protagonists of the revolutions of the Mediterranean in Libya, Tunisia or Egypt. Compared to them we should uncork champagne than other European countries, definitely not.

How much you want to close a little 'tap on the network of freedom is obvious: think of the Pisanu decree, for example. Revoked? Maybe: as you can read for example this piece in Wired Guido Scorza, 31 January 2011. A decree so that you can imagine, as if every time you get in the car, someone in control of the license.

The impression is that the temptation to crack down even on the web is strong. But that same web accounts still little, and it is more interesting to keep the ball of the game in another field, more manageable: that is the TV field. Why has the press, yes - I am speaking of Italy - but the game of true consent to play in another field, the cathode.

The flag still better to keep it there. These are the figures released by Freedom House in mid-April - full pdf here - the ones that describes Italy as free on the web - here's the pdf - the same organization as we described in 2010 as "Partly Free" - pdf here Full 2010 - regarding the freedom of the press 'traditional' to confirm indirectly.

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