Jelena Surculija

1

• Jelena Surculija
• Plenary Session
• New Media Influence on Policy

Thursday 16 November 2006
2
Digitalization by 17 June 2015

• Regional Radiocommunication Conference, Geneva 15
  May 16 June
• New media/electronic communications laws
• More local, regional and national programmes

3
Citizen journalism

• Citizen journalism
• The act of citizens "playing an active role in
  the process of collecting, reporting, analyzing
  and disseminating news and information

4
Article 10/1 of the ECHR

• Everyone has the right to freedom of expression.
  
• This right shall include freedom to hold opinions
  and to receive and impart information and ideas
  without interference by public authority and
  regardless of frontiers.
• This article shall not prevent States from
  requiring the licensing of broadcasting,
  television or cinema enterprises.

5
Article 10/2 of the ECHR

• The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries
  with it duties and responsibilities, may be
  subject to such formalities, conditions,
  restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by
  law and are necessary in a democratic society, in
  the interests of national security, territorial
  integrity or public safety, for the prevention of
  disorder or crime, for the protection of health
  or morals, for the protection of the reputation
  or rights of others, for preventing the
  disclosure of information received in confidence,
  or for maintaining the authority and impartiality
  of the judiciary.

6
Citizens role in new media

• Pros and cons
• Is it possible to ensure that citizens get access
  to news sources they can trust?
• Do we need new media ethics?
• How can we trust new reporting?

7
7 July 2005 London blast

• The key role of amateur photographs and videos
• Eyewitness stories

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Amateur photos
9
Explosions in a military warehouse Paracin,
Serbia

• Began around 4am
• 3.500 tons of explosive in chain of explosions

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Paracin, 19 October 2006

• Dozen suffered minor injuries
• High material damage
• Highway was closed for several hours

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Citizens first to react online!

• www.pnforum.net , local web forum, had a first
  message Explosion on the hill?! at 0346
• www.paracin.com published first pictures during
  the night

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PBS and other Traditional media

• First news published after several hours
• No official information (or any information) on
  PBS until the morning.
• Even when the information was broadcast, amateur
  pictures were used.

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Conclusion

• Digitalization will allow more on demand
  services
• Need to change the regulation
• Positive participation of citizens in creation of
  information and policy
• Can we trust online information?