Speak out against discrimination
Campaign
Information pack
Contents
Campaign concept paper
Journalist training pack
Media & diversity
Local media pilot projects
Specific thematic events
Campaign website
Speak out against discrimination Campaign
Concept Paper
Supporting Europe’s struggle against discrimination
The Anti-Discrimination Campaign addresses the mounting problems of everyday discrimination against certain population groups, which can be observed in many European countries in the context of increasing cultural diversity.
Run in partnership with journalists and media from across the continent, the campaign supports the Council of Europe’s fundamental human rights principles and its position on intercultural dialogue agenda, as set out in the White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue adopted in May 2008.
The media can make a crucial contribution to raising awareness on issues relating to intercultural dialogue and discrimination as well as to help foster public debate thus ensuring better mutual understanding between different communities, notably by providing different groups in society with an opportunity to receive and impart information, to express themselves and to exchange ideas.
Objectives
The campaign supports the media sector’s own efforts to play a constructive role in an increasingly multicultural environment. While fully respecting the independence and autonomy of media, their professionals and their organisations, the campaign pursues three interrelated objectives:
1/ to provide information on intercultural issues and on policies against discrimination initiated at national and European level through local partnerships between mainstream media and ethnic & diversity media and their professionals;
2/ to encourage good practice in reporting on intercultural and discrimination issues amongst media professionals working in a multicultural Europe;
3/ to contribute to increasing the expression of “diversities” of European societies through strong support for the access of minorities to media professions and productions.
The key focus of the campaign will be on various aspects of discrimination arising out of racist attitudes and prejudices, in particular those targeting the Jewish, Muslim and Roma and traveller communities.
Expected overall result
A desirable long-term spin-off effect would be the formation of a group of media organisations and journalists (a “Group of Friends”) who are particularly motivated to support the promotion of intercultural dialogue and antidiscrimination practices and policies, such as those defined and suggested in the Council of Europe’s “White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue”.
Partners and geographical scope
Geographical scope
The campaign will cover the member states of the Council of Europe. Specific parts of the campaign will involve partners from non-European countries in the wider Mediterranean region and other countries with a specific interest in the topic.
Campaign partners
In principle the campaign is conceived as an open invitation, addressed to professionals working for all types of media and in all institutional contexts. It encourages initiatives by media organisations, individual journalists, training institutions and non-governmental organisations who share the campaign objectives and the aims and values promoted by the Council of Europe.
Implementing the guidelines set out in the White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue, the Council of Europe will also be co-operating with other international institutions active in the struggle against discrimination, racism and intolerance, such as the “Alliance of Civilizations” Initiative of the UN, the OSCE, the European Commission and the Fundamental Rights Agency of the EU (FRA), as well as with major INGOs such as Uefa.
The Council of Europe will invite representatives of interested media organisations, experts and journalists to participate and contribute to the campaign more directly by providing advice and expertise on the promotion of cultural diversity and the role of the media in the struggle against discrimination. This group will be invited in an advisory capacity to participate in planning and feedback meetings throughout the campaign.
Campaign products and support mechanisms provided by the Council of Europe
The Council of Europe will be developing the following products to be used within the campaign:
· a TV and radio spot to be distributed to broadcasters for free airing;
· a compendium on Council of Europe standards in the area of antidiscrimination policies and media diversity;
· a campaign website to facilitate the sharing of information on the campaign;
· fact files and opinion editorials on intercultural and discrimination issues in Europe;
· a journalists training pack and online resource centre;
· contacts with high-profile authors and interview partners;
· press briefings;
· additional print and audiovisual material on cultural diversity; tolerance, the role of the media and the standards of the CoE.
Internal management
The campaign will be run under the responsibility of the Council of Europe’s Coordinator for Intercultural Dialogue (Director General of Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport) with the Directorate of Communication, responsible for the visibility and communication part of the campaign. Close co-ordination is also settled with the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, the Media and Information Society Division, the Commissioner for Human Rights as well as all other relevant units of the Council of Europe such as the European Audiovisual Observatory, Eurimages, the secretariat of the Dosta! Campaign and the “All different, all equal” youth campaign evaluation team.
The North-South Centre of the Council of Europe (Lisbon) will participate in the operational management of certain aspects of the campaign. The Information Offices of the Council of Europe will also assist the campaign at national and local levels.
A Journalist training pack
to cover the multicultural Europe
Objective
To encourage good practice in reporting on intercultural and discrimination issues amongst media professionals working in a multicultural Europe
Strategy
· Providing training and resource material for young and mid-career journalists
· Training trainers to use the material in their course modules in universities, colleges and in-house training
· Creating a virtual “pack” with key information to be downloaded; along with a print pack with basic elements
· Organising study visits for young journalists to the Council of Europe
· Organising a summer school on media diversity in summer 2009
Pack modules (under preparation)
General info
Short intro to “situate” the campaign and give political context
The reasons for the campaign
Why professional reporting can make a difference
Information on different thematic aspects such as islamophobia, anti-Semitism, anti-Gypsyism
Teaching modules
General tips for good practice
Case studies to allow class discussions and exercise
Resources
Style books from different newspapers
Examples of different existing codes of conduct
Glossary of language styles
Contact book with links and telephone number
List of international treaties and other legal texts, written in an accessible journalistic style
Powerpoint presentation on the Campaign
Audio/video material
Strategy
Development of elements for the packKey words and definitions
25 journalistic rewrites of conventions, recommendations and other legal documents / Jan. 09
Dec. 31.08
Spring 09
Meeting for journalists’ education pack / Mid- Jan 09
Seminar on “Intercultural skills in journalism” with a presentation of journalists’ pack with journalism training institutions and other media partners / 2nd quarter 09
“Test runs” with partners and possibly also focus group of meeting for trainers / Summer 09
Summer school for journalists on the training pack organised in co-operation with the European Journalism Training Association (EJTA) and other media and higher education partners / Jul. / Aug. 09
Pack launched for partner trainers / Sept. 09
Pack promotion to other journalism schools / Sept. 09
Promotion and marketing of the pack at the main communications conferences / Sept. 09
Media & Diversity
in Europe
Objective
To contribute to increasing the expression of “diversities” of European societies through strong support for the access of minorities to media professions and productions.
Context
Media access for minorities raises the dual issue of their presence, and hence their access to media professions, and of their expression and visibility in the media. It is thus proposed to focus the Media & Diversity part of the campaign on two aspects:
1 Human resources policies: promotion of access by minorities to all sectors and all levels of the media industry;
2 Editorial practices: encouraging a quality and professional journalistic coverage of intercultural issues within European societies.
Expected results
Publication of a handbook of good practices relating to the promotion of minorities in the media professions
Public declaration with and by media operators, with the Council of Europe’s support, in favour of access for minorities to all sectors and all levels of their industry
Public declaration with and by the profession (broadcasters, editors, journalists), with the Council of Europe’s support, calling for a quality professional reporting of, in particular, intercultural issues and discriminatory practices.
Main potential partners and participants
EBU European Broadcasting Union
ACTE Association of Commercial Television in Europe
WAN/AMJ World Association of Newspapers
ENPA European Newspaper Publishers’ Association
CMFE Community Media Forum Europe
IFJ/FIJ International Federation of Journalists
AEJ/AJE Association of European Journalists
AIJ Alliance Internationale des Journalistes (International Alliance of Journalists)
EPRA European Platform of Regulatory Authorities
CSA Observatoire de la diversité – Conseil Supérieur de l’Audiovisuel - France
BTSR Broadcasting Training & Skills Regulator - Royaume-Uni
AIPCE Alliance of Independent Press Councils of Europe
PCC Press Complaints Commission – United Kingdom
Deutscher Presserat German Press Council
AIM Asians in Media
BBC Diversity Centre – College of Journalism
France Télévisions Mission Diversité Intégration
Radio France Mission Diversité culturelle et Intégration
WDR Diversity Department - Programme
SaphirNews Salam News
OSI Media Progamme
Assises Internationales du Journalisme - Association “Journalisme et Citoyenneté”
IPP Institut Panos Paris
MDI Media Diversity Institute
FRA European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights
EC European Commission (DG Social Affairs / DG Communication)
Strategy
Setting up and holding of meetings of a group of specialists for implementing and monitoring media & diversity part of the campaign / Feb. 09 / Oct. 09Analysis of codes of ethics and (self)regulatory mechanisms and laws within the journalistic profession regarding the treatment of intercultural issues and discriminatory practices in the Council of Europe member states / Feb 09
Preparation and publication of a global report on the European code of ethics and self-regulatory mechanisms regarding media coverage of intercultural and discrimination issues / 2nd quarter 09
Preparation of a European handbook of good practices relating to the promotion of minorities in the media professions. / 3rd quarter 09
Open meeting on Media, Journalism and Diversity - Holding of an open European meeting of Journalism (Assises) bringing together media publishers/broadcasters, journalists’ professional associations and unions, and press regulatory and self-regulatory bodies, for quality and professional coverage of intercultural and discrimination issues in relation with codes of ethics / Last quarter 2009
Local media pilot projects
on intercultural and discrimination issues in Europe
Objective
To provide information on intercultural issues and on policies against discrimination initiated at national and European level through local partnerships between mainstream media and ethnic & diversity media and their professionals.
Context
Today in Europe, discrimination is a crime. And yet, various European and national reports show that discrimination continues to be commonplace and that the victims or potential victims of discrimination are relatively uninformed about their rights and the possible remedies available to them at national and European level. Accordingly, this part of the campaign, by means of special partnerships with the media and their professionals, focuses on the production and dissemination of information, highlighting two specific points:
1 The general prohibition of discrimination (“Discrimination is a crime”); information targeting public opinion in general to be developed in conjunction with the media (mainstream and ethnic & diversity media) and their professionals,
2 The mechanisms to protect and defend the rights of victims of discrimination: this information is intended for victims or potential victims and is to be developed, in particular, in conjunction with the ethnic & diversity media and their professionals.
Expected results
Establishment of networks of exchanges at local and national (or European) level, between media professionals, staff of anti-discrimination bodies and representatives of minorities
Production and dissemination of written, audiovisual and Internet reports on intercultural and discrimination issues, prevention mechanisms and tools for protecting and defending the victims or potential victims of discrimination
Main partners
Berlin (Germany), Leicester (United Kingdom), Reggio Emilia (Italy), Lyon (France), Anvers (Belgium), Patras (Greece), Istanbul (Turkey), Subotica (Serbia), Oslo (Norway), Neuchatel (Switzerland). 2 other cities - namely Lisbon (Portugal) and Seville (Spain) - could be added to this list depending on ongoing negotiations
2 mainstream media per country and city – 1 national and 1 local
3 diversity media per country and city – 1 Internet-based, 1 from the national press, and one local (audiovisual)
Anti-discrimination authorities – 1 head of information and one local representative of that authority
ECRI – European Commission against Racism and Intolerance and the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency
Strategy
Compilation of the information available on the situation of discrimination in Europe and the national and European mechanisms to protect and defend victims / Nov. 08 / Jan. 09Confirmation of the 10 towns/cities selected in 10 European countries to implement local media pilot projects / Nov. 08 / Jan. 09
Establishment of special partnerships with the media at local level in these 10 European countries / Nov. 08 / Jan. 09
Organisation of meetings, at local level, for the exchange and production of information with the involvement of mainstream and ethnic & diversity media professionals, representatives of minority and anti-discrimination bodies / Jan. 09/Jun. 09
Organisation of a European event involving mainstream and diversity media professionals, representatives of authorities responsible for discrimination and minority affairs that have participated in the production and dissemination of information at local and national level / Last quarter of 2009
Specific thematic events
The campaign will also develop thematic media events to focus on specific intercultural and discrimination issues: