SAVE OUR MEDIA!

When the GYS organising team was discussing on what topic should be included a few months back, most said that Media should be part of what youths should focus on today.

I have to say that, during the forum of 'MEDIA AND ITS EVOLVING ROLE' on the 21st August 2008, with Mr. Edmund Bon and Miss Sabina Inderjit as our panelists, it was one of the most eye-opening forum that i ve seen. Too bad, i was too tired to even phrase my questions. if not, i would have also taken part in the Q&A session. Youths were very worried bout the state of media nowadays. Malaysian youths were and are still worried bout what s goin on with the state of our media in the country now. what has happened to our freedom of speech? how much freedom is freedom? how is freedom justified or defined here in malaysia? What is going on? Why do the journalists have to suffer just because of their efforts to report the truths? why?

Miss Sabina Inderjit, from the International Federation of Journalism, was shocked to find out the state of our media in the country and after the forum, she purportedly told me that i have to do something about it. What can i do? i still dont know. prob, what i can start doing is to create awareness amongst the youths on how media in our country is being stripped off of their one main objective. and we, the younger consumers of information, should applaud those journalists, who are brave and courageous enough to report the truths without taking sides. even bloggers, they have the right to share with us their thoughts. everyone should be given the chance to speak. we need to stop sitting around and being told what to believe in. we need to mold and shape our own opinion. and these journalists are merely trying to help us look at things from different perspectives before we decide what our views are. today, i m saddened by what has happened- eg. journalists being arrested. what message is being sent out to the other journalists? report what is wanted to be heard by the government? or report what is needed by the people?

The two teams that presented on the topic of media were very enthusiastic. they pointed out things that are needed to be done and here is the declaration that GLOBAL YOUTH SYMPOSIUM 2008 has made based on the topic of Media.

I present to you, one of the three declarations that were made,

KUALA LUMPUR '08,DECLARATION III.

The Declaration on

“Media and its Evolving Role”

by the Global Youth Symposium 2008, the University of Malaya,

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

“KUALA LUMPUR ’08, DECLARATION III”

The delegates of the Global Youth Symposium 2008 gathered in the University of Malaya from 19^th to 23^rd August 2008 under the theme of “Empowering Youth – Meeting Global Challenges” to discuss

Australia

Chinese Taipei

Hong Kong, China

India

Indonesia

Kenya

Malaysia

Nepal

Pakistan

Singapore

Thailand

The Philippines

Vietnam

Preamble

In recognizing that the right to information and the freedom of expression is fundamental towards a progressive society;

AND that the disregard for the freedom of press has resulted in social stagnation due to the suppression of public voice and misled masses;

AND that accountable and responsible depiction of events done without fear and favour is the core duty of all media in enabling the public to make informed decisions in contribution to society’s welfare;

AND that a common understanding of the above mentioned rights and duties is of great importance for the full realization of a truly dynamic and evolving society

FURTHER that absolute freedom of media is subject to the readiness of state and civil society

Now, therefore the Global Youth Symposium 2008, proclaims this declaration as a common standard for all peoples and all nation-states to the end that every individual would strive for true freedom of expression. The above participating nations of this symposium hereby declare as follows:

Article 1

We urge the youth to practice responsibility and accountability in blogging.

Article 2

The media should provide the public with unbiased and neutral information, presenting all aspects of an issue, without forming a pre-determined result.

Article 3

(1) We propose for the registration of bloggers in encouraging responsible blogging culture and practice provided sufficient safeguards are put in place.

(2) The foregoing safeguards shall include and not be limited to the bloggers’ registration information being confidentially stored with an independent body such as the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of the foregoing clause, we further propose that any individual who attains the age of 18 or 21 (whichever is applicable to each nation state) shall be held criminally accountable for practicing irresponsible blogging culture.

(4) Provided further the foresaid blogger shall only be prosecuted by an independent body before an independent tribunal.

Article 4

The media shall be an independent entity and shall be free from political influences in reiterating the stand of the IFJ that there can be no press freedom if journalists exist in conditions of corruption, poverty or fear.

Article 5

Journalists must substantiate their publishing with evidence and be able to identify their sources, checks and balances have to be in place to ensure the accuracy and credibility of the info provided.

Article 6

Media has to be respectful towards political, social, economic, religious, culture and gender issues and be cautious with provocative expressions.

Article 7

(1) The government should provide awareness to facilitate the exchange of ideas in an open yet protected manner.

(2) Government should create opportunities for greater number of private media corporations so as to promote the independence of media.