The contribution of Signis” “

How should the mass media speak of war, terrorism or violent crime in a way that does not foment a culture of violence but promotes, on the contrary, a culture of peace? This delicate question has prompted the reflections contained in a publication of SIGNIS (Catholic world association for communications), with the title “Media for a culture of peace”, addressed at professionals in the world of communications, especially of radio and television. SIGNIS is a non-governmental organization founded in 2001. Its members include professionals of radio, television, cinema, video, internet, education in the media, etc., from 140 countries round the world. It is based in Brussels. Its activities include the promotion of films and television programmes, the creation of radio and television studios, the production of programmes and professional training. It has consultative status at UNESCO, the Council of Europe and ECOSOC, and is officially recognized by the Holy See. The question of media and peace will also be discussed during the SIGNIS world congress 2005, which will be held in Lyon (France) from 4 to 11 November. Other events will be held in tandem with the congress, including a public conference on “Media at the service of a culture of peace” (5-6 November), professional workshops on cinema, television, radio and internet (7-8 November), a Symposium on education in the media (5-8 November) and the assembly of the delegates of SIGNIS (9-10 November). Further info: www.signis.net Below: some thoughts and proposals taken from the publication on media and peace, realized in collaboration with “Justice and Peace” and Pax Christi. WARS AND MEDIA. “The question of peace necessarily involves the media”, which often become “instigators of violence rather than factors of peace”. Hence the need to commit ourselves “to developing the contribution that the audiovisual media may make to a culture of peace today”. During wars, for example, “governments immediately make use of the media, for the most part subjected to censorship, with the result that each side in the conflict only presents the images that reinforce its position”. But it isn’t only governments and the media that induce this unilateral character of information: “public opinion too plays its part, looking to the media to confirm its prepossessions about the war”. It is therefore essential, for a culture of peace, to give a voice to the victims of both sides and “give the other side an opportunity to speak”. TERRORISM, NOT SUCCUMBING TO ITS AGENDA. As for terrorism, it is pointed out in the publication, “many countries tend to limit the fundamental rights and liberties of freedom and information”. “But curbing liberties due to terrorism – the publication stresses – already permits terrorism to win a battle”. It is enough to recall, that “without the media terrorism would lose its main weapon”: “Without the media, terrorists would not achieve their main objective, which is to bring their cause to the eyes of public opinion throughout the world. Without the media they could not create fear”. Though it is clear that “the media cannot cease to speak of terrorist attacks” because “it is essential that public opinion be correctly informed”, they ought to “be careful about how the various situations and actions are reported”. The example of 11 September is striking: “The media played into the hand of the terrorists by repeating for days the images of the violence of the attacks that fomented an emotional response to the event, with little attention to analysis or to placing the event in a perspective”. So the media, due to their “multiplicator” effect, may, on this and other occasions, worsen situations of conflict and violence, as happened in Kosovo some years ago. TV, INTERNET, RADIO: RESOURCES FOR PEACE. The tendency of the media to showcase only “bad news”, the pressures of big business that aims at profit and competition between rival media groups ought not to make us forget that “man has a deep yearning to see also what is fine and inspiring in human nature”, and not to be satisfied just with “the misfortunes of others”. The suggestions made by the publication, especially addressed at television, include that of “always accompanying images with words”, since “words per se offer an alternative to violence”. But even internet, in spite of its general absence of rules, may be “a significant resource for peace”, for example by supporting those websites of alternative information that publish news not reported by the other media, especially regarding the poorest and most disadvantaged peoples. Lastly, radio, “the medium of the heart, is perhaps the one best suited to the communication of peace, because “listening predisposes us to toleration and understanding”.