Comece - Secis" "
Television programmes on public channels to foster the cultural diversities of the European peoples, especially of the minorities, and to help the social integration of immigrants from non-European countries: just some of the suggestions that the work group on the information society, communication and media policy of Comece ( Commission of the episcopates of the European Union) has sent to the public consultation on the European directive “Television without frontiers” promoted by the European Commission. With regard to access to TV by juveniles, Comece asks the European Commission to “support a continuous dialogue between regulators at the national level, media producers, educators and representatives of the public to share experiences and information on effective education in the media”. The European bishops underline in particular the need to respect “cultural diversities”, especially of minorities, which should not be represented on television just by “specialized niche channels” with a “limited audience”, since that risks “self-isolating each social or cultural group and promoting forms of intolerance”. On the contrary, what is needed say the bishops “is that space be given to cultural diversity in the channels of general interest, in particular on public service television”. To help the integration of non-Europeans, they emphasise, it is also “important to broadcast programmes from Asian or African countries”, because “the expression of cultural diversity in the media is the essential condition for social cohesion”. A further recommendation is that commercials should not be transmitted during religious programmes (especially liturgies).
