An appeal to the leaders of the media industry to invite producers "to safeguard the common good, to support truth, to protect human dignity, and to promote respect for the necessities of the family": it was made today by Benedict XVI, on meeting the participants in the plenary Assembly of the Pontifical Council for social communication. "The responsibility of introducing and educating children and young people to the values of beauty and good is huge said the Pope. It may be taken on by media corporations only if they promote the fundamental human dignity, the real value of marriage and family life, and the positive reaching of the objectives of mankind". "While written news media find it hard to stay alive said the Holy Father, – other kinds of media, such as radio, television and the Internet are developing in an extraordinary way". "The influence of electronic media he added – coincides with growing concentration in the hands of few multinational corporations, whose influence surpasses all the social and cultural borders". Because of "the pervasive role of the media in shaping cultures he said -, the question concerns all the people taking care of the wellness of civil society". (To be continued)
