South Asian ministers stress need to use media for social change
ISLAMABAD- The information ministers attending the Second Ministerial Meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Conference (SAARC) countries underlined the need to use the media as a vehicle for social change.
On the second day, the Information Ministers of the seven-member states presented their country papers.
Federal Information and Media Development Minister, Nisar A Memon presided over the session, replacing the outgoing Bangladeshi Information Minister, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan.
The Pakistan paper was presented by Federal Secretary Information, Syed Anwar Mahmood.
The ministers underlined the potential of the Saarc and said the media and information could play an important role in enhancing trade, promotion of tourism and sharing experiences in the field of education, health and poverty alleviation.
The ministers said that the Saarc members should not disappoint people of the region in the best interest of peace, progress and harmony.
Presenting the country paper, Syed Anwar Mahmood said that the Saarc member countries should rise above geographical confines, keeping peoples interests foremost, and build an atmosphere that promotes peace and friendship.
“We need to rise above the geographical confines and build and atmosphere that promotes peace and friendship and pushes forward the areas of co-operation to achieve the objectives of Saarc,” he stated in the first working session of South Association for Regional Co-operation Information Ministers Conference.
Anwar Mahmood hoped that the South Asian media managers would keep the interests of the people foremost in planning and implementing policies and plans in the information sector.
The Secretary referred to President Musharraf’s inaugural address and said that he pointed to the need to utilise the media in Saarc for joint promotion of our strengths and advantages.
“He referred to the tourism potential of the region, the population planning success of Bangladesh and the IT breakthrough achieved by India as areas deserving particular attention of our media.”
Anwar Mahmood assured the member countries of Pakistan’s unstinted support and co-operation in projecting these and other areas that this forum would identify.
He underlined the potential of media in enhancing trade, promoting tourism and sharing experiences in the fields of education, health and poverty alleviation.
“It as our belief that the main focus of Saarc media should always remain on the challenges confronted by the people of this region. We must not disappoint our people in their pursuit of peace, progress and harmony.”
He said, the media in Saarc, like in any other regional alliance or grouping elsewhere, has realised the importance of free flow and sharing of information more than any other segment of our societies.
“There have always been voices in the media, sane and strong ones, I must acknowledge, that have advocated the cause of the common man living in this region for moving co-operatively and creatively to realise their true aspirations in harmony with their age old cultural and social values.”
The Information Secretary emphasised that the responsibility for pushing the objectives of the Saarc Declaration falls more on “our shoulders than on others.
“As media managers, we should be always aware of the fact that media moves faster than any other vehicle of social change.”
He welcomed the South Asian delegates to the conference and said, their presence signified their personal commitment to and concern stir the common objective of bringing the people of Saarc countries closer to the goals of friendship, understanding and co-operation.
In the senior officials meeting, he said, Pakistan had proposed co-operation in training of media personnel.
“We would he happy to receive six trainees every year in each of our two academies for Radio and TV from member countries. We had also suggested institution of Saarc awards for excellence in folk music. We would be happy to host the first such awards ceremony if the member countries agree to its institution.”
He welcomed the Sri Lankan suggestion for telecast of music programmes simultaneously linking up various Saarc capitals.
The Information Secretary reiterated Pakistan’s unflinching belief in peace and harmony and confidence that the Saarc organisation would achieve the lofty ideals set forth by its founding fathers.
“Our leaders have just concluded the 11th Saarc Summit in Kathmandu in January, 2002, and this is the first ministerial level conference after the Summit.
“Our leaders have set before us a task to push ahead with the Saarc agenda for co-operation in various fields, and information and broadcasting is one of the areas that they have directed us to explore. We must, therefore, strive to achieve this goal,” she said.
She expressed concern about the “political and social impact” of programmes telecast on broadcasting services, which are carried on signals crossing international boundaries.
“The content of these programmes may be at variance with the ethos existing in the recipient country and this could possibly cause an erosion in the socio-cultural and moral values and traditions of our societies.”
Further, for the developing countries the focus of the content should not remain purely commercial and market driven entertainment, she underscored.
The powerful media, especially the electronic media, must also have sufficient software with a focus on development.
Therefore, in this increasingly globalised broadcasting environment, there seems to be an imperative need for a regional understanding to observe some accepted norms of programme content for trans-national broadcasting, she added.
Recognising the need and urgency of the matter, she said, it was suggested in the First meeting of the Saarc Information Ministers held in Dhaka in April 1998 that model guidelines on Trans-National Satellite Broadcasting should be drafted for the region.
The guidelines, she said, have been drafted and sent to the Saarc Secretariat for circulation amongst the member countries for consideration.”
Sushma expressed Indian delegation’s thanks and appreciation to the government and people of Pakistan, for the kind hospitality extended to them, and for excellent arrangements made for this conference.
Bangladeshi information minister, Abdul Moyeen Khan called for stepped up efforts and appropriate mechanism to materialise Saarc objectives in the information and media sectors.
He regretted that since the first information ministers’ conference held in Dhaka in April 1998, the media bodies of the member countries have not formed enough regional bodies.
“But so far no strong Saarc recognised regional media forum has been formed except for the South Asia Media Exchange Programme (SAMEX), based in New Delhi and the South Asia Media Exchange Programme (SAFMA), based in Islamabad.”
Khan said, holding of annual conference of editors and working journalists from Saarc countries is very important.
“It would not only set the purpose of interaction among the leading media personalities of the region but also contribute significantly to promote mutual understanding and co-operation.”
He pointed out that co-operation in media and information will not bear fruits until travel of the journalists of the region are made easier.
“We must take necessary steps to facilitate travel of journalists from one country to another for professional reasons.”
Acting Information and Culture Minister of Maldives, Abdullah Jameel, said, his country attaches great importance to inform the nation about ongoing and planned activities of Saarc through dissemination of information.
“We are proud to inform that the schools in the Maldives place much emphasis on educating the students about Saarc countries as well as the functions of Saarc.
“Many schools organise events as a way of generating awareness on Saarc activities as well as promoting regional co-operation through Saarc.
He said, training of media persons of Saarc countries is another important item of the plan of action.
This, he said, can contribute towards enhancing regional co-operation.
“Certainly the countries with more experience and better facilities will be in a position to share their wealth of knowledge and expertise with others.”
Jameel said, Maldives, as a country with no institutes for training media personnel, would very much welcome any offers made by member countries.
Heads of delegations from Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka also made statements in the first working session and underscored the need of enhancing regional co-operation in the vital fields of information and technology.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:3/9/2002
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