New world information and communication order focus of work of Committee on Information in 1985.

New world information and communication order focus of work of Committee on Information in 1985

The Committee on Information on 29 August adopted 70 recommendations dealing with various aspects of the establishment of a new world information and communication order and the work of the Department of Public Information (DPI).

The set of recommendations was adopted by a roll-call vote of 42 in favour to 12 against (Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, United States), with 2 abstentions (Greece, Turkey). Put forward by the "Group of 77' developing countries, they are to be considered in the General Assembly's Special Political Committee later in the year.

Six of the recommendations--two dealing with the proposed new order--were voted on separately.

By one, the Assembly would call for the establishment of a new world information and communication order based on the free circulation and wider and better balanced dissemination of information, guaranteeing the diversity of sources of information and free access to information. The new order would also be based on the urgent need to change the dependent status of developing countries in the information and communication field, and would aim to strengthen peace and international understanding, enabling all persons to participate effectively in political, economic, social and cultural life and promote human rights and understanding and friendship among all nations.

A second text on the information order would have the Assembly note ongoing efforts of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to contribute to the clarification, elaboration and application of the concept of a new world information order. In that regard, the Assembly should recall consensus resolutions 4/19 and 3.1 adopted by UNESCO's General Conferences in 1980 and 1983 respectively.

(Resolution 4/19 states that the new order could be based, among other considerations, on the elimination of the imbalances and inequalities which characterize the present situation.)

(By resolution 3.1, the Conference invited the Director-General to continue co-operating closely with other United Nations organizations which had communication responsibilities, and to work to increase the scope and effectiveness of United Nations communication activities. Special attention was drawn to facilitating an in-depth analysis of the concept of...