NationStates Jolt Archive

Noticing the relatively lacklustre array of proposals (and the few good ones are still 30-odd votes short of quota), I have been thinking of a useful proposal that doesn't infringe on anyone's sovereignty, require the protection or killing of anyone/thing, or generally appear to be vague and/or poorly thought out.

Anyway, I got thinking to how the BBC World Service is the closest thing the real world has to a relatively unbiased Worldwide Broadcasting Network (CNN isn't available on radio or anywhere without Satellite TV- you can pick up the BBC World Service almost anywhere with a short wave radion).

So, I submit for your approval, the UN Broadcasting Service Proposal:

The Empire of Roycelandia regards access to News & Information as a vital and fundamental right of every Citizen. However, not all nations are so enlightened, and the human rights of their citizens suffer as a result.

We hereby propose the establishment of a commercial-free, non-biased, International TV and Radio Broadcasting service, funded by UN Members, providing around the clock News, Current Affairs, Educational Programmes, Weather, and Talkback Programmes for every UN Member Nation and the UN community as a whole.

The UNBC will be available either via Satellite, Terrestrial Broadcast, AM & FM Radio, or Short Wave Frequencies.

News and Current Affairs on the UNBC will have no political, ideological, or economic bias of any kind- "Just The Facts, Ma'am."

Programmes will be broadcast in each Nation's language, with subtitles if necessary.

No Advertisements, Sponsorship, Commercials, or Paid Political Broadcasts will be permitted on the UNBC network at any time.

It is hoped that the establishment of the United Nations Broadcasting Service will exponentially increase Human and Civil Rights by providing free and unbiased access to information, news, and provide a general link to the outside world.

For UNBC, This is Roycelandia, Live and on Location...

Feel free to comment, and please endorse it- I really think it's worthwhile and useful for all UN Member Nations!

This is the most evil idea ever. Government should not be running media outlets.

This is the most evil idea ever. Government should not be running media outlets.

Agreed, but.... What instead, Fox news?

Where did I say the Government would be running it? The idea is that a neutral entity, set up by UN Members, would run it.

Although, for the record, Australia's ABC is Government-run and consistently excellent, relatively unbiased, and available in almost all of Australia.

The nuts and bolts of this proposal is to establish something like the BBC World Service- NOT a Government mouthpiece.

The Rogue Nation of Greenspoint does not view the broadcasting of news and information to be something the U.N. should be addressing. It is a national issue and should remain so.

We will not support this type of proposal.

James Moehlman
Asst. Manager ico U.N. Affairs

Two things bother us about this:

Unbiased: I don't believe there is any such thing. Everyone will have some bias, even if it's only picking which aspects of the story to report. :arrow: "Countryonia launched an attack against Nationtopia today. Casualties were light on both sides"
versus
:arrow: "Nationtopia reports assassins from Countryonia killed their president and entire cabinet in a surprise raid tonight. Disorganized and surprised Nationtopian defense forces were only able to capture or kill a small numbers of the invaders"Both are accurate and describe the battle correctly, but which is the unbiased version?

The other thing is the concept of translation into ... what, 110,352 different languages? No thanks, not on the non-existent UN budget. Besides, what do Frisbeeterians care about the internal problems in Roycelandia? We've got enough problems of our own without having to follow the news from a hundred thousand other nations.

OOC:

A traveler in northwestern Kenya (interior highland) was lost. He drove his Jeep down a rutted side track hoping to find directions.

Suddenly there in the road ahead was a fearsome looking Masai warrior, gesturing him to stop. Trembling with dread, he complied.

"Ah, can you help? I'm...lost..." he quavered.

"Batteries!" the warrior demanded.

"Eh? What?"

"Batteries for directions."

Not knowing what else to do the man looked through his supplies and found some 9 volt batteries, which the other took and promptly installed in a shortwave radio at the side of the road.

As he gave the man his directions, the warrior grinned. "At this time of day, I always catch the BBC World Report!"

True story.

IC: We support this proposal. World citizens need to learn more about each other's ups and downs.

This is the most evil idea ever. Government should not be running media outlets.

Agreed, but.... What instead, Fox news?

If they want to run a media outlet, by all means.

Im surprised that there is so much opposition to this Proposal... considering how bad most of the others are, I thought intelligent people would welcome a sensible proposal like this one...