NationStates Jolt Archive

All UN nations must fund at least one television station that is devoted solely to the education of its people. Programming will include content on children's learning, cultural awareness, and scientific discovery. Public television is an institution that has helped to educate and entertain the masses, from adolesence through adulthood.

You know, not all nations can afford any national television network at all.

I don't feel that I could support any proposal until I at least see a draft version of it. There have been many proposals that I support in principle, but particular wordings can change my vote (Euthanasia, Blood Bank, UNEC for example).

Yep, alot of nations probably don't have television, so how could this be ? I think I most certainly agree with Enn, we need to see a draft.

- The Rep of Komokom, RMoS.

Yep, alot of nations probably don't have television, so how could this be ? I think I most certainly agree with Enn, we need to see a draft.

- The Rep of Komokom, RMoS.


Well if you think about it like that, then Space Nations don't have trees, but it doesn't seem to make a difference. But i would like to see a draft.

i think a better approach would be to insure universal access to an
interactive internet which everyone can 'talk back' to.
one way mass media has too often fallen into the hands of using it
as i highly biased tool of coersion. while such programing
as mentioned in this proposal is far more gratifying then any mere
entertainment for its own sake as such, there is inheirently less
potential for actual transfer of useful information in one way media
then on an interactive internet.

we are certainly in favor of insuring public access media
we just think it needs to be REALLY publicly accessable,
and sadly, no hierarchy, however well intended, can be for more then
a few decades relied upon to maintain such open and unbiased
access,
something providing the infrastructure of an interactive
data network without interfiering with content, to and for everyone
ultimately can

=^^=
.../\...

We do not even give wellfare to our own people... why would we give wellfare to a tv network that cannot survive in the marketplace?

An uneducated public is a double-edged sword. On one hand they are easily oppressed, on the other they can easily be swayed by insurgents who are rebelling against the government. The last thing you want is a mob of the unruly masses clamoring for social reform. At least with public media you can say you made an attempt at appeasing them.

Requiring each government to set up a public television network is not rational. In autocratic nations they'll be nothing more than new mouthpieces for government propaganda. As the delegate from Psychotropia pointed out, many governments have other funding priorities. Or should, at least..

Asking member states to allocate frequency space and provide a modicum legal protection for any such network, should it arise, is a little more rational. Some governments can afford an entire system, whereas other nation's public media must be funded by its viewers and listeners.

Leaving the space for it is one thing, forcing governments to fill it is another.

An uneducated public is a double-edged sword. On one hand they are easily oppressed, on the other they can easily be swayed by insurgents who are rebelling against the government. The last thing you want is a mob of the unruly masses clamoring for social reform. At least with public media you can say you made an attempt at appeasing them.

Sounds like brainwashing... and sounds like state spending tax money in non-profitable business, wich leads to corruption. I'm sorry, but I cant support this.

i think a better approach would be to insure universal access to an
interactive internet which everyone can 'talk back' to.


While I appreciate your idea, two points:
- not everybody in most nations has internet access
- whom will "talk back", government employees?

If the answer to my second point is government employees that could be a huge pool of government employees that would be needed to reply to internet queries.

Though in defense of that idea, that isn't much different than government employees having email and responding to emailed questions, no?

So I could see a case being made either way.


I have a suggestion of my own ... this might be more of a national issue than UN issue *unless* the resolution were to just be an acknolwedgement of the importance of public television. The issues forum is a great place to craft issues, but if you / we want to make an international statement, I am optimistic that we could craft a statement and put it in a short well-written resolution. :)

I'll start throwing out some drafts / ideas if this is something people are interested in.

The key may actually be in avoiding stepping on nation's toes. As Enn pointed out, the devil is in the details.

10kMichael