The EBU has given its full backing to a UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) move to prioritize journalist safety and the need to turn state broadcasters into public service entities over the next 12 months.

In its final declaration on World Press Freedom Day, held in Tunis, UNESCO said it will work:

"To promote a diverse media landscape that recognises the distinctive contribution to democracy by all three tiers of broadcasters – public service, community and commercial; to transform state and government media into public service media outlets with guarantees for full independence; including inserting this principle in the constitutions of societies in democratic transition"

Regarding journalist safety, the UNESCO declaration pledged:

"To continue to combat impunity, particularly by implementing the UN inter-agency Plan of Action on The Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity; To continue to request Member States to report on the status of investigation of cases of violence against media personnel and others contributing to public interest journalism, and ensure the transparency of this reporting"

An EBU delegation, led by Vice-President Claudio Cappon, strongly supported both proposals, at the May conference.

In an address to the gathering, Mr Cappon said that particularly in view of the current Tunisian situation, the EBU strongly supported the immediate adoption by the Constitutional Assembly of the principle of protecting media freedom and public service at Constitutional level.

(Click here for the full text of the speech)

To go to the UNESCO homepage of WPFD :  UNESCO, the EBU, ASBU, COPEAM and the many other organizations involved in the WPFD celebrations in Tunis and elsewhere  have all committed to following and monitoring this process and the implementation of these resolutions.

For the full texts of the UNESCO declaration in French and English.