MICROFIC~~: atiorARCSER

MCI (P) NO 73-1-88

ISSN 0129-2056

PP (S) 5/12/87

NOT FOR SALE VOLUME 18 NUMBER 5 (1988)

OANA General Assembly proposes launching Asia-Pacific economic news exchange

lndonesian Information Minister Harmoko (right) shaking hands with P.K. Bandyopadhayay, former Secretary-General, OANA

Jakarta: Delegates at the Seventh Gen­eral Assembly of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) have proposed the establishment of an economic news exchange system among member agencies to include the coverage of specialized news in the Asia-Pacific News Network (ANN).

The General Assembly was held in Jakarta from 26--30 July 1988, and was attended by 49 delegates from 18 mem­ber agencies in 15 Asia-Pacific coun­tries, including 19 observers from Papua New Guinea and international agencies.

The assembly was organized by Antara in co-operation with the OANA organ­izing committee.

His Excellency Mr H. Harrnoko, Minister of Information, Republic of lndonesia, officially declared the meet­ing open. At his inaugural address, he urged OANA to emphasize economic news exchanges, and to improve co­operation between members by the application of more suitable technology in communication.

In his speech to the assembly, Mr P. Unnikrishnan, OANA President, high-

lighted the need for OANA to 'see if more vigorous mobilization of internai resources from media and national gov­ernments is possible' in order to place OANA on a more stable base and pro­vide stronger justification for others to extend a helping hand to the organiza­tion.

He also underlined OANA's impor­tant role as a forum for the pooling of experience and for working out ways to enable each member agency to acquire new technology to its best advantage.

Mr Handjojo Nitirnihardjo, Manag­ing Director, Antara, in his welcoming address spoke of the problems still faced by OANA which need concerted action tosolve, thefirststep beingtheminimiz-

(Cont'd on page 2)

INSIDE

AMIC Activities 2 Satellites 3 Computers 4-5 PrintMedia 6-7 Press Systems in ASEAN fh9 Broadcasting 10-11 General 12-13 Book Briefs 14 Fo~oming 15 Press Behaviour and Ethics 16

ing of discrepancies in the technological infrastructure of member agencies.

Other resolutions adopted by the General Assembly include the follow­ing: • The establishment of a finance com­mittee to look into the possibility of obtaining funds through the creation of projects and other business activities, and to obtain firm commitments from govemments in countries of member agencies in contributing towards this fund. • The drawing up of a long-term plan or programme of action aimed at mak­ing the organization stronger, more vi­able and mutually beneficial to mem­bers. • The appeal to govemments of the Asia-Pacific region to reconsider the entire matter of communication tariffs applicable to news agencies for the use of conventional teleprinter circuits as well as data and voice circuits for high speed circulation of news, information and exchange of photographs.

The General Assembly accepted with acclamation the revised OANA Statute which formalized the name of OANA as the Organisation of Asia­Pacific News Agencies and laid down the cules of procedure, fonctions and obligations of office bearers and other related organizational matters.

Coinciding with the Seventh General Assembly, Antara organized the Jakarta International Press Exhibition 1988,

which featured the use of modem tech­nology by the mass media in lndonesia and elsewhere. Antara also organized a

seminar on The Latest Technological Development in the Electronics Pub­lishing Industry.

Member agencies update General Assembly The General Assembly heard prog­ress reports from member agencïes during the Second Business Ses­sion. Mr Aravind Swami, Hindustan Samachar, reported that his news agency needed assistance to restruc­ture and modemize, and requested OANA to provide all possible tech­nical as well as financial aid.

Mr Owais Aslam Ali, Pakistan Press International, hoped OANA will continue to give priority to or­ganizing training courses and work­shops aimed at removing weak­nesses in OANA news staries.

The representative ofXinhua, Mr Ding Yangyan said his agency is striving to tum itself into an interna­tional news agency. It has estab­lished domestic microwave, cable and satellite telecommunications networks, as well as international satellite lines with New York, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Mr Dao Tung, Vietnam News Agency, srud his agency had com­puterized its line between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in 1986, sending

its Vietnamese language news serv­ice over high speed via the Intersput­nik system.

PTI delegate, Mr B. Udayash­ankar reported that his agency has launched its photo service, and a Hindi language news service. In addition, it has also set up a prod­uction facility with a corporation to manufacture printers and other communication related equipment like microprocessors, facsimile equipment and trans-receivers for satellite services.

. Thaï News Agency representa­tive Mrs Orasa Khunnawat reported that TNA signed a bilateral agree­ment on news exchange with BSS in March 1988.

Mr Hyon So-Whan, Yonhap, noted that the Seoul Olympics will beagoodoccasionforOANAmem­ber agencies to co-operate with one another. He said that three computer terminais will be reserved for OANA at the Yonhap office in the Main Press Centre during the Olym­pic Games.

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2

MAHAWELI COMMUNITY

RADIO An Evaluation

Victor T Valbuena

Occasional Paper 22

ISBN 9971-905--32-9 1988 64pp

The Mahaweli Community Radio (MCR) is a project of the Sri Lanka Broadcast­ing Corporation. lt was established to motivate participants of the Mahaweli Development Programme, an irrigation project involving the resettlement of nearly one million people on newly-opened lands, to take an activé part in agri­cultural productivity and socio-economic development through community-

- based radio programming and production. This report assesses the practical and behavioural impact of the MCR Project,

using document analysis, in-depth interviews with key MCR informants and field observation.

From evidence available, the study concludes that the MCR has animated settlers into participation in activities that encourage self-actualization and community identity, and development.

AMCB VOL. 18 NO. 5

Second f oreign satellite successf ully launched by Long March rocket

China bas successfully launched and recovered a satellite carrying experi­mental devices owned by three West German firms and the Chinese Acad­emy of Science in early August.

The official Xinhua news agency reported that the satellite was carried into space by a Long March 2 rocket from the Jiuquan Space Centre in north­west China and retumed to a pre-deter­mined site in Sichuan province.

This is the second time China bas provided such a service for foreigners. Last August, a French firm carried out experiments aboard a Chinese satellite.

Business clients and officiais from the Federal Republic of Germany, Sweden, France and the United States were invited to watch the August 5 launching, making it the first time for­eigners have witnessed the launch of a Chinese satellite.

China, which bas launched 23 of its own satellites since starting its space programme in 1970, is offering satellite launch service with its Long March 3 and 4 series rockets. Firms from the US, Hong Kong, Sweden and Brazil have shown interest in the Chinese service.

-AP!The Sunday 1imes

INSAT-lC doubles capacity of India's satellite-based services India's multipurpose satellite, INSAT-1 C, is expected to effectively double the capacity of the INSAT system, greatly enhancing satellite-based telecom­munications, weather monitoring and nationwide telecasting and broadcast­ing services.

lt bas 12 national coverage telecom­munications transponders capable of providing 4,000 two-way telephone circuits. INSAT-lC will also deliver half-hourly synoptic imageries of weather systems and ex tend the disaster warning system to cover Gujarat, West Bengal and Orissa.

All lndia Radio will be utilizing four more radio networking centres for dis­tribution of extemal services pro­grammes originating at Delhi.

The television network will also get a further boost as regional services now available to low-power transmitters (LP1) in Andhra Pradesh and Mahar-

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 1988

ashtra will be extended to 16 LPTs in Karnataka and Orissa This will enable them to film programmes in their re­spective local languages instead of tele­casting Hindi programmes from Delhi Doordarshan (TV).

INSAT-lC was successfully shot into orbit in late July by an Ariane 3 rocket from the Guiana Space Centre at the Kourou islands.

It is the third satellite in its series, but with the failure of the INSAT- lA in 1982, it will only be the country's sec­ond functional satellite. Its predecessor, INSAT-lB, bas been in space for nearly five years and is expected to be opera­tional for another two years.

India is scheduled to launch the last of the four satellites in the INSAT-1 series, INSAT-lD, as a replacement for the INSAT-lB in March 1989 using a Delta launch vehicle.

-Times of Jndia

SATELLITES

September deadline for satellite purchase

The International Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (lntelsat) said that it plans to purchase between three and five Intelsat VII satellites from Ford Aerospace company of America.

However, if a deal could not be con­cluded by September 8, Intelsat said that it would approach the French manufac­turer Matra instead.

The additional satellites are needed to extend its services to the Pacifie re­gion and support both C-band and Ku­band standards (see AMBC Volume 18 Number 3,p.3).

-Communications International

PTI introduces satellite services

The Press Trust of lndia (PTI) bas joined the select band of world news agencies which employ satellite broadcast mode for disseminating news and photo serv­ices.

In June it commissioned the first batch of transmission and reception centres for a one-year trial.

The system uses a C x S band broad­cast transponder and will ultimately cover as many as 22 centres, including the major cities of Delhi, Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. These cities will have 'uplink' facilities for transmission given to them in phases.

In the satellite mode of dissemina­tion, news and pictures will be dispersed from the satellite much like radio signals to be picked up instantly anywhere within the visible range of the satellite by means of a special antenna.

The project is supported by the Govemment of India Ail lndia Radio and Doordarshan are assisting in the implementation and monitoring of the project.

-PT! HouseJournal

3

COMPUTERS 1

Keyboard mouse keeps users' bands on

A new painting device invented by a self-taught engineer, Craig Culver, was licensed by Hewlett-Packard late last year for use in future desktop comput­ers. According to a veteran designer of personal computers, 'It's going to revo­lutionize painting device technology'.

The inventor started work on the device, known as the lsopoint, four years ago. He hopes that it will ulti­mately replace the computer mouse, which is soldas a standard of Apple's Macintosh and can be added easily to most other personal computers. Al­though the mouse is popular, it has been

Moiti-lingual computers speak Chinese

Computer-users in several state institu­tions and 18 universities in China are now able to read their own national characters on the screen.

A US$30 million order from China motivated Siemens to teach its large computers Chinese. These computers already process Russian, Hungarian and Arabie. Presently, Siemens is the only company in the world to offer this proc­essing capability in a computer network.

Chinese script, comprising about 50,000 different characters, has been drastically simplified and the dialect spoken in the Beijing region deemed the official language. To facilitate process­ing Chinese characters by computer, the Chinese defined 6,763 characters for which there is also a Latin transcription (coming close to the respective pronun­ciation).

To facilitate computer entry, for which over 400 procedures have been developed, Siemens developed an espe­cially flexible concept: a Latin tran­scription, a numerical code or an indi­vidual user-determined procedure can be used for entering text via a standard keyboard.

-World-wide Printer

4

accused of slowing down users' work as they are required to remove their hands from the keyboard to use it, th us cutting into their typing time.

The lsopoint solves this problem because it fits along the bottom of the keyboard's space bar. By rolling and sliding a cylinder about the diameter of a cocktail straw, the pointer can be moved without the user 's finger leaving the keyboard.

Users oflap-top computers are most likely to welcome an alternative to the mouse, which also requires a special pad and additional desk space.

-Asia Computer Weekly

Better Beijing-HK link for NCNA's offices.

The New China News Agency (NCNA) is upgrading the links between its Bei­jing headquarters and the Hong Kong office . According to analysts and ob­servers, this is to enable faster reaction to events relating to the retum of the colony to China in 1997.

The main element of the upgrading exercise is the installation of voice dig­itizers which will enable simultaneous telephone conversations and data trans­missions to be carried on a single line.

Besides faster data transmission, the new equipment will also give agency executives an open, round-the-clock, telephone line between the two offices without incurring international direct dialioi eharges.

NCNA is leasing an international data line for the new system which will replace the existing telex circuit Instal­lation of the leased line and the equip­ment is scheduled for completion by the end of August

The agency is considering extending similar links to all its offices throughout China.

-Computerworld

Half-a-million-dollar system for HKU

The University of Hong Kong has or­dered one DEC 6210, bundled with the Atlas library package and 30 VT 320 terminais for computerizing its library system. The equipment is worth a total of US$500,000.

The university currently uses 30 ter­minais of varions sorts for all normal library functions and plans to integrate as man y of these functions into the new system as possible.

The implementation will be done in phases, with the Atlas' circulation and cataloguing modules to be installed first, followed by the acquisition and serials modules. Installation should be completed within one year but the con­version of data is expected to take about three years to finish.

-Computerworld

Lightest lap-top launched

A new lap-top computer, the 16-bit IBM compatible Sanyo MBC-16LT, was re­cently unveiled by Sanyo's Infonnation Systems Business division.

Described by the company as 'the world's smallest and lightest laptop computer', it weighs only 3.57 kg. Part of the MBC-18 Plus series, the computer features two floppy disk-drives and has standard RAM of 640Kb with a super­twist LCD display screen.

-Asia Computer Weekly

AMCB VOL. 18 NO. 5

Computer links for primary schools in Singapore Singapore 's Ministry of Education has decided to include ail its primary schools in its School-link: computer network.

This was revealed by the general manager of the National Computer Board (NCB), Mr Lim Swee Say, when he spoke at the IBM Sth annual Asia­Pacific Education Executive Confer­ence held recently.

School-link will ultimately comput­erize the en tire administrative fonctions of all the schools in the republic. It will also improve the flow of information between the Education Ministry and schools.

Mr Lim said, 'We have established the information technology (IT) infra­structure in our education community to conductITeducation,and toapply ITto improve the efficiency of administra­tion and effectiveness of teaching.'

He added that there were tremendous opportunities to exploit information technology to further improve the edu­cational process. For example, one area would involve the integration of text, data, image and video on optical storage systems.

The rapid development of telecom­munication infrastructure around the world would also make distance educa-

The ministry and the NCB are col- tion more viable. laborating on the project. --Business Times

Instant updated economic data with PTI Comscan service A new information service providing updated economic data has been launched in Bombay by the Press Trust oflndia (PTI).

Called PTI Comscan, the service took 18 months to develop and is the combined effort of PTI's R&D engin­eers, who designed and fabricated the system, and planners and journalists who devised the formats and codified the commercial information.

It gives up-to-the-minute, on-line information about share prices, fluctua­tions in foreign exchange rates, price movements ofbullion and metals, com­modities, market trends and analyses, corporate highlights and price-sensitive economic and political policy decisions. It is especially useful to businessmen, bankers, company executives, com­modity traders, financial consultants, exchange dealers and stock brokers, who have little time to go in for details or

SEPTEMBER- OCTOBER 1988

wait for the next moming's newspapers. The system comprises the PTI-de­

signed Editron unit which draws news items from the computers, processes and transmits them, and the Infotron, a microprocessor unit also designed by PTI,which receives these items and enables display on the video monitor.

The information is shown in two modes-cyclical and retrievable--on a 12-inch desktop video screen. In the cyclical mode, the system displays ail the 'pages' of updated information in a sequence. In the retrievable mode, a particular item can be selected with the aid of a keypad for display on the screen. There is also an optional attachment of a printer.

Comscan is operated from Bombay by the Commercial Department and the means of communication are dedicated circuits.

-PT! House Journal

1 COMPUTERS

Computerized word processor and telex system developed

A computerized word processing and telex transmission system has been developed by a Taiwanese firm, WEIC Business.

Named the QCAL-3000, the product will make it easy to send and receive telex messages. It enables the user to create, store, and transmit a message which will be filed in rime sequence for identification and retrieval. Incoming messages will automatically activate the central unit, monitor and printer, and will be printed and saved.

The system can be put on standby round-the-clock to receive messages.

According to the company, messages can be sent or received while new ones are being created or edited.

The hardware consists of a personal computer with a Qwerty keyboard with 20 user defined keys.

-Computerworld

oo sale from amie COMMUNICATION

THE ORY The Asian Perspective

EDITEDBY WIMAL DISSANA YAKE

1988 228 pp soft cover S$15(Asia-Pacific) US$12(others)

ISBN 9971-905-29-9

Articles in this book propose alternative perspectives to traditional Westem-based communication theories.

It offers new insights from various cultures to enhance

comprehension and conceptualization of the act of

communication, as well as alternative theories, models

and paradigms that are more consonant with the ethos and world views of Asian peoples.

s

PRINT MEDIA 1

Magazine boom in Thailand Encouraged by a buoyant economy in the past two years, magazine sales in Thailand have shot up, resulting in the proliferation of new periodicals cover­ing every imaginable topic.

Media monitoring companies esti­mate the number of magazines circulat­ing in Thailand at 350, falling under 15 major categories (see table).

Magazine % of total segments publications

Business 15 Women 14 Teenagers 12 Men 09 Tourist 09 Automotive 08 Sport 06 Housing 05 Entertainment 04 Video 03 Computer 02 Audio 02 Photography 02 Food 01 Others 08

Last year, 19 new publications were launched and in January alone another 12 were monitored by O&M's Media News with women 's magazines leading the field, followed by teenage and busi­ness magazines.

Thirty-three established women 's magazines are facing stiff competition from another 22 new periodicals. Di­chuan, one of the most popular women 's fortnightlies with a circulation of 130,000 now has a close rival called Chan (Look).

Fashion magazines probably num­ber more than other women 's tilles, and

6

various new titles have even created sub-segments within the categories in­cluding health guides, home improve­ment, decorating and cooking maga­zines.

Magazines with the highest circula­tions, however, are read by housewives. Kunsatree, a general women's fort­nightly has a readership of 200,000, followed by Kuan Ruen with 160,000 copies. Many of the women's maga­zines . have a high readership of teen­agers and students who are most suscep­tible to switching titles, thus giving new periodicals the opportunity of gaining a strong foothold in the already highly competitive market

Recent titles like Wang and Action have joined top-ranking teen publica­tions such as Wai Wan (circulation 80,000) and Wai Fun and Wai Narak (both circulating at 50,000).

Business publications have branched out from weekly broadsheets and tab­loïds to high-grade, information-packed monthlies. English-language business publications such as Asean Investor, Business in Thailand, Business Review and Thailand Export Review have only seen one other new rival, Thai Export News, but magazines for the indigenous Tuai businessman have multiplied in the last two years.

The two computer magazines in the market, Computer Review and Micro­Computer are being challenged by a growing number of newcomers, aimed at computer debutantes, hackers, and students.

Although more than 60 Thai public­ations have failed recently, Thailand's publishers are optimistic that the suc­cess they enjoyed in 1987 will carry on into 1988 and are making promises of improved printing quality, more attrac­tive photography and layouts and more interesting and readable articles.

-Asian Advertising & Marketing -Media News

Highest speed offset press developed

One of the highest speed offset printing presses has been developed by Ryobi. The machine, known as the RYOBI 520 Series is the first of its kind to use under­swings and prints 13,000 sheets an hour with a maximum printable size of 500 mmx 350mm.

The RYOBI 520 feeder is equipped with camclosed grippers so its air pres­sure cylinder and mechatronic control relieve the operator from the tension of operating various levers. A V-shaped arrangement of five cylinders prevents double register and increases precision.

Also available is a numbering and perforation unit that fonctions as num­bering printer, perforator and resin plate printer, all linkable on-line with the 520 Series.

-RJND Survey

73-year-old playwright wins literature award

Renowned Sri Lankan playwright Prof. Ediriwira Sarachchandra was named the 1988 winner of the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Award in Literature.

The 73-year-old Professor was granted the award for journalism, litera­ture and creative communication arts and was cited by the Manila-based foundation for his work in 'creating modem theatre out of traditional Sin­halese folk drama and awakening Sri Lankans to their rich cultural and spiri­tual heritage'.

The award, named after Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay who died in a plane crash in 1957, carries a cash prize of US$30,000 in each of the four categories: govemment service; com­munity leadership; international under­standing; and journalism, literature and creative communication arts.

~Pl/The Straits Times

AMCB VOL. 18 NO. 5

Korean weekly paper to promote women's status The Society of Women Studies in South Korea will step up the frequency of The Women's Newspaper from bi­monthly to weekly when it resumes publication in mid-October after a six­month hiatus.

The organization is setting up a firm, Women'sNewspaperCompany, withan initial outlay of 200 million Won (US$2.8 million) to produce the paper. So far, it has collected more than half the amount through a network of over 500 promoters comprising academic elites, working women, leaders of women or­ganizations, students, housewives and men who are concemed with problems faced by women.

'The paper will take a basic approach to solve women 's troubles as it has sought since its 1985 inception,' said its founder, Ms Lee Kye-kyong.

She estimated initial circulation at about 50,000 copies including about 30,000 subscriptions and is optismistic the target will be surpassed easily in view of the enthusiastic support and financial aid the paper has received.

The 24-page paper will be circum­spect in printing advertisements, Lee stressed. 'We will rebuff the companies which call for ads damaging women's prestige and pride as well as exploiting women models for commercial pur­poses.'

The Society of Women Studies, which was headed by Lee herself for the past 12 years until she recently resigned to devote time to the paper, also runs a mobile library with some 2,000 books and joumals on women and a training programme for baby-sitters.

--!Vewsreview

Malaysian mass media reminded of its role The Malaysian mass media has been reminded by the Deputy Minister of Information Railey Haji Jeffrey not to ape its counterparts in the West and other developed countries.

Speaking at the opening session of a media symposium organized by the Institute of Public Relations Malaysia recently, he stressed that the Malaysian media's main objective is to educate the public and instil positive attitudes.

He called on the media to establish cordial relationships with the govem­ment, to publicize the contributions of responsible citizens and organizations and to contribute to nation-building.

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 1988

Meanwhile, the Malaysian govem­ment has withdrawn the publishing permit of a local magazine, Fortune Monthly, and banned the distribution of 49 other publications.

Fortune Monthly's permit was with­drawn because some of its articles and pictures were considered obscene. No reason was given for the banning of the other publications.

The 49 tilles comprise 16 imported books, 23 local novels and 10 Chinese magazines which originated in Hong Kong and were reprinted in Penang.

-Media & Marketing

1 PRINT MEDIA

FORTHCOMING AMIC

Mcrvrr1Es

Workshop on Mass Media and Protection of the Environment, lndonesia. 31 October - 11 November

Seminar on Information Systems in Asia, Singapore. 2 - 4 November

Advanced Editorial Refresher Workshop for Senior Women Journalists, Singapore. 21 -25 November

Seminar on Media Ethnicity and National Unity, Malaysia. 1 - 3 December

Mitsubishi Journalist Award for Indian editor

The editor of The Pioneer of India, Somnath Sapru, has won the 1987 Mit­subishi Joumalist of the Year Award.

The award is for his efforts to im­prove The Pioneer's coverage of geo­politics, global relations and trade, and which revived the once ailing daily and restored its clout as the most influential newspaper in Uttar Pradesh state.

Mr Sapru has more than 22 years of active experience injoumalism. He has also written a book on trans-national new agencies and the New World Infor­mation order.

The Award is a fellowship program set up in 197 6 to encourage joumalists in Asia-Pacific toward in-depth research and reporting in the field of intra-re­gional co-operation. It is financed by eamings from an endowment fund set up by Mitsubishi and managed by the Manila-based Press Foundation of Asia.

7

ASEAN press systems based on common understanding of man Jakarta: Participants at a Consultation on Press Systems in ASEAN have out­lined the broad contours of the ASEAN press systems that the y said had evol ved in diverse geographical, ethnie, cultural, historical and economic circumstances.

In the final report (see box) the par­ticipants said the philosophies of the ASEAN press systems are based on a common understanding of the nature of man, 'ofholistic man, both rational and emotional; of man in his cultural con­text, rooted in his understanding of community, authority, and religion or spiritual belief.'

The consultation was held from 23-26 August 1988 in Jakarta, and was organized by the Directorate General for Press and Graphies, Ministry of Infor­mation, Indonesia and AMIC with sup­port from The Asia Foundation.

Inaugurating the consultation, Mr H. Harmoko, Minister of Information, Republic of Indonesia, said the sharing of experiences of the various ASEAN press systems would be very useful because 'as developing nations, we in ASEAN are continuously developing a moresolid foundation forourrespective press systems, as we irnprove daily through trial and error.'

We should be able to benefit from the experiences, the successes as well as the failures of each other, as we individually and collectively move on towards fur­ther progress,' he said.

Earlier, in his welcoming remarks, AMIC Secretary-General Mr Vijay Menon said that Western press theories cannot be automatically applied to Asian societies. lndigenous philoso­phies and cultures and traditions play a strong role in defining the press systems of Asian countries, he said. The confer­ence aimed to examine the historical background and the legal and philo­sophical tenets of the press systems in

8

H.E. the Mlnlster for Information, Mr Harmoko, deliverlng the keynote address

the region. The meeting was attended by three

representatives from each ASEAN country, with the exception of Brunei, which was unable to participate at the last minute. The participants repre­sented the govemment, media and aca­deme.

On the first day, the conference heard country reports on the press systems of the different countries. Participants then exarnined the legal and philosophical tenets of the different press systems, the role and responsibility of the ASEAN press and the balance between freedom and responsibility. These issues were also examined by the participants in workshop groups that prepared the final report.

Participants to the consultation were: Dr E. Janner Sinaga, Director General for Press and Graphies, Mr Jakob Oet­arna, Chief Editor, Kompas, and Ms Toeti Adhitama, Chief Editor, Eksekutif Magazine, from Indonesia; Dato Dr Mohd. Nor Abdul Ghani, Director Gen­eral of Information, Mr Kadir Jassin,

GroupEditor,NewStraitsTzmes,andDr Syed Arabi Idid, Chairman, Communi­cation Faculty, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, from Malaysia; Ms Milagros S. Alora, Assistant Press Secretary, Of­fice of the President, Ms Eugenia Apos­tai, Publisher, The Philippine Inquirer, and Dr Doreen Femandez, Chairperson, Department of Communication, Ateneo de Manila University, from the Philip­pines; Mr Daljit Singh, Director (Spe­cial Projects), Ministry of Communica­tions and Information, Mr Basskaran Nair, Senior Assistant Director (Plan­ning), Ministry of Communications and Information, and Mr Chua Huck Cheng, Foreign Editor, The Straits Times, from Singapore; Dr Boonlert Supadhiloke, Director, Office of National Communi­cation Policy Board, MrThepchai Yong, News Editor, The Nation, and Dr Pira Chirasopone, Deputy Dean, Faculty of Communication Arts, Chulalongkom University, from Thailand; and Mr Vijay Menon, Secretary-General, and Dr Achal Mehra, Senior Programme Specialist, AMIC.

AMCB VOL.18 NO. 5

Final Report on Consultation on Press Systems in ASEAN

PREAMBLE ASEAN is a relatively young region, both in tenns of independent history as well as the level of development. But with relative stability and wealth of natural resources, it promises to be the most dynamic rcgion in the Pacifie Basin.

ASEAN is geographically, ethnically, culturally, historically, and cconomically diverse. The extent of divcrsity itself varies greatly from one ASEAN country to another. This divcrsity has given rise to the dcvclopment of unique national press.

The national press in ASEAN countries is· in tum inf1uenced by this diversity. The wealth of publications in so many languages in the ASEAN countries is a reflection of this unique situation.

It is clear that ASEAN national press will continue to be influenœd by the domestic situation in each ASEAN country although the region itself is becoming more open to outside influences.

The promotion and preservation of political stability, rapid eco­nomic growth, social justice and greater regional cohesion should and will be the main priority of the ASEAN press.

The degrce of freedom among ASEAN national press varies ac­cording to the peculiar geographical, racial, cultural, political and economic circumstances of each country.

THE PHILOSOPHICAL AND LEGAL BASES OF ASEAN PRESS SYSTEMS The philosophy of ASEAN press systems is based on a common understanding of the nature .of man: 0 of holistic man, both rational and emotional, 0 of man in his cultural context, rooted in his understanding of commwiity, authority, and religion or spiritual belief.

This philosophy: 0 includes universal hwnan values, as defined and fùtered through each society's culture and historical cxperience; 0 influences the thrust of each society, and determines the direction and process of its search for fulftlmenL

This philosophy integrates the thinking of those components of society concemed with the press system, including govemment, media, and the public, in their efforts to realize the national aspirations.

The philosophy of ASEAN press systems is operationalized through: 0 the Constitution, the laws, and administrative measures; 0 the electoral process and other mechanisms of participatory democracy; and 0 the media 's articulation of the philosophy as well as the actions arising from iL

In the light of the above, it is recornmended: 1. That efforts be made to eliminate possible dissonance arising from differences in perception between the participating elements in the ASEAN press systems: the govemment, media, and the public. 2. That the media be actively involved in defining its character and role in each society through mechanisms existing in the respective ASEAN nations. 3. That the press be considered a partner in development, with the responsibility of: (a) professionalizing its ethics and practice; and (b) helping society progress in development and nation-building. 4. That both press and govemment always recognize the cultural context within which ASEAN societies develop, with a view to utiliz­ing the culture both as background for understanding, and as base for change. 5. That ASEAN nations consider each other's range of experience as

SEPTEltfBER - OCTOBER 1988

basis for leaming, in such matters as: press ownership, press councils, embodying the relationship of press and govemment in legislation, and other aspects of press systems.

The above recommendations would contribute to the translation of philosophy to practice in the ASEAN press systems.

ROLE AND RF.SPONSIBILITY OF THE ASEAN PRESS Principles and recommendations, premised on the importance of working in an atmosphere of freedom 1. The primary fonctions of the ASEAN press are:

a. to support efforts at nation-building and to be a partner in national development; b. to promote and enhance relations between ASEAN member countries; c. to hclp mould a national identity; d. to promote social harmony; e. to help explain public issues and policies to facilitate their implementation; f. to inform and educate; g. to exercise self-rcstraint and good sense so as not to cause mis­understanding/tension between different ethnie, racial and relig­ious groups.

2. To discharge these fonctions effectively and fully, it is vital that the media be given adequate acœss to information, which is essential to the development process. 3. In promoting relations between ASEAN member states, the media has lobe mindful about certain reporting which could adversely affect, oreven harm, relations. Good sense and sound editorial judgment must at all limes prevail. 4. To promote ASEAN understanding, it is important that joumalists of all ASEAN member countries cultivate each other and maintain close links. This could facilitate the verification of certain kinds of reports which may appear inaccurate or slanted.

FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE ASEAN PRESS Objectives 1. Since ASEAN press is generally free in their day-to-day bu~iness, their objectives should be to use that freedom in the most productive manner, talcing into account the many interest groups ASEAN news media must serve. 2. The press in the ASEAN region has a vital role in national devel ­opment. Hence development joumalism should be encouraged. 3. The press should inake fair comments on all institutions that canbine to make up society as part of its freedom and responsibility. 4. The national press of ASEAN countries cany heavy responsibility in exercising freedom as they have to consider the element of loyalty to their countries as well. 5. The national press in each ASEAN country should endeavour to look at problems and issues in each member state Crom the ASEAN perspective.

Recommendations 1. ASEAN joumalists, joumalistic institutions, publishers and those concemed with press freedom in the ASEAN region should endeavour to encourage the adoption of the objectives mentioned above. 2. ASEAN govemments should help promote a free, responsible and credible national press with adequate access to information for the national press.

9

BROADCASTING

Unborn babies tune in to soap operas

l

Expectant mothers who are TV soap opera fans could be boosting the ratings more than they realize.

According to research conducted at Queen 's University in UK, they may be turning their unbom babies into soap opera addicts as well.

Never before, it seems, have the soap operas' pulling power been so great that they could get their audience hooked even before they are bom.

But now it has been suggested that pregnant women who watch their fav­ourite TV serial-with their feet up and a cup of tea-may be helping them­selves to more resûul nights after the birth.

The researchers-doctors from the psychology department of the univer­sity- say that the unbom babies join the mother when she tunes into the latest calamities in the soap operas and gradu­ally leam to recognize the signature tunes.

When the effect was tested after birth, babies whose mothers were ad­dicted to a soap opera not only stopped crying when they heard the theme tune but became 'quietly alert'.

But playing the soap tune to crying babies whose mothers were not habituai viewers had no effect

-The Sun (NZ) -ABU News

Watching television while on the go Travellers will soon have a mini-TV set at arms' length whenever they travel on planes, taxis, trains and buses.

Three-inch fiat TV screens will be attached to armrests and seat backs for easy, convenient viewing.

In this region, Qantas will be the first airline to try out individual units on its aircraft.

Retractable, three-inch square screens will be installed by Qantas in the armrests of the 16 first-class seats on one of its B.747-300s planes to test passen­ger reaction.

Each set has six channel selector buttons for films, sport, TV shows, shopping programmes, documentaries

and advertising. There are also contrast and volume controls and a headset jack.

A spokesman for Philips, the elec­tronics group that is collaborating with film distributors Wamer Brothers for the project, said, 'At the moment, film viewing on aeroplanes consists of eve­ryone being plunged into darkness to watch the airline 's choice of film'.

With their own sets within easy reach, travellers have full say in their choice of in-flight entertainment Neck craning will also be a thing of the past.

A Wamer Brothers spokesman added that although a three-inch screen seems small, it has been found to be the optimum size for a two-hour viewing.

-ABU News!Asian Aviation

Drive to highlight Filipino talent A Bill to curb foreign advertisements on Philippine television is being pushed by the country 's Senate committee on pub­lic information and mass media.

Designed at encouraging Filipino talent, the Bill aims to ban advertising materials employing foreign talents or settings when local equivalents are readily available.

In a parallel development to promote homespun compositions, Philippine radio stations have been threatened with

closure unless they play four local songs for every hour of music broadcast.

The National Telecommunications Commission will fine stations lOOpesos (about US$5) for every violation and will suspend or cancel the franchise of any defying station.

The move is to stem the tide of US and foreign recordings which have gained popularity in recent years at the expense of local works.

-Asia-Pacific Broadcasting & Telecommunications!AFP

Political parties given broadcasting time Political broadcasts are being allowed on state--0wned Sri Lanka television for the first time.

The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corp­oration (SLRC) will allocate time for political parties contesting Provincial Council Elections to carry out political broadcasts. These broadcasts are aired over radio from 8.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and from 7.30 p.m. to 8 p:m. on television during the three weeks preceeding the

10

elections. The SLRC was founded in 1977,

after the present United National Party govemment came into power. Although an interim govemment in the early l 960s allowed political broadcasts from contesting parties at general elections, the govemments that followed forbade them.

Despite this, other forms of political broadcasts have gone relatively uncen-

sored in the country. Since the begin­ning of Sri Lanka television, the May Day rallies of all political parties, often highlighted by speeches bitterly criti­cizing govemment policy, have been telecast without editing.

Observers concede, however, that without independent ownership, broad­casts will take a one-way course-that of the ruling party.

-World Broadcast News

AMCB VOL. 18 NO. 5

Thai police enf orce video censorship

Tuai police have started enforcing new video censorship laws banning nudity, sex and politically sensitive subject matter.

Already, about 1,000 video shops have complied with laws introduced last year requiring them to register with the police to facilitate monitoring by the authorities.

Other establishments, including some 3,000 bars across the country, have also put their names down in the registration division of the police force.

However, due partly to a temporary

lack of facilities, the division has not compiled the inventory lists of the video establishments.

The division passes on black and white copies of registered video tapes to officials from the foreign and defence ministries to screen for 'politically sen­sitive' material.

The US film, The American Gigolo, is one example of a fùm banned for its nudity and sex scenes. However, no film has yet been banned on political grounds.

-Asia-Pacific Broadcasting & Telecommunications

Malaysian cabinet panel to set ethics guidelines for TV The Malaysian govemment has formed a cabinet committee to draw up ethical guidelines on television broadcasting. Artistes who are improperly attired and male performers who have long hair will be barred from Radio Television Malay­sia, the government broadcast station, because 'this does not reflect Malaysian culture', said the Information Minister Datuk Mohamed Rahmat.

'Males with long hair will no longer be allowed to take part even if they tie up their hair and wear hats,' he 'added.

The committee, set up in line with the enforcement of the Broacasting Act, 1988, will look into violence on the small screen, seductive scenes and val­ues which are not in line with Malaysian society.

Production of homespun TV shows and films is also greatly encouraged, with RTM allocating M$20 mil (about US$7.5 mil) for the purchase of local films next year. The country's commer­cial TV station, TV3, is expected to do the same.

-Bernama!The Straits Times

l BROADCASTING

New Zealand deregulates broadcast industry

New Zealand will open its broadcasting industry to newradio and TV companies which will be allowed to operate with­out licences.

The move to deregulate the industry is aimed at improving consumer choice and economic efficiency, said Mr Richard Prebble, Minister for State­owned Enterprises, when he announced the new policy earlier this year.

At the same time, the government will also allow satellite and cable trans­missions to groups sucb as movie fans, the financial community and sports viewers.

The planned measures under the revised policy include removing restric­tions on transmitting on the airwaves, abolishing broadcast licences and estab­lisbing an independent commission to band out fonds for the production of special-interest programmes.

Despite the deregulation policy, the minister said he did not favour foreign investments because it was important that the media reflect the country's cul­ture and values.

The government will retain public ownersbip of two TV channels and at least two radio networks.

-Broadcast Asia

Philippine Bill calls for native ownership The Philippine Senate bas filed a Bill banning monopoly of broadcast media to encourage Filipinization of mass media ownersbip and management to achieve more diversification of pro­gramming.

Proponent Senator Orlando Mercado expressed fear of the formation of media conglomerates, painting out the poten­tial threat of 'centralized, remote con-

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 1988

trol, and concentrated economic and editorial broadcast power'.

The Bill, wbicb has just been tabled for discussion, directs the National Tele­communications Commission (NTC) to supervise the diversification and Filip­inization of broadcast ownership in the country.

lt states that ownersbip of broadcast media be limited to Filipino citizens and

that Congress has the power to regulate or probibit monopolies in commercial broadcasting.

Owners now considered illegal un­der this new proposed Bill will be given three years, on a graduated basis, to divest and convert to 100 percent Fili­pino control.

-World Broadcast News

11

GENERAL 1

Population of Asia crosses three billion mark The population of Asia has reached the three billion mark, according to a report released by a group of politicians repre­senting 19 Asian nations.

TheAsian Forum of Parliamentari­ans on Population and Development report, based on data compiled by the UN, said the population of Asia hit the three billion-mark on 10 August

Asia, the world's most populous region, accounts for 60 per cent of the global total, which passed the five bil-

Junk fax bits Singapore A deluge of junk fax has hit many Sin­gapore offices, taking up precious time of companies that have heavy traffic on their lines and tying up machines by making it more difficult for urgent despatches to be received.

Apart from discarding unsolicited faxes, which seems to be the general practice, there is little the companies can do. To make matters worse, this form of advertising-covering anything from announcements of sales to management and customer relations courses-costs the sender almost nothing. The receiver is the one who pays for the thermal­coated paper most fax machines use at about 10 cents for an A4-sized sheet.

Most users of the 12,000 machines in Singapore are listed in the Telex and Telefax Directory, which is given to fax subscribers but can be purchased by anyone for just S$2.

According to one sender, up to 80 per cent of its target customers responded. To date, however, the senders appear to have stopped short of sending junk fax to govemment bodies. Still, there is little fear of receiving junk fax from over­seas as reversa! of charges for overseas faxing must first be approved by the receiver.

-The Straits Times

12

lion mark in J uly last year. Seven babies are bom in Asia every second-or 150,000 each day-the report said.

The Director General of Japan's Na­tional Institute of Population Problems, Mr Shigemi Kono, agreed that there are serious population problems in the re­gion. 'Though we have corne close to solving the fertility rate problem in Japan and China, serious questions remain in lndia, Bangladesh and Paki­stan,' he said.

India, with a population of 818 mil­lion, has an annual growth rate of 2.08 per cent while Pakistan, with a popula­tion of 115 million, has a 3.45 percent growth rate and Bangladesh, with 110 million people, has 2.67 per cent, ac­cording to UN estimates.

By the year 2025, Asia will have 4.5 billion inhabitants in total. Experts say rice production will have to increase 50 per cent by that year to feed the continent's population.

-Business Times

Japanese homes all wired up for cable

Japan's big corporations have begun laying the groundwork for a massive spread of cable television into homes in Tokyo and other metropolitan areas.

Urban cable (toshigita) networks have made their appearance in the past year, with govemment licences being snapped up by consortiums formed by the media, transport, development, re­tail and trading groups.

Fourteen such stations offering multi-cable services are operating now.

Largest of the new urban cab le opera­tors, Bunkyo Cable Network, reaches 3,700 homes in Tokyo's Bunkyo ward, but it predicts this figure will go up to 40,000 within a decade.

Tokyu Cable Television Co., mean-

while, has a goal of 100,000 subscribing households over the same period.

A spokesman said, 'We hope that cable television will some day be con­sidered a commonplace public utility such as a telephone network.'

These two and nine of the other sta­tions which have sprung up throughout Japan buy programmes and news serv­ices provided by Japan Cable Televi­sion, which pioneered the medium in Japan back in 1972.

Installation costs are high-to wire an apartment or office building with multiple cable outlets can cost up to US$ l 9 ,000-but this has not prevented a steady increase in subscribers.

-Media & Marketing

lndia to ban advertising of cigarettes The Indian govemment has announced that it will ban advertising of cigarettes and other tobacco products following recent reports that 800,000 Indians die of tobacco-related diseases each year.

Producers of chewing tobacco and other tobacco goods will be legally bound to print a waming saying con­sumption is injurious to health. Ciga­rette cartons already carry such a wam­ing.

It is notknown when the ban-which also covers hand-rolled local cheroot-

will take effect India has one of the highest inci­

dences of tobacco-related illnesses in the world, and health officiais blame it on the use of tobacco in the form of cigarettes, cheroots, chewing tobacco and betel quid.

According to the World Health Or­ganization, the 800,000 tobacco-related deaths in India each year is twice that of the United States.

-NIT/The Straits Times

AMCB VOL.18 NO. 5

1 GENERAL

Revolutionary videomags replace magazines for young Japanese A revolutionary move to produce maga­zines on video cassettes bas turned out to be a massive bit in Japan and is spawn­ing a new market among young Japa­nese readers.

And you won 't find these 'maga­zines' in bookshops either. Instead they are sold through convenience stores which are open till midnight or later, and are much frequented by students and young executives in search of fast food at that hour.

The idea for this new publishing al­ternative grew out of publishers' fajlure to reach Japan's potentially lucrative youth market.

Young Japanese have grown up watching TV and video screens rather than reading the printed word. The book publishers' problem is compounded by the fact that Japanese bookshops keep conventional hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., whereas young Japanese tend not to.

Gakken, one of the country's best­known educational publishers, circum-

vented this twin problem by introducing the brand-new concept of videomags and retailing them at convenience stores.

It bas turned out to be an unexpected, phenomenal bit.

Car Video Magazine, a 45-minute monthly video magazine that was the first of the new breed, is now selling 100,000 copies a month through 7-Eleven stores.

The trick was not so much in switch­ing to video cassettes but finding a new outlet When Gakken first tried video­mags, it sold them through bookshops. Each videomag was priced at 20,000 yen (about US$154) to compete with video games, which sell at about half that price. Sales flopped.

7-Eleven brought the price down to a verycompetitive 1,480yen(US$11.40), a price tag made possible by adding advertisements to the videomag. The idea was to compete against conven­tional magazines, which also cost half as

Sky Channel airs Malaysian tourist ads Malaysian tourism is receiving a mil­lion-dollar shot in the arm via Sky Chan­nel, Europe's first and largest satellite TV station.

The Tourist Development Corpora­tion of Malaysia (TOC) will soon launch the second phase of its M$1 million (about US$386,000) promotional blitz to position Malaysia as a 'top of the mind' destination for Europeans con­templating escape from the harsh Euro­pean winter months.

Targetted at 30 million people in 20 countries in Western and Eastern Eu­rope as well as Scandinavia, the cam­paign is being handled through Kuala Lumpur-based Vision Four, which rep­resents London's Sky Channel locally.

Sky Channel is screening the TDC's

SErJ'EMBER - OCTOBER 1988

'Only Malaysia' commercials three times daily during the 24-week cam­paign. It will also run TDC's documen­taries on Malaysia and there are even tentative plans to broadcast a Gennan language quiz featuring the country, with Malaysian holidays offered as prizes, naturally.

A TDC spokesman said that the blitz on Sky Channel was chosen over sepa­rate campaigns in individual European countries as the latter was considered too costly.

The satellite television campaign will be launched simultaneously on a cable TV network in West Gennany, a particularly important market for Malaysia's tourist industry.

-Media & Marketing

much. An instant bit was born. There are now some 10 monthly

videomags on the market, selling for between 1,480 yen (about US$11.40) and 2,980 yen (about US$22.90) a copy. Several are on motorsports, which is enjoying a boom among young Japa­nese men.

Kodansha, one of Japan 's leading publishers, launched Best Motoring, which sells 90,000 every month through a chain of convenience stores.

Music magazines are likely to be next in line for the videomag treatment as the subject fits the fonnat of the videomag perfectly.

Sony bas already launched a video­mag about video games early this year. With handheld video cassette players catching on in Japan, can the day be far off when straphanging commuters will choose to watch videos on the way to work instead of struggling to unfold a newspaper?

-The Economist!ABU News

Reading rate in Asia low Except for Japan and South Korea, no Asian country bas reached the reading level recommended by Unesco.

Malaysians, for example, read an average of only half a page of book a year, apart from textbooks and compul­sory reading materials, revealed the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Director­General Datuk Hassan Ahmad.

This is way below Unesco's recom­mended reading rate of 80 pages a per­son a year for developing countries.

Part of the reason is the shortage of reading materials in Malaysia. Local publishers put out only 300 to 500 new tilles every year. This compares with 28,000 in Japan, 30,000 in South Korea and 28,000 in India

-New Straits Times

13

BOOKBRIEFS 1

The Asian Forum of Environmental Journalists. Reporting on the Envi­ronment: A Handbookfor Journalists. Bangkok: Escap, United Nations, 1988. 160pp.

Designed to help the journalist play an effective mie in reporting on the envi­ronmental scene, this is a book on envi­ronmental reporting rather than on envi­ronmental issues. This publication dis­cusses a range of relevant issues, though not in great depth. lt is wri tten primaril y to provide an understanding of environ­mental interrelationships and how to multiply that understanding by effective reporting.

Centre for Development of Instruc­tional Technology. The Other Picture: AResource Guide toAudio-visual Ma­terial. New Delhi: Cendit, 1988. 162pp.

This book comprises a listing of audio­visual materials suitable for use by developmental groups and educational institutions. The entries have been clas­sified under broad subject heads while alternative and more specific subject areas are indicated by descriptors at the bottom of each entry. Against each title is a sequence of entries containing tech­nical information such as film, slide or videotape, synopsis and source.

Emery, Michael and Edwin Emery. The Press andAmerica: Anlnterpreta­tive History of the Mass Media. 6e. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Pren­tice-Hall, 1988. 786pp.

This book has been extensively revised to offer a more readable account of media history, with updated material to cover recent developments in radio and television. Content highlights include the heritage of the Arnerican press, the

14

0

colonial years, the twenties, radio, movies and jazz journalism.

International lnstitute of Communi­cations. Annual Conference, Sydney 1987: Conference Papers. London: ne, 1987. 328pp.

This seminar covered topics on global competition and national priorities, communications in the year 2000, Aus­tralian communication in the next five years, and the Asia-Pacific region as a telecommunication model.

Kodaira, Sachiko Imaizumi and Takashiro Akiyama. 'With Mother' And Ils Viewers: Behavior Monitoring of 2- and 3-year-olds. Tokyo: NHK Broadcasting Culture Research lnsti­tute, 1988. 43pp.

'With Mother' was started as a highly educational TV variety series for pre­school children in 1959 by NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) in response to the fact that children at home watch TV for increasingly long hours. It was designed for viewing by children under the age of five, along with their mothers. It is a 25-minute studio variety show comprising skits, song-and-dance and exercises aimed at enriching the imagi­nation of pre-school children and help­ing them socialize.

Mercado, Cesar M. Guide to Evaluai-

ing Training. Bangkok: UNDP/ DTCP, 1988. 25pp.

This paper contributes to a better under­standing, appreciation and utilization of evaluation among trainers and manag­ers. It hopes to help trainers in their regular evaluation of their training courses, as well as to show managers the role of evaluation in improving the ef­fectiveness of training.

Nihon Shinbun Kyokai. The Japanese Press 1988. Tokyo: NSK, 1988. lSOpp.

This annual contains a chapter on 'General Trends of the Japanese Press 1987-88', reporting on how the newspa­per business is generally improving in circulation, advertising revenue and sales promotion. It also deals with the various challenges newspapers are faced with such as development into integrated information industries and the introduction of 'Newspaper in Edu­cation' programme, etc. The article also refers to international personnel and information exchange activities of Nihon Shinbun Kyokai.

Unesco. A Documentary History of a New World Information and Commu­nication Order Seen As An Evolving and Continuous Process, 1975-1986. Paris: Unesco. 283pp.

This book collates in a simple volume the final documents, conclusions, deci­sions, recommendations, suggestions, etc. adopted since 1975 at meetings of international non-governmental and professional organizations which make explicit mention of a new world infor­mation and communication order, or are directly relevant toit. The survey shows the variety of institutions, both govern­mental and non-governmental, and the range of topics that have emerged.

AMCB VOL.18 NO. 5

Communication systems symposium in France The French Institute for Advanced Training in Post and Telecommunica­tion (ENSPTT) is organizing a sympo­sium entitled, Communication. New systems, new jobs: What is at stake tomorrow, on 28-29 November 1988. Venue for the symposium will be Hotel Meridien Montparnasse, Paris.

The purpose of the symposium is to analyse the changes in communication systems and their visible and foresee­able consequences on behaviour and jobs (the meeting point of knowledge and know-how) in order to bring about concrete proposais in terms of training. It is intended for professionals in the communication industry, representa­tives of related institutions, users of communication systems and research­ers in this field.

The symposium will be divided into three sessions: the opening session, parallel work sessions . and the closing session.

For the opening session the follow­ing papers will be presented: • Communication: a new paradigm?; • Communication, changing complex systems; and • Communication and its jobs.

The topics which will be· discussed during the parallel work sessions are: • Communication systems and new types of behaviour; and • Communication systems and the transformation of jobs.

In the closing session, participants will examine two issues. They are: • Training for new jobs in the commu­nication sector; and • Communication, employment and freedom in torilorrow's society.

For more information, please write to: DELEGATION DE LA POSTE POUR LA REGION ILE-DE-FRANCE, Mission III. 2, rue Saint-Romain, 75006 Paris. Tel:( I) 45.49.I 3.60.

Second Asian World Publishing Congress rescheduled for early 1989 The Second Asian World Publishing Congress and its supporting trade exhi­bition, Pubcon Expo '89, has been re­scheduled for 13-16 March 1989. The events will be held at the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Bangkok, Thailand.

Building on the success of the meet­ing held in Singapore in February 1987, the Congress will again concentrate on the training disciplines of publishing, marketing and advertising.

Thirty-three distinguished interna­tional publishing and advertising indus­try leaders will address delegates on the state of the art during moming plenary sessions. The aftemoons will be dedi-

SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 1988

cated to specialist training workshops; 10 will be running concurrently each day, with 30 in ail. The workshops will concentrate on teaching new skills and the latest techniques.

The1989 Congress is a joint venture between Asian World Publishing Con­gress and Media & Marketing. The exhibition Pubcon Expo '89 will be organized by Tuai Trade Fairs.

For more information, contact: The Secretariat, Asian World Publishing Congress, #05-07 Beach Centre, 15 Beach Road, Singapore 0718. Tel: 3394377. Telex: RS 55970. Fax: 3399409.

1 FORTHCOMING

Hong Kong venue for second international telecom exhibition

Commtel Asia '88, formerly known as Telcomm Asia, will be held at the new Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wanchai, from 13-16 December 1988.

Visitors will be able to view the latest designs of telecommunication equip­ment, networks and services at the exhi­bition, sponsored by the Hong Kong Telecom Association.

For more information, please write to: Business & lndustrial Trade Fairs Ltd. 4/F China Underwriters Centre, 88 Gloucester Road. Wanchai, Hong Kong. Tel : 5-756333. Te/ex: 64882 ASIEX HX. Fax: 5-8915347. Cable: BIPCCAB

November date for Inter BEE '88 Japan's annual International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition (Inter BEE), will be held from 16-18 November, at the Tokyo Convention Centre, Sunshine City.

Since the first show in 1965, the Japanese broadcasting industry has made enormous progress, and the country's technology and equipment in this field are considered among the most advanced in the world.

The exhibition will present the new­est in video, audio, and new media tech­nology, including the latest develop­ments in high definition television and video technologies, CCD cameras of studio quality, and the fast-growing di­rect broadcast satellite field.

The event is sponsored by the Elec­tronic Industries Association of Japan, and supported by the Japan Broadcast­ing Corporation (NHK) and the Japan National Association of Broadcasters.

For more information, please write to: Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry Building, 3-2-2, Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100, Japan.

15

'Best in journalism reject codes and ethics'

Most practitioners of the best joumal­ism shun codes and ethics, according to Mr Howard Simons, former managing editor of the Washington Post during the Watergate era while speaking on press behaviour and ethics at the Asian Mass Communication Research and Informa­tion Centre in J uly.

One of the reasons for this in the US is that the 750-odd editors in charge of the major daily newspapers in the coun­try would find it difficult to reach a consensus.

Secondly, 'one person's sense of responsibility is not the same as another's' and the American press would not subscribe to rules laid down by the authorities as it always tries to maintain an adversarial relationship with the government.

There is thus a healthy tension be­tween the two, said Mr Simons, who is credited with breaking new ground in investigative reporting when his report­ers, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, exposed the Watergate affair over a decade ago.

Where credibility was the in word in the United States four to five years ago, ethics is the fashionable word in the country today. But there are two differ­ent views on what the word means.

While the newspaper's idea ofbeing ethical is to ensure that reporters don 't go on complimentary trips or get free tickets to a baseball game, the public considers what the press did to Gary Hart as an ethical issue.

To this, Mr Simons said: 'I think what the press did to Gary Hart is perfectly goodjoumalistic practice. 1 believe that politicians don't have a private life, particularly a presidential candidate.

'There's nothing that shouldn't be revealed to the public-a candidate 's

Mr Howard Simons

character, behaviour patterns, back­ground.' These, he said, would help voters make up their minds.

Describing the role of joumalists, Mr Simons said: 'As one ofour great judges said: "We were put on earth to censure the government, not for the government to censure us."'

A self-confessed 'absolutist', Mr Simons is a firm believer in total free­dom of the press as an integral part of a democratic society.

'The press should be totally free to publish anything it wants. If society doesn 't like it, punish them la ter, but never stop them from having the voice.

'If a society is strong enough to with­stand dissent, it's a healthy society. If not, then there' s an inherent weakness in that society.'

Describing free press as a vital part of 'our experiment called democracy', Mr Simons continued: 'A robust democ­racy cornes from having robust debate, an aggressive, vigorous, and free press. '

ln espousing his view that theAmeri­can press should be a watchdog of the government, Mr Simons pointed out 'Somebody has to watch the govern­ment ail the lime. Somebody has to be

the surrogate for the people. They need help. They cannot doit by themselves.'

Another tradition entrenched in the American press and which is missing in man y parts of the world is that of inves­tigative joumalism 'to unearth corrup­tion and wrongdoing'.

Mr Simons also touched on the evo­lution of the American press, beginning from the lime it was very partisan before tuming into a brand of establishment joumalism where the newspapers 're­ported everything the government said'.

The Watergate scandai and the Viet­nam War changed all that when 'the American press got tired ofbeing lied to by the govemment'.

'Now,' he said, 'the tendency is to be skeptical about everything' and be par­ticularly mindful of the difference between 'public relations, which puts things in a favourable light and joumal­ism which puts things in the spotlight'.

Answering a question from the audi­ence, Mr Simons stressed that it was difficult for a foreigner to understand the American press, which is 'not so much chauvinistic or nationalistic as it is local'.

Despite repeated requests for his views on joumalism in Singapore and the region, Mr Simons-currently cura­tor at Harvard University's Neiman Foundation and a member of the Pulit­zer Prize board-declined to comment on whether the US brand of joumalism is applicable, or possible, in foreign contexts.

'l'm an absolutist, and my instinct is to say the press should be free here,' he said. 'But 1 don't live here and 1 don't want to impose my standards on you. But 1 don't want the govemment to impose its standards for the press on me either.'

Published and prlnted by the Asian Mass Communication Research and Information Centre.

AMCB 39 Newton Road, Slngapore 1130, Republic of Singapore Fax: 2534535 Telex: AMICSI RS 55524 Edüor-in-chief: Vljay Menon Associaù edilor: Cheong Yun Wan Wrilen: Peter Loh, Julie Tan Production leam: George Tan, John Ong, Elaine Song, Angie Chew, Nora Nawawl