IAMCR - International Association for Media and Communication Research

The UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) is holding an open consultation as part of its five-year review of implementation and follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society.

As part of that consultation the CSTD requested stakeholders's responses to questions covering three main areas:

1. where there has been more or less progress in implementing WSIS outcomes;
2. what new Information Society themes and issues have emerged since the Summit ended in 2005, and what implications they have for the future; and
3. priorities for the next five years.

In its response, IAMCR's Task Force on Media and Communication Policy, co-chaired by Robin Mansell and Aimée Vega, recognised the creation of forums that seek public comment across a wide spectrum of issues as one of the major achievements of the WSIS while noting that inadequate progress has been made “in ensuring that issues including the role of ICTs and media in human rights protection, poverty reduction, and equity in global trade in goods and information receive headline attention”.

The task force recommended that higher priority be given to the following areas:

• Human Rights, Privacy, and Security Issues
• Gender Issues
• Information Societies in the Global South
• Sustainable Business Models
• Monitoring and Indicators

The consultation and questionnaire can be found at http://www.unctad.info/en/CSTD_WSIS5. The closing date for submissions is 14 December.

Download the comments of IAMCR's Task Force on Media and Communication Policy.