Empowering Society
A Declaration on the Core Values of Public Service Media
PREAMBLE
We, the public service media-organisations united within the European Broadcasting Union, are owned by our vast audiences – the people we work for.
We have accepted the challenges created by an unprecedented digital revolution, resulting in different relationships with our audiences and each and every individual.
We are constantly developing new ways of serving our audiences, any place and any time.
We are driven by our sincere wish to include everyone and to enhance communities.
Public Service Media are at the heart of the European cultural tradition serving the democratic, cultural and social needs of each society within Europe. We are committed to the public as a whole, being free at the point of use, when and where media users need it.
We want to play an important and defining role in guaranteeing freedom of expression and in sharing multiple, pluralistic views.
We want to create a world of communication blond profits. Media for the common good, programmes and initiatives directly related to democracy, society and the public: a new horizon of Public Service Media. In an open and transparent way. Difference matters.
Reflecting our strong commitment to society, we strive to perform in the best possible wals and do our work with integrity and maximum efficiency.
We realise that trust is at the heart of the relationship with our audiences.
Trust has to be deserved, each and every day.
THIS IS WHAT WE ARE.
THIS IS WHAT WE PROMISE:
UNIVERSALITY
We aim to reach and offer our content to all segments of society, with no-one excluded. Everyone, everywhere.
We strongly underline the importance of sharing and expressing a plurality of views and ideas. We strive to create a public sphere, in which all citizens can form their own opinions and ideas. We are aiming for inclusion and social cohesion. We are multi-platform, sparing our content in all kinds of ways. We are accessible for everyone, without thresholds. We enable our audiences and each individual to engage and participate in a democratic society.
INDEPENDENCE
We want to be trusted programme-makers, trustworthy in all fictional and non-fictional progamming, in all genres and formats, from news to entertainment, from science to sport, from culture to education. We make our choices only in the interest of our audiences.
We strive to be completely impartial and independent from political, commercial and other influences and ideologies. Free to challenge the powerful, to test prevailing assumptions, and contribute to an informed citizenship.
We want to be autonomous in all aspects within our remit such as programming, editorial decisionmaking, staffing.
Our commitment to independence needs to be underpinned by safeguards in law, and our commitment to the safety of journalists needs to be underpinned in all our actions.
EXCELLENCE
We act with high standards of integrity and professionalism and quality; we strive to create benchmarks within the media-industries.
We foster our talent and train our staff.
We want to empower, enable and enrich our audiences.
We want our work to result in maximum participation and involvement.
We understand that our audiences are also participators in our activities, and even at times contributors of news and programming.
DIVERSITY
Our audiences consist of a diverse range of interest groups: differing generations, cultures, religions, majorities as well as minorities: so we strive to be diverse and pluralistic in the genres we are programming, the views we are expressing, and the people who work with us.
We support and seek to give voice to a plurality of competing views – from those with different backgrounds, histories and stories. Conscious of the creative enrichment which can derive from co-existing diversities, we want to help build a more inclusive, less fragmented society.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We want to be open. We listen to our audiences and engage in a permanent and meaningful debate.We publish our editorial guidelines. We explain. We correct our mistakes. We strive to report on our policies, budgets, editorial choices.
We are transparent and subject to constant public scrutiny. We want our audiences to understand the workings of our media-organisations.
We strive to be efficient and managed according to the principles of good governance.
INNOVATION
We want to enrich the media-environment of the countries and regions we work in.
We strive to be a driving force of innovation and creativity. We aim at new formats, new technologies, new ways of connectivity with our audiences.
We want to attract, retain and train our staff so that they can participate in and shape the digital future, serving our public.
THIS IS WHAT WE WILL DO:
We do know that we have to make an ever-lasting effort, realising our Core Values. That we are a membership consisting of very different organisations, with different backgrounds, history, possibilities. But we want to live up to our commitments, knowing that our Core Values have to be accompanied by actions and behaviour.
We are open for discussion. We will help each other to realise these promises, based upon the principles of solidarity within our union.
We will permanently check and discuss progress and report on it, in an honest and self-critical way.
THIS IS WHAT WE NEED:
If we are to fulfil our commitment to the public in current times and current societies, we need accurate legislation, adequate and sustainable funding and professional governance to safeguard editorial independence and to ensure that we can perform according to the highest professional standards.
EBU VIEWPOINTS:
EBU EDITORIAL PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES: