Documentary News Letter (1947-1949)

DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER 67 UNESCO S WORLD PLANS Programme of work in the Mass Media — Films, Radio and Press Unesco's plans for film, radio and Press have been evolved with due regard to two essential factors. Firstly, an admittedly slender budget, and, secondly, the incontrovertible fact that no international organization can succeed unless it is backed fully and on the most practical level by the Governments of the member States and by groups and organizations within the member States. The programme is therefore divided into three sections: A: Projects for 1947 (in order of priority). B: Stimulation. C: Direct Services. A: Projects for 1947 (in order of priority) (1) 'As a first and pressing measure', the appointment of three Commissions on Immediate Technical Needs, to find out what is required as regards raw materials (film-stock, cameras, projectors, radio transmitters and receivers, printing machinery, pulp, paper, etc.) by countries in Europe and the Far East which have been hard hit by the war. These Commissions will report by June 1947, with proposals for immediate action, and long-term plans for ensuring continuous improvements in the supply to ''Have Not' countries of equipment and technical personnel. At the same time UNESCO will institute a scheme under which countries with the best technical resources in the Mass Media will help the less-favoured countries by training guest-personnel in the various fields. The host countries (or, if they refuse, UNESCO itself), will do this by means of fellowships set up either by Government or non-Government bodies. (2) A comprehensive report on obstacles to the free world-flow of information and ideas. This will be carried out in co-operation with the Commission on Human Rights, and will deal with 'all restrictions on the flow of information and ideas across international boundaries, and with the suppression and distortion of information and ideas by any influence.' (3) Surveys of the Mass Media. A UNESCO-appointed Committee of Experts will study — according to the real needs of all peoples — the current proposals for a World Radio network. UNESCO will also undertake a 1947 Survey on Press and Films, making a factual analysis of their present world structure. As regards films, the Survey's terms of reference will include (a) Themes and distribution of films, both features and shorts; (b) Content and subject matter of newsreels; (c) Recent techniques for using films, film-strips and related visual media, with special emphasis on education, on the discussion of social relationships, on the appreciation oj the arts, and on rural needs; (d) Possibilities of improving the sound film so as to overcome language difficulties. (4) A comprehensive study of copyright problems, with special relation to the proposed world copyright conference in 1947. (5) UNESCO will collect ideas of international significance and will stimulate their use in feature films, radio programmes and Press features. It may encourage awards (made by outside organizations, not UNESCO) for successful features based on these ideas. This project will, in effect, be an International Ideas Bureau. There is also to be a World Feature Stor> Project, by w hich UNESCO will arrange for leading research men, writers, radio and film producers to cooperate in presenting a major story of world interest and importance in all the media simultaneously. Possible subjects already listed arc: The education of children in a war-stricken COuntrj (in terms of international co-operation); the 'TV. A.' scheme for India; the Moscow Art Theatre; and, later, the proposed Amazon development scheme. The International Forum will be a scries of discussions on inter national.subjects by well-known figures from all over the world syndicated throughout the world in the Press and on national radio networks. A special scheme for radio, to be called the World L'niursin of the Air. In this UNESCO, by consulting with national broadcasting bodies, and making the necessary arrangements (including the provision of texts and transcriptions where needed), would arrange a world-series of talks by the greatest authorities in the fields of education, science and culture. (6) UNESCO will co-operate with UN in the proposed World Conference of Journalists, with special reference to the unification of journalistic rules and practices, and to the status of foreign correspondents. (7) UNESCO will, of course, press for the universal acceptance and ratification (by non-member as well as member States) of the new Convention for ensuring the free international passage of approved educational, scientific and cultural films. B: Stimulation (1) UNESCO will stimulate (a) the supply of suitable films to deficiency countries in relation to their needs, and (b) a conference called to aid the reconstruction of educational broadcasting. (2) UNESCO will concern itself with the international aspects of Press and publications generally, including particularly organized goodwill tours by journalists, children's papers, standard classes in journalism for children and teachers, and the production of genuinely international publications. (3) The formation of Institutes of Scientific Information is envisaged in the member countries. UNESCO will in due course act as clearing house between these Institutes. (4) Similarly, National Visual Councils will be promoted, whose job it will be to ensure film and film information services for educacational and other commodity organizations. They will also express the needs of these organizations to producers at home and. through UNESCO, to producers overseas. (5) In co-operation with existing International Film Bodies UNESCO will help to form an International Film Council, representing film interests of all kinds in all countries. C: Direct Services (1) In order to prevent overlapping and to ensure economy UNESCO is helping to form a United Nations Film Board, which will co-ordinate all the film work of the special agencies o\' I N (e.g. FAO, WHO. II O. etc.). (2) UNESCO is to be a clearing house for basic materials on UNESCO subjects for the world Press, and will pro\ ide information and materials accordingly. (3) UNESCO will similarly be a clearing house for radio information, and will in particular collect information on programme techniques and new developments. (4) Again, UNESCO will be a clearing house for information about films, film-strips ami other visual media, with special ■ to health, food, agriculture, social and economic problems, education, science and the arts. It will promote in all countries common methods of collecting and cataloguing information. On this basis UNESCO will (a) provide each country frith facts and information from all other countries, (b) organize (through national bodies) demonstration exhibits which "ill slum the use being made of the visual media in education, seienee and the arts; and (c) "ill show producers what new films are required, and assist in their supplv .