Media, Transparency, Impartiality

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/media.html
http://www.philol.msu.ru/~discours/images/stories/speckurs/New_media.pdf
http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/does-matter-where-we-get-our-news-why-392224
Riesman et al. (1950) ch.2 p.50
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/different-types-of-mass-media.html
"Mass media", Oxford English Dictionary, online version October 2015
http://jom.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/03/06/0149206314525202
http://www.transparency-initiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Opening-Government3.pdf
Ibid.
Coxall, Malcolm (2 Mar 2013). Caswell, Guy, ed. Human Manipulation - A Handbook. Cornelio Books. ISBN 978-8-4940-8532-1.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/medium
Colombo's All-Time Great Canadian Quotations, 1994, John Robert Colombo, Stoddart Publishing, ISBN 0-7737-5639-6, p. 176.
https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%20999/volume-999-I-14668-English.pdf
https://litigation-essentials.lexisnexis.com/webcd/app?action=DocumentDisplay&crawlid=1&doctype=cite&docid=7+Chi.+J.+Int%27l+L.+351&srctype=smi&srcid=3B15&key=25d6ff4919090c5b0d4ff6715a002160
Most Valuable Prospective Delegates,

My name is Sami Burgaz and I am a senior student at Gazi University, Ankara double majoring on International Relations and Economics. I have been convoluted in Model United Nations debate and have attended numerous conferences both academically and organizational wise since secondary school. I will be serving as President Chair of United Nations General Assembly Fourth Committee, Special Political and Decolonization (SPECPOL) in this remarkable conference.

Should any questions arise please do not hesitate to contact me directly as I will be very keen to respond.

Sincerely,
Sami Burgaz

About the General Assembly
Established in 1945 under the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly occupies a central position as the chief deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the United Nations. Comprising all 193 Members of the United Nations, it provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered by the Charter.
It also plays a significant role in the process of standard-setting and the codification of international law. The Assembly meets from September to December each year, and thereafter as required.

Functions and powers of the General Assembly
The Assembly is empowered to make recommendations to States on international issues within its competence. The Assembly has initiated actions — political, economic, humanitarian, social and legal — which have affected the lives of millions of people throughout the world.
According to the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly may:
Consider and approve the United Nations budget and establish the financial assessments of Member States;
Elect the non-permanent members of the Security Council and the members of other United Nations councils and organs and, on the recommendation of the Security Council, appoint the Secretary-General;
Consider and make recommendations on the general principles of cooperation for maintaining international peace and security, including disarmament;
Discuss any question relating to international peace and security and, except where a dispute or situation is currently being discussed by the Security Council, make recommendations on it;
Discuss, with the same exception, and make recommendations on any questions within the scope of the Charter or affecting the powers and functions of any organ of the United Nations;
Initiate studies and make recommendations to promote international political cooperation, the development and codification of international law, the realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and international collaboration in the economic, social, humanitarian, cultural, educational and health fields;
Make recommendations for the peaceful settlement of any situation that might impair friendly relations among nations;
Consider reports from the Security Council and other United Nations organs.

Special Political and Decolonization Fourth Committee
The fourth committee of the UN General Assembly, referred to hereafter as the Special Political and Decolonization Committee or SPECPOL for short, has somewhat more fragmented mandate than other committees of the General Assembly. The UN itself describes the committee as concerning itself "with a variety of subjects which include those related to decolonization, Palestinian refugees and human rights, peacekeeping, mine action, outer space, public information, atomic radiation and the University for Peace". In short, SPECPOL covers both the issue of decolonization, as suggested by its full name, as well as any other political issues not directly dealt with by the mandates of other UN General Assembly committee.
It should be noted that, as this is a General Assembly committee, all resolutions are non-binding. What that means is that operative clause language which is more indicative of a Security Council resolution (e.g. 'Demands') should not be used, with non-binding language (e.g. 'Urges', 'Recommends') being used instead. This also means that any peacekeeping operations or punitive measures (such as economic sanctions) cannot directly be authorised by this committee, although it is within the committee's power to suggest or recommend that the Security Council take these actions in a manner stipulated by the committee. It is acceptable, however, to refer to resolutions passed by previously non-General Assembly committees (including Security Council) in the perambulatory clauses of a resolution.

Topic A: Media, Transparency, Impartiality
Terminology
Media
Media are the collective communication outlets or tools that are used to store and deliver information or data. It is either associated with communication media, or the specialized communication businesses such as: print media and the press, photography, advertising, cinema, broadcasting (radio and television), and/or publishing.
Mass media
The mass media are diversified media technologies that are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. The technologies through which this communication takes place vary.
Broadcast media transmit information electronically, via such media as film, radio, recorded music, or television. Digital media comprises both Internet and mobile mass communication. Outdoor media transmit information via such media as AR advertising; billboards; blimps; flying billboards (signs in tow of airplanes); placards or kiosks placed inside and outside of buses, commercial buildings, shops, sports stadiums, subway cars, or trains; signs; or skywriting. Print media transmit information via physical objects, such as books, comics, magazines, newspapers, or pamphlets. Event organizing and public speaking can also be considered forms of mass media.
The organizations that control these technologies, such as movie studios, publishing companies, and radio and television stations, are also known as the mass media.
Electronic Media
Electronic media are media that use electronics or electromechanical energy for the end user (audience) to access the content. This is in contrast to static media (mainly print media), which today are most often created electronically, but do not require electronics to be accessed by the end user in the printed form. The primary electronic media sources familiar to the general public are video recordings, audio recordings, multimedia presentations, slide presentations, CD-ROM and online content. Most new media are in the form of digital media. However, electronic media may be in either analogue electronics data or digital electronic data format.
Any equipment used in the electronic communication process (e.g. television, radio, telephone, desktop computer, game console, handheld device) may also be considered electronic media.
Modern communication media now allow for intense long-distance exchanges between larger numbers of people (many-to-many communication via e-mail, Internet forums, and teleportation). On the other hand, many traditional broadcast media and mass media favour one-to-many communication (television, cinema, radio, newspaper, magazines, and also social media).
Transparency
Transparency, as used in science, engineering, business, the humanities and in other social contexts, implies openness, communication, and accountability. Transparency is operating in such a way that it is easy for others to see what actions are performed. It has been defined simply as "the perceived quality of intentionally shared information from a sender".
Transparency is practiced in companies, organizations, administrations, and communities. It guides an organization's decisions and policies on the disclosure of information to its employees and the public, or simply the intended recipient of the information.
Media Transparency
Media transparency is the concept of determining how and why information is conveyed through various means.
If the media and the public knows everything that happens in all authorities and county administrations there will be a lot of questions, protests and suggestions coming from media and the public. People who are interested in a certain issue will try to influence the decisions. Transparency creates an everyday participation in the political processes by media and the public. One tool used to increase everyday participation in political processes is Freedom of Information legislation and requests. Modern democracy builds on such participation of the people and media.
In communication studies, Media is transparent when:
there are many, often competing, sources of information
much is known about the method of information delivery
the funding of media production is publicly available
Media manipulation
Media manipulation is a series of related techniques in which partisans create an image or argument that favours their particular interests. Such tactics may include the use of logical fallacies and propaganda techniques, and often involve the suppression of information or points of view by crowding them out, by inducing other people or groups of people to stop listening to certain arguments, or by simply diverting attention elsewhere.
Impartiality
Impartiality (also called even-handedness or fair-mindedness) is a principle of justice holding that decisions should be based on objective criteria, rather than on the basis of bias, prejudice, or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons.
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of speech is the right to communicate one's opinions and ideas without fear of government retaliation or censorship. The term freedom of expression is sometimes used synonymously, but includes any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used.

History of Media
The word media is defined as "one of the means or channels of general communication, information, or entertainment in society, as newspapers, radio, or television."
The beginning of human communication through designed channels, i.e. not vocalization or gestures, dates back to ancient cave paintings, drawn maps, and writing. The Persian Empire played an important role in the field of communication. It was the first real mail or postal system, which is said to have been developed by the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great (c. 550 BC) after his conquest of Media.
The term "media" in its modern application relating to communication channels is traced back to its first use as such by Canadian communications theorist Marshall McLuhan, who stated in Counterblast (1954): "The media are not toys; they should not be in the hands of Mother Goose and Peter Pan executives. They can be entrusted only to new artists, because they are art forms." By the mid-1960s, the term had spread to general use in North America and the United Kingdom. ("Mass media", in contrast, was, according to H.L. Mencken, used as early as 1923 in the United States.)

Social Impacts of Media
Media technology has made communicating increasingly easier as time has passed throughout history. However, some may argue that certain types of media can hinder face-to-face communication and therefore can result in complications like identity fraud.
In a large consumer-driven society, electronic media (such as television) and print media (such as newspapers) are important for distributing advertisement media. More technologically advanced societies have access to goods and services through newer media than less technologically advanced societies. In addition to this "advertising" role, media is nowadays a tool to share knowledge all around the world. Consequently, media is a modern form of communication aiming at spreading knowledge within the whole world, regardless any form of discrimination.
Media, through media and communications psychology, has helped to connect diverse people from far and near geographical location. It has also helped in the aspect of on-line or internet businesses and other activities that have an on-line version. All media intended to affect human behaviour is initiated through communication and the intended behaviour is couched in psychology.

Media transparency and power
The media can play the role of a watchdog in some situations while in others it can be manipulated to reflect views of a particular group in power. Biased information can affect public policy if the government tampers with the way information is portrayed in order to cast a positive or negative light on it. Depending on how transparent a news article is, one can determine its reliability and make assumptions or draw one's own conclusions from the findings. Media transparency brings up issues concerning freedom of speech since the governments may censor what information is conveyed in order to sway public opinion.
Transparency, publicity, and accountability are all needed in order to produce change. Information should be reached by much of the common public if it is to catalyse change in the areas being exposed. It may be helpful to strengthen people's capacity to act upon the information they receive through transparency, in order to increase its effectiveness.
In terms of governments, media transparency can be particularly important in allowing members of a particular country to see what is actually happening in a certain situation, without the story being manipulated. Abuse of power is very common in some countries and this can be directly related to a lack of media transparency.

Impartiality in journalism
Being impartial means not being prejudiced towards or against any particular side. All journalists have their own views, and yet, to deliver comprehensive and authoritative coverage of news and current affairs, they must rise above their own personal perspectives. Only by reflecting the diversity of opinion fairly and accurately can we hope to offer a true picture of what is really happening.
Impartiality in news
News is about delivering facts that have been tested, sourced, attributed and proven. Impartiality is essential for robust news coverage. It's not about being soft and bland. It's about stripping out the personal, and allowing the audience the dignity of drawing their own conclusions free from any thought pollution injected by the journalist.
It means we must strive to:
reflect a wide range of opinions
explore conflicting views
ensure that no relevant perspective is ignored
avoid any personal preferences over subject matter or choice of interviewees
be honest and open about any personal interests/history
Journalistic objectivity
Journalistic objectivity is a significant principle of journalistic professionalism. Journalistic objectivity can refer to fairness, disinterestedness, factuality, and non-partisanship, but most often encompasses all of these qualities. Journalism needs to be more objective, accurate and investigative in the way it presents information and relays facts to the public. This objectivity in journalism helps the audience to make up their own mind about a story and decide what they want to believe. There is a necessity for reporters to present the honesty regarding the facts instead of always reporting information in an honest format. In addition, to maintain objectivity in journalism, journalists need to present the facts whether or not they like or agree with those facts. Objective journalism needs to remain neutral and unbiased regardless of the writers' opinion or personal beliefs.
Criticism of Journalistic Objectivity
Advocacy journalists and civic journalists criticize the understanding of objectivity as neutrality or non-partisanship, arguing that it does a damage to the public because it fails to attempt to find truth. They also argue that such objectivity is nearly impossible to apply in practice.
Freedom of speech
Governments restrict speech with varying limitations. Common limitations on speech relate to libel, slander, obscenity, pornography, sedition, incitement, fighting words, classified information, copyright violation, trade secrets, non-disclosure agreements, right to privacy, right to be forgotten, public security, public order, public nuisance, campaign finance reform and oppression. Whether these limitations can be justified under the harm principle depends upon whether influencing a third party's opinions or actions adversely to the second party constitutes such harm or not. Governmental and other compulsory organizations often have policies restricting the freedom of speech for political reasons, for example, speech codes at state schools.
The right to freedom of expression is recognized as a human right under article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and recognized in international human rights law in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Article 19 of the ICCPR states that;
"Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference" and "everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice"
Article 19 additionally states that the exercise of these rights carries "special duties and responsibilities" and may "therefore be subject to certain restrictions" when necessary "[f]or respect of the rights or reputation of others" or "[f]or the protection of national security or of public order (order public), or of public health or morals".
Points to be covered
What measures can the Assembly take to strengthen media transparency?
What role can the United Nations play to develop media objectivity and freedom of speech in developing countries?
How can the authenticity of media information be established?
Can a universal code of conduct be developed to guarantee freedom of speech, media transparency and impartiality?
How can journalists further develop a sense of impartial ethics?
Should the state/government interfere with information obtained by media groups? If so why?
Should the power of interference by the state/government be limited on freedom of information?
How important is the impact of media on the society?
Further Readings
Accuracy, Independence, and Impartiality: How legacy media and digital natives approach standards in the digital age, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism
Freedom of the Press 2015 Report, Freedom House