THE NATIONAL MEDIA IMPACT UPON EUROPEAN SECURITY

Prof. Ioan HORGA

Jean Monnet Chairholder

University of Oradea

The National vs. The European

• European realities

- no common set of values to relate to, to cultivate, and to defend

- European cultural values are in fact national, or regional, values to which we confer a European dimension

European culture

• Various cultural perceptions regarding Europe vs. European perceptions on cultural diversity

• Features of Europe cultural diversity envisaging the “first European, then national” pattern of thinking

Western Europe vs.Eastern Europe

•Western Europe is more coherent in point of myths and cultural features

•Central and Eastern Europe – great differences – linguistic

– religious

•Patriotism has different connotations in the West as compared to the East

European Cultural Area (ECA) vs. European Public Area (EPA)

• European culture - a synthesis of national regional and local cultures

• Jean Monnet: With what would the EU start if it were to start over with the European reconstruction process? With culture.

The Media• Is one of the most active and penetrating actors,

competing with the formal educational system.• As an actor in shaping a European

consciousness, its role is limited:- Influence National culture European culture- Lack of real and direct communication EPA

ECA European Media consumer- Communicational blockage: ceaseless changes

in the content of the message, disregard for transparency Media consumers take refuge in regional, or local, Media message

1. National Media Area (NMA) vs. European Media Area (EMA)

Central and Eastern European countries• Unbalance between the national media

market and the European one• Little encouragement towards and EMA• Romania – distance between national and

local, or regional, media act in forming a public democratic space

• Lack, or limited, number of free media institutions in Central and Eastern Europe

Main directions of the Media: - chasing the sensational - shallow investigation journalismMedia has drifted from its role as a formative factor of the public space, falling into the trap of intoxicating the readers, or the auditorium.The shallowness of the press may make some peoples and minorities guilty for all that is negative.In the shadow of the “freedom of press” nationalism might arise.Transition in Central and Eastern European countries has been hindered by exaggerated nationalism and sometimes by chauvinism.

NTIC – New Technologies of Information and Communication

• An alternative to media characterised of nationalism and parti pris.

• May facilitate forms of EPA

• National minorities may take an active part, thus revealing items of culture, of unique experiences.

NMA vs. EMA

• Unbalance more obvious against the background of enlargement

• Questions relating to media and its role are normal, provided that we are on an unstable position, dominated either by insufficient and shallow reading of the written press (41% in 2001), or by egocentric understanding of the consequences of the enlargement.

Enlargement in 2004

• Regarding the enlargement of 2004, journalists have a predilection for national, rather than European viewpoint

• Clichés like difference, opposition, resistance come to the foreground propelled by various means by the media up to the “hate speech”, induced by education and national environment.

European Identity

• Question: Can we build a European identity?- In theory - by underlining the differences as

compared to other areas (America, Asia, Africa)- In practice – not viable, due to two reasons: - it would create a unity towards the

exterior, but the clichés would remain inside - Europe would become a closed space, a

world in which identity is based on another set of values – transparency, alterity, human rights

News selection

• EU Media- Independent- Radical accents- Does not necessarily

help to the understanding of integration effects, Community institutions or policies

• ECE Media- Forced to dwell on the

process of news selection

- Serving different interests

- Shallow, sensationalist

- although nation seems to be an obsolete entity, it still exists as the backbone of a cultural matrix- national identity models are in full process of recreation to end up in a model of transparency in global relations, due to media technologies- the internet is the most faithful media partner of the European construction- explosion of media institutions- increase in the number of media consumers

2. European Media Area (EMA) vs. European Security Area (ESA)

• Two events greatly influenced the relationship between EMA and ESA:

- September 11th, 2001 - Iraqi crisis in 2003• Media questioned even more its national identity• Issues relating to security urged media to “fall

again in national captivity”• Shift of information from the free media market

towards the more restricted market of security and defence

-Media in most European States swing between the “universal” and the “national”, bearing even local accents- Media is characterised by parti pris of two types: - tendency to transfer a problem of national security out of the internal sphere to the external one - common European attitude on the international stage trying to build a unique European voice, but it is still far from a common EMA

-there are attempts to reduce the freedom of interpretation by: - the advice to be more careful in transmitting and interpreting the adversaries’ statements - the measures of limiting and denying access to sources, bringing forth as an argument the secrecy of sources and the confidentiality of the information

Alexander Stubb in Financial Times of March 13th, 2003: The Union had a unique chance to show that Europe can speak with one voice in the international crises. The failure was as fantastic as the opportunity and it seems that everyone is to blame.- The divergent points of view between the EU members have contributed to dividing European media

Conclusion

• There is no reflection of this issue in the European media to such an extent as to form in the European citizens a consciousness of their identity in issues of defence in supporting the creation of a set of values in this sphere

• We are still far from the appearance of certain values such as European patriotism or solidarity

• Media is granted the role to form the first class European opinion, to cultivate values as European patriotism and solidarity