Sweden

[SE] National Council for Pluralism in the Media

IRIS 1995-4:1/23

Jens Cavallin

Council for Pluralism in the media, Sweden

On 7 March 1995 the Swedish Government announced the establishment of a National Council for Pluralism in the Media. Its general mandate is to safeguard freedom of expression by promoting pluralism in the media. The Council will submit a concluding report by summer 1998, when its future will be reconsidered.

The tasks of the Council are: · to monitor and analyze developments - international, national, regional and local - in the mass media, in particular tendencies towards concentrations of ownership and other forms of influence on the media; · to participate in the public debate on pluralism and concentration of power within the mass media; · to examine and suggest measures to promote pluralism and competition. Amoung possible measures to be examined are voluntary agreements between actors in the media market and legislation. Chairman of the Council is Johan Munck, Justice of the Supreme Court; the other six members are university professors and media professionals. The head of its secretariat is Dr Jens Cavalin. The Council is eager to establish contacts with similar bodies in other countries. It will be the Swedish correspondent to the Council of Europe in matters regarding pluralism in the media. The address is: Swedish Council for Pluralism in the Media, Ministry of Culture, S-10333 Stockholm, tel.: +46 8 4053004 (Principal Secretary) and +46 8 4053570 (Office); fax: +46 8 241727. See also IRIS 1995-1: 15.