The struggle for communication.

The IMC of the world are the most appropriate space for discussions and proposals around the right to communication. The hemisphere, the continent and the world were, are and will be affected by what happens to almost the 200,000,000 (two hundred million) Brazilian citizens. We are all together on this ship in danger that is the planet earth. No one is alone or alone can solve the most serious problems.

Join us in the struggle for installation of the National Forum for Democratization of Communication, which depends on the signature of President Lula, until December 31, 2008, to take place in 2009.

Ask the president to do so at https: / / sistema.planalto.gov.br/falepr2/index.php

Government of brazilian Paraná state supports implementation of the National Forum of Communication



The governor Roberto Requiao met in the Palace of Araucarias in Curitiba, with the President of the Syndicate of Journalists, Aniel Almeida, the director of Corporate Defense of the Syndicate, Marcio Rodrigues, and with Rachel Braguetto, a member of the organization of civil society Intervozes . They asked the governor to support the attainment, by the Federal Government, of the National Forum for Democratization of Communication. Requiao said he supports the initiative.

Members of the Committee explained that the President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva must sign it till December the 31th, this year, the decree calling the Forum. Only this way it can be held at 2009. Thus, Requiao said he supports the Paraná State's Committee and that he will send an official request to the president for promoting the National Forum - a call that was also recorded for transmission in Parana State's Government Radio and TV.

"I make my appeal to the President of the Republic to encamp the convening of a National Conference on Communication and we already put RTVE, the television of the Government of Parana, to the meeting. The commander of the Agency (of news) of Government, Benedito Pires, will be providing all possible support to the organization of Parana's section and to the development of the national meeting, "said Requiao.

"They put me a very precise focus: the right of citizenship to the communication. I think this is fundamental to any democracy. Democracy is a system that carries the opinion of the majority, but is defined by its content, and the content of democracy is freedom. Freedom of expression, of any minority that, by disseminating its point of view, can get majorities, too. I do not see in the proposal a corporate approach, but yes democratic and citizen, "the governor stressed.

Marcio thinks the support of the government of Parana is important to "press" the Federal Government to convene the Forum. "It is important to hold this discussion in Parana so that we can, organized, build a proposal to bring the Forum and can modify a law that is obsolete, unsuccessful. We need to discuss a new legislation for the whole area of communication," he said.

According to Aniel, the idea is that the State Committees promote discussions to outline the main problems in the area of communication and, from there, the National Forum discusses proposals for improvement. However, some points are already consensus between the organizations as the system of public concessions and the situation of community radios and TVs. The fact that much of the Brazilian media is in the hands of politicians was another point highlighted.

The president of the Union stressed the need to establish a regulatory frame for journalism and to discuss the content served by private TVs. "This discussion has to pass by the public. At Paraná, we have done a public hearing at Legislative Assembly and a debate at Ponta Grossa (an important Paran's city) with all organizations involved in the State Committee", he said.

Rachel says communication is a human right, hence the importance of the Forum. "We gave up the communication right to gain access to other fundamental rights such as health, education and housing. Because this government is extremely progressive and has been placed on many occasions for human rights, we believe that the governor has the role to join us , "He said.

The State Committee, created in October during the hearing in the Legislative Assembly, consists of more than 18 entities, as Board of Psychology, National Federation of Journalists, APP Union, Coordination of Social Movements, Sole Workers Central, among other institutions.