Introduction

The undersigned, individuals, representatives of bodies, institutions and social organisations, parents' associations, consumer and user associations, teachers, experts in the field of communication and education, and the citizenry in general

From our commitment and common interest in efficiently exploiting the enormous advantages offered by the media and information technologies (IT) for the educational and cultural development of our society

From our common concern about the gradual deterioration undergone by the contents of television programming and the absence of solid alternatives considered for enhancing the development of children and young people through this means of communication as well as through “other screens”

Do hereby make public the following Declaration of Madrid, about Education and the Media, known as The Bay of the Five Winds, in the hope that new educational winds will blow through our society of information and communication to the benefit of us all.

Madrid, 9th February 2005

PS1. Only if each member of the society becomes aware of the importance of this matter will a ray of hope be glimpsed on the horizon. This is why we ask you to join this Declaration of Madrid about Education and the Media, known as “The Bay of the Five Winds”.

PS2. After the reading of this Declaration of Madrid, on 9th February 2005 in Madrid, we are planning to read it and make it known in Cairo (Egypt, March 2005), Brussels (Belgium, European Parliament and EC, April 2005), New York (USA, June 2005) and in other cities around the world, coinciding with the celebration of events related to “media literacy”.

Considerations

1. The media are priority tools for providing leisure, entertainment and, in a more detailed way, education for Spanish boys and girls. Television continues to be the most followed by the child viewer. Children live in a state of defencelessness in the face of traditional media and the information and communication systems developed in recent years by digital technology. Boys and girls have easy access to unsuitable contents. At the same time, there is a lack of attractive and quality supply for the young that can provide a variety of genres and education in values, as the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child points out. It expressly includes the right for all children to have access to the media (Art. 17) and freedom of expression (Art. 13).

2. In recent years there has been a profound regression in the development of media education (media literacy), despite the enormous importance played by the media in the acquisition of knowledge and values, habits and conduct and, in short, in the potential capacity for contributing to preparing persons to be more active, more critical, communicatively more competent and, subsequently, freer.

3. The defencelessness and training deficiencies described can be even more serious in the current stage of digitilisation and technological convergence. Without appropriate education in the use of the media and information technologies we run a real risk of family breakdown, coupled with a real social breakdown, provoked by the often denounced digital breach between the info-rich and the info-poor. There is also a real danger of a gradual deterioration of the democratic system, which is increasingly subjected to the influence of large corporations, as well as an increased risk of citizen manipulation from both a political and economic perspective.

4. It is vital for a new model of social communication to be attained so as to ensure the participation in public decision-making of all the agents involved: administrations, companies, creative and information professionals, experts, mothers, fathers and users in general. A new model that will recognise the strategic and future importance of education in communication.

5. Children must be participants and priority recipients of an education for communication. Mothers, fathers and educators in general must be able to count on the teaching assistance required for the provision of tools for educating the young. This assistance will, in turn, contribute to the appropriate positive exploitation of new screens, media and information systems and will facilitate critical training for citizens.

Demands

1. The obligatory compliance with national and international legislation (Community Directive of Television without Frontiers) in matters of communication, especially concerning the “protection, promotion and defence” of the rights of minors, not only by the State but also on the part of private enterprise.

2. The creation, in the shortest time possible, of a plural and independent, national Audiovisual Council, charged with supervising compliance of legislation and with a sanctioning capacity. A Council to foster self-regulation, defend freedom of expression, protect minors and receive citizens’ demands.

3. The design of a plan for overall education in communication to ensure training in the use of the media and information technologies, in addition to message preparation and analysis. This education in communication must facilitate dialogue among children, young people and adults in school and family environments, promote creativity and foster a capacity for critical and self-critical analysis.

4. The inclusion and recognition of education in communication and of teaching about the media and information technologies in school programmes, from a cross-sectional perspective, which is both integrally technological and communicative. Such training shall not be restricted to discovering specific technical and expressive resources but shall provide tools for understanding the world and knowing how to behave in it. The media show views of the world that influence social behaviour and the potential ethical maturity of children and young people. An analysis of audiovisual and multimedia messages and message production by younger people, so that they can make their voice heard, will contribute to reinforcing their maturity as responsible citizens.

5. The development of a communication policy by governments to guarantee plurality of supply, the existence of independent content suppliers, the maintenance of non-profit-making public and social operators and promotion of coordinated policies from a local, autonomous, national, European and international perspective that boost the visibility of design, production and circulation of quality contents, useful for education and innovative and positive for children. To this end, we propose designing specific programmes for children, specialised and segmented according to age groups, to enhance compliance with the rights of boys and girls and young people in this field.