The Freedom of Expression Project

Programme: Challenges and opportunities for Freedom of Expression: how communication changes are affecting us all

Tuesday 8th May 2007

12.00 Orientation for US participants

20:30 Dinner for all participants

Wednesday 9th May

Day One: Focus on the Latin American landscape – challenges and opportunities

09:30 Introductions
_Roberto Saba (ADC) and Andrew Puddephatt (Global Partners) will introduce the background to the project

10:15 Session One: Introduction to project and key concepts – what is the communications environment in Latin America and how does it affect freedom of expression?

• Free expression issues in Latin America – this introduction will sketch out the key challenges to freedom of expression, to include legal and indirect restrictions, monopoly ownership, regulation in the field of alternative media etc

• Presentation and discussion

11:45 Break

11:30 Session Two: Overview and discussion of free expression issues in Latin America to enable a common understanding of the obstacles and challenges to the realisation of freedom of expression in Latin America. The topics will include:

• the impact of media concentration and monopoly ownership, upon freedom of expression
• direct and indirect censorship and their effects, including the descuado laws
• the view from the USA – comparisons and contrasts

13:00 Lunch

14:30 Session Three: Responding to the challenge.
This session will examine, through Latin American and global case studies, how people have responded to the challenges and obstacles set out in the first session (Latin and US contributors). Such case studies could include

• the importance of new communications technology(particularly the internet) and the opportunities it presents in Latin
• the importance of community radio across the region and its impact
• Providing public content in a private, monopolised media environment
• innovative approaches to IP – what initiatives can bypass attempts to restrict availability of content

Presentations followed by Q&A and discussion.

17:00 Close

Thursday 10th May 2007

Day Two: The networked communications environment

9.30 Session Four: Introduction to the networked communications environment

1. Understanding the networked communications environment as a series of layers.
2. What are the main issues for freedom of expression at each of the layers?

• Physical (Control of infrastructure, including competition, investment, charging)
• Connectivity (Interoperability, open standards)
• Applications (Direct control of access to content)
• Content (Issues affecting the nature of the content available: copyright, fracturing of public opinion, quality of information and discussion)

11.00 Break

11.30 Session Five: The drivers of change

What are the main regulatory and economic factors that are affecting access to and use of communications, and what would be the best regulatory environment to promote access and use for freedom of expression?

• The economics and regulation of:
  1. The internet
  2. Digital radio and television

13.00 Lunch

14.00 Session Six:Implications of the networked communications environment for freedom of expression.

• How can we create an environment conducive for democratic social action?

• How can we create an environment that promotes diversity and plurality of content whilst maintaining a civil public sphere?

16:30 Conclusions and next steps(Linking back to the key challenges and opportunities in Latin America that were outlined on day one)

17:15 Close

18:00 GP/ADC meeting with Ford staff and other donors.

Friday 11th May 2007

09:00 Focus group with participants (not funders)

12.00 Close