The Israel Democracy Institute’s (IDI) Media and Democracy project is dedicated to research new forms of communication and their influence on public discourse. As part of their project, they aim to put the identity, role and importance of public broadcasting in the information age on the public agenda.
Conference speakers presented different perspectives on the functioning of public broadcasting in view of multiple channels, problems of funding, similar activity in other media outlets, and more. One central issue questioned if one of the roles of public broadcasting in the information age is to bridge the digital gap by allowing for minimal broadband communication to the entire population, at a reasonable price.
There were two panels at the conference, one international, the other about Israel.
In the International panel, the General Manager of the BBC, and other leading researchers from the USA, Holland and Germany participated. This panel shed light on how different Western countries each deal with issues and challenges facing public broadcasting today.
In the Second panel, Israeli perspectives were discussed.
The Second panel was dedicated to Professor Dan Caspi, marking his 60th birthday. Professor Caspi is one of the leading communication researchers in Israel, and this conference served as an opportunity for his colleagues and students to express their appreciation for his immense efforts.
PANEL 1: THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING IN THE INFORMATION AGE:
INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES
5:00p.m. - 6:30p.m. (in English)
Greetings: Dr. Arye Carmon, President, Israel Democracy Institute.
Chair: Prof. Yaron Ezrahi, Political Science Department, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Presentations:
Prof. Benjamin Compaine, MIT Program on Internet & Telecoms
Convergence, “Public Broadcasting in America: An Institution without a
Mission?” (via video conference).
Prof. Nico van Eijk, Institute for Information Law (IViR), University of
Amsterdam, “Public Service Broadcasting and the European Union”.
Dr. Nanne Priebs, Center for Media and Communication Studies, Central
European University in Budapest “From Public Service Broadcasting to
Public Service Communications - Public Service, Public Sector and
Proportionality”.
Dr. Simonetta Della Seta, Director, Institute of Italian Culture, Tel Aviv,
“Public Broadcasting in Italy”.
Mr. Mark Thompson, General Manager, BBC, “The Future of the British
Public Service Broadcasting” (via video conference).
Ms. Orli Soker, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Sapir Academic
College, “The Reunification of German Public Radio”.
PANEL 2: THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC BRAODCASTING IN ISRAEL:
OLD GOALS IN A NEW ERA
This session will be held in honor of Prof. Dan Caspi to mark his 60th birthday.
7:00p.m. - 9:00p.m. (Proceedings will be held in Hebrew with simultaneous translation into English.)
Greetings: Prof. Emanuel Gutman, the Political Science Department, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Chair: Adv. Dr. Tehilla Shwartz-Altschuler, the Israel Democracy Institute and Bar Ilan University
Presentations
Ra’anan Dinur, Director General of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and Chairman of the Dinur Committee for the Examination of Public Braodcasting in Israel
Prof. Amit Schejter, Penn State University “500 Channels and Nobody to Talk to.”
Ya’ir Aloni, Avi Benyahu, Nehama Leor, Oren Tokatlty, Dr. Yuval Karniel.
Response: Prof. Yehiel Limor, Head of the Communication Faculty at the Sapir Academic College.
*The seminar was broadcasted live on the Israel Democracy Institute’s website.