Mitterrand+Pflimlin to EuroFora: Digital Horizon open for quality, ethical +innovative On-line Media

Digital Horizon won't be blocked by few anti-deontologic Oligarchs of the Past, but, on the contrary, is wide open for innovative and quality On-Line Media projects respecting Press Ethics and able to bring interesting input usefully contributing to generate new dynamics in the huge potential of the Digital Revolution, replied in substance, Minister of Culture and Communication, Frederic Mitterand, and Head of France-Televisions, Remy Pflimlin, to 2 succesively raised "EuroFora"'s questions, at various occasions this week-end in Strasbourg.
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"EuroFora" reminded to Mitterrand that last year, on November 2009, he had been hindered to visit CoE in Strasbourg for the 1st Annual Journalists' Assizes, by a gross slandering that some manipulators launched at  that precise moment, "remembering" a sentence lost inside a book written ... many Years previously in the Past, repercuting such slandering at their 1st Web-page, etc, so that the Minister had to use a .. High Tech Video transmission at  the last minute then, in order to worn that "On Line Editors should prepare themselves from the beginning of Next Year (2010). However, in fact, things went too fast, with more provoked incidents, and without concrete and well visible Public warnings, so that a few Oligarchs, (f.ex. the same who had notoriously provoked the decline of a previously quality Newspaper as "Le Monde"), practically got in their pockets Hundrends of Thousands € from Taxpayers' money, and the control of the procedure, obviously imposing some "pals", even caricatural, (f.ex. a Local Blog limited for Months into merely copying Press Releases issued by his local Mayor "Socialist" MP !)...

Therefore, "EuroFora" asked Mitterand now : - "Do you think that you have still enough means to ensure that the mecanism due to support (morally and/or financialy) new On-line Media, will not be definitively usurpated by a few old Oligarchs, (as those who, comming from a declining Traditional Press,  got most of the Money earmarked for innovative On-line Media and fagocytated the Decision-making process, sometimes abusing even in a Non-Ethical, Anti-Deontologic way, f.ex. limiting themselves merely into multiplying personal attacks with a series of unverified claims, bellied one after the other, etc) ? Can you ensure that all really Innovative On-line Media Projects, striving to bring Original Content, and respecting elementary Press Ethics and Deontology will have a Chance in a Pluralistic New Digital Society ?"

- "Naturally. We are working on that", the competent Minister of Culture and Communication, positivelly but carefully replied to "EuroFora"'s question.

- In particular, "that's precisely the main Meaning of the Work we are (currently) doing to create a Link (between On-line Editors and) to the Great Loan", Frederic Mitterand ambitiously underlined to "EuroFora".

- For concrete details, "you can see my last Press Conference, yesterday, where you shall find some replies to these problems", as he advised us.

The key French Minister was similarly, positively upbeat, also for another, adjacent "EuroFora"'s question on New Technologies' potential working towards a kind of "Fusion" bringing together various News Media (Text, Audio, Video, Interactive Communications/Conferences, etc), as well as Culture at large, Art, etc), which was much more developed by the new President of "France-Televisions", Remy Pflimlin (See infra).

But, apparently, Mitterand didn't have the occasion to fully realize that "EuroFora"'s main point wasn't on Funds, but on the real Transparency, Flexibility and Pluralism of the Procedure by which could be realized, in real practice, the "aim to encourage the Recognition of those News Websites which really do a good job, of an interesting quality", as State Secretary on Digital Economy, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, had told "Eurofora" earlier in Strasbourg, (See relevant "EuroFora"s Publication).

- Indeed, a "National Fund for the Digital Society",  which "is at the Heart of Investments for the Future...aiming to strengthen and stimulate Growth Potential", was set up on September 2010, with some 4,5 Billions € dedicated to the Digital Economy,  among which, 2,5 Billions € will be dedicated to New Utilisations",  while "750 Millions € were earmarked for the Digitalisation of Cultural, Scientific and Educational Contents, out of the  35 Billion-strong "Great Loan", which includes also Universities, Scientific Research, Industrial Innovation, Climat-Environment, etc., as initially anounced and promised by President Sarkozy, December 2009 in Strasbourg, (See relevant "EuroFora"'s Publication from the event), a joint Press Conference by Mitterand and  State Secretary for Digital Economy's prospects and development, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, has just confirmed.

- "Press" Media are included among a wide choice of "Cultural Contents", such as "Music, Cinema, AV, Photo, Viceo, Artistic Creations, etc", which attracted the interest of Professionals and Economic Actors who participated in a Public Concertation on the possible "Utilisations of Digital" Technologies, which had been launched, early June 2010.  Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet had already positively replied to an "EuroFora"s question on "E-Democracy" projects as possible "New Content" for the "Digital Economy" (See "EuroFora"'s September 2009 NewsReports from a relevant Conference in Paris).

Focusing mainly on the "Legal offer" of "Innovative services", and the "promotion of New ways to valorize the (Press) Editorial contents", as well as "Cultural and Artictic Heritage", etc., the adopted Strategy already pinpointed at some "particularly Exemplary Projects", as, f.ex. "the creation of a Digital Press Gateway".

- "Digital U-turn stands right in front of or eyes", stressed at this occasion Mitterand, expressing his belief that "it's an incredible Chance", and that, facing a galoping Globalization, French and European Culture "will be Digital, or won't be"...

- "Cultural Contents are at the Heart of this Political Ambition", because,  "Digital Ambition" is much larger, and "mustn't be confused with  a mere "Technological Illusion",  neither "Tubes shouldn't be confused with Creation" : "The Success of a Digital Revolution depends from  Services, Uses, Rich and Stimulating Contents, able to project Creators and Cultural Industries to a Worldwide Horizon, in Modern Economy and Tomorrow's Markets".  he observed, launching a call to advance well beyond simply "facing" chances, by starting to "Anticipate" them, and "take  Initiatives".- "Future belongs to those who know how to anticipate : That's what is at stake in the Investments for the Future launched today, despite the context of Financial Difficulties", because a "Good Government must be a Manager, but also a Visionary : Our Task, ...is to preserve and valorize our Heritage, Artistic Creation, as well as our Medias, but also to give Life to those who will be the Cultural assets and Industry, the Medias in 20 - 30 Years" :

 That's why, we should "become a Lever, an Incubator of Ideas and Projects, f.ex. via a "Warned Investors" process, etc<;, "hoping to see you anew in some Months' Time (2011), in order to present also other Ambitious and Innovative Projects", Mitterrand invited. - "We .. must be ready to escort and anticipate these New Practices", favorably "highlighted by various Digital Actors, from Big Groups, Small-Medium or even Very-Small Businesses, Associations, Public Administrations, Individuals, etc"., who "revealed Innovative Projects and recent Initiatives responding to New Needs and Utilisations", he said.

- But "this implies also more Awareness and Vigilance in Ethical terms, as well as in order to protect Creations", by "Checks and Guarantees", he added, pointing precisely at the direction indicated by "EuroFora", when we raised the issue of the need to avoid a pluralist and democratic decision-making process to be, in fact, usurpated only by a few Oligarchs and their cronies (See supra).

 - During the "Next Weeks", "R&D Projects" will be called for a "selection before the end" of 2010, followed by "other Projects", using the "warned Investor" communication, so that "the first funds can start from 2011's first three Months, while Time will be given also for "Projects which wouldn't be entirely ready before the end of 2010, with other calls and declarations of interest, due to be launched "during 2011".

- Meanwhile, the process shall be launched in parallel for more than 3.000 Quality Cinema Films from 1929 onwards to be Digitalized, as well as some 400.000 Books of the 20th Century, ("a Unique project in Europe", as he said), as a first response to USA "Google's Digital Strategy", to  including "a Gateway listing all legal AV and Cinema contents", to which should be added also "new, extended e-Books", which "link f.ex. commentaries, related AV documents, etc. to a classical Text, (etc), while also "Music, Photographs, Art, etc, are also parts of our Heritage awaiting to be Digitalized too.

- In particular, the "Digital multi-platform and inter-operable Gateway", which will "commercialize Digital Contents of many (+On-line) Press Editors", should start operating from 2011, the 2 Ministers confirmed, advancing further in a line of thought certainly useful for On-line Media, but rather discrete on the main point, which is not so much Money, but rather a need to ensure Reconnaissance and Freedom of Press for Quality and Ethical On-line Media, as the State Secretary responsible for Digital Economy recently told "EuroFora" in Strasbourg, (See : ...... ).

Faced more directly with real Facts and Challenges in the emerging On-line Media landscape, the new President of France-Televisions' conglomerate, Rémy Pflimlin, appeared with more concrete, critical Fighting Spirit, when he replied to "EuroFora"s and other Journalists' Questions at two succesive occasions in Strasbourg :

    - "For me, the most Important Message is Innovation and Respect for Citizens", Remy Pflimlin stressed from the outset to "EuroFora". - "I.e. to find a way to make a Public Service TV which attracts the larger Number possible of People, and, (at the same time) is Modern, that's it !", he concluded.

Concerning eventual, selective "Cooperations with "Media on-line", when they are  really innovative and respectful of Press Deontology, f.ex. for creation/promotion of joint events, exchange of News, etc., Remy Pflimlin looked upbeat :  - "Oh yes, certainly : This is (included in) our Vocation, completely", he positively replied to "EuroFora".

Remy Pflimlin has a solid Experience at the Head of Newspapers and other Media, as well as long-time President of the International Modern Music Festival "Musica" in Strasbourg, whose former Mayor, the famous Pierre Pflimlin, his Uncle, served also as f. Prime Minister and President of CoE's Assembly and EU Parliament.

 + For the rest, "I'd Willingly tell you the same things",  recently stressed at an earlier INTW  that "EuroFora" reminded him, Remy Pflimlin added with a smile :

- "I'd like Today, that the Spirit of Innovation and New Territories' Conquest, of the eminently innovative and Ambitious Pioneers of the beginning of TV's History, becomes ours, in front of New Technologies" as "Internet", etc; so that we can be Present at the New Media, and allow those who use f.ex. I-pod, i-phone, etc., to have Access to our quality programs", he had said on the point reminded by "EuroFora".  By doing so, it's precisely "our Public Service mission to be present in all Territories (Geographical and/or Digital, as Internet, etc), and "to be interrelated to our Citizens,  that is going to give us the Best Tools to speak to them", Pflimlin intelligently observed, (apparently advancing in a similar logic including "EuroFora"'s project on Citizens-Politicians Digital a.o. Debates on main EU/CoE Decision-making process).

Ambition and Ethics inevitably brought Pflimlin at a colliding course with some Oligarchs who tried to escape their declining Traditional Newspaper by accaparating Public Funds, procedures, etc. earmarked for New, On-line Media, where they notoriously imported and even aggravated their previous negative stance made out of systematic personal attacks based on unverified claims or rumours, practically without any General Interest Ideas, News or Issues to report : 

 - "That's typically, what I wish to avoid", .. i.e. that kind of Internet's Manipulator "Big Brother going adrift", Pflimlin denounced.

The criticized Oligarch replied  with ...gross Insults (f.ex. calling Pflimlin ..."Donkey", "Idiot", etc.), threats, etc., but few, if any, arguments, and pushed the secretariat of his trade union to claim that a local ..Court would have acquitted him as if he would have done nothing wrong...

Even this week of late September, his State-funded website's 1st page headlines, astonishingly, have no other news whataever but only to persist repeating since .. July (i.e. 3 Months-long !!!), a series of various controversial claims against the private and Family Life of the Minister of Labour, and that of the daughter/wife of the founder/manager of France's International cosmetics company "L'Oreal" (which co-organizes with UNESCO the "Women in Science" awards Worldwide)...

"EuroFora"'s team resolutely stands together with all those who find simply Scandalous, Unacceptable (and an obviously damaging  Unfair Competition against the emergence of really New Web Media respecting Press Deontology and eager to publish original News of General Interest for the Society), to ....waste Taxpayers' Money (i.e. paid even by Poor People via VAT+) in order to Fund with Hundred Thousands €  a few old Oligarchs, who, after notoriously destroying, and pushing to Bankruptcy (from which it escaped only by losing Journalists' Independence : i.e. by being sold to  a .. Millionaire funding a failed "Socialist" politician) a Newspaper which was a Reference for Seriousness and Quality in the past  : "Le Monde", by attempting to change it into a partisan Mouthpiece launching makeshift, dubious Personal Aggressions against Political adversaries that it's unable to face in a Democratic Debate on Ideas, Political and SocioEconomic issues, (F.ex. the infamous, fake "Baudis" so-called "affair", which proved to be false, after provoking years of damages to the victims, including the 2009 Elected MEP, etc. ) "Le Monde'"s drift was well-documented and brillantly criticized by independent investigative Journalist Pierre Pean's book "the other side of the "Monde"", published in 2003, after which, a Massive Readers' departure was spectacularly marked. "Le Monde"'s Journalists reacted (too late) by ousting their former CEOs, who fled to the Web, apparently ready  to ... re-start doing the Same thing again, committing similar, and even more grave Abuses, with much more systematic Harassment and Personal Aggressions against Individual persons, Politicians, etc.

"EuroFora" Project's team,(who've met Péan in Strasbourg earlier), friends and readers stand for a Honest, Creative, Safe and Free Internet for all Democratic People sincerely open to Public Debates on Topical News and Ideas of General Interest for the Society, and strongly oppose systematic personal aggressions based on shaky indications, most of which prove to be false or exagerated.

- Meanwhile, "Sensitive to the Choice of the Moment : f.ex. when the Sunlight is at its best" , as he said in the Afternoon, before Sunset, at Strasbourg's Historic Rohan Palace Museum, (one of the few to host unique items all the way from Constantin the Great, founder of Byzantine Empire and Liberator of Christians and Slaves, who saw Strasbourg's crossroads on his way from Scotland, where his Father was exiled by the declining Roman Empire, towards Rome, where he won the famous battle with the Cross, up to the great Napoleon Bonaparte's astonishingly functional chamber, ready to serve for his  grandiose Battle plans), after witnessing the "superb Architecture" of Strasbourg's MAMCS (Modern/Contemporary Art), and before being "impressed" by the European Resistant-Deportee Center, at the former NAZI Camp of Struthof, and the Alsace-Lorraine "Memorial", followed by a fast-track visit to the Highest Cathedral in Europe, where he was surprised to find how close the Historic, grandiose Building had been with People's lives, (sometimes even noted at  its external walls), throughout Centuries, Mitterand promissed to return soon to Strasbourg, but, this time at the CoE+  :

Fréderic Mitterand said to "Eurofora" that he "will be visiting" Strasbourg anew and spontaneously saluted us by a "See you soon ("à bientôt") word, clearly indicating that he might back for an official visit soon, probably for the Annual Journalism's Assizes on mid November at the CoE (See supra), and, after being momentaneously surprised, at the end, without saying anything, he returned a big Smile to "EuroFora"'s critical remark that People "hope" to see that "there is Life even ..after Mediapart" (as is named one of the former "Le Monde's CEO's, State-funded Website)...

 Mitterand had briefly worked himself as a Journalist (for Art/Cinema issues) at a pioneer attempt to create a serious, quality Media (Newspaper "J'informe") able to compete against some trends visible after a controversial U-turn, importing aggressions and partiality  in the formerlly serious and objective Newspaper "Le Monde",  launched by an atypical, original visionary politician :  Jean Fontanet, who was murdered in 1980, without ever finding who and why killed him.

- "Europe must be a Great Plan, expressed via a certain idea for International relations, a certain idea for Democracy, a certain idea for Social progres and Economic development", he said. "For the European unity to become anew an idea for the  Future, we must (now) drop the too partial and too specialized approaches of the previous decades", (1960-1970). Pointing at "the potentialiities enriching the European concept", he launched a call not to drop, "by lack of Imagination and Creative Initiatives, a Big Chance that History gave to our continent",(Editorial "J'informe", 23 octobre 1977).

Even if Fontanet's Newspaper astonishingly "disappeared" too fast, before 1978, on the contrary, many of the People he had chosen to hire as Journalists then, (most of them, for the 1st time), are still Today, on 2010, at various key Jobs as International NGOs' founders, Ministers, Presidential Counselors , Editors, etc.

As a recent French National Assembly's Report on New Media and attempts to create New Newspapers (including by Fontanet), reminds, classic British Philosopher John Milton's, 1644 London moto, would fit perfectly well "EuroFora"'s 1997-2007' born project : - "Above all liberties", "Give me the Liberty to Know, to Utter, and to Argue (debate) freely, according to Conscience".

 Minister Mitterand joined at Rhine Opera Rémy Pflimlin , also Chairman of International Music Festiaval "Musica", focusing in 2010 on Xenakis,  (who died in 2001, shortly after Pierre Pflimlin : 1999, but long after creating in Strasbourg  "Idmen" for the "Europa Cantat" festival back in 1985, following the unforgettable "Persephasa", with "Strasbourg's Percussions", as early as since 1969). As the Franco-Greek Modern Music  composer and thinker Yannis Xenakis had stressed (speaking of Music, as others do for Internet) : - "Music is .. Energy. The question .. is how to use that Energy".. 

The 1st Newspaper to go fully on-line, USA's traditional quality paper the famous "Christian Science Monitor", had resumed its Web Vision at that October 28, 2008 crucial date when his Editor Yamma stressed that : - "Internet is its own Medium - it's about User Response - a New way for telling stories in Internet that we have to find out", (without falling f.ex. to the old trap of those who had started to use TV as a Radio in a remote Past of similar New Media transformation). CSM's Director anounced that his Pioneer team was "going to Embark in a kind of a fairly grand Journalistic Expedition now" at the World wide web, "so that Journalists can go on doing this Global, Analytical Press coverage that we call "the Human Dimension behind the International events", even with a "Non-Profit" Entity, based not only on subsidies and/or endowments, etc., but also , more and more, f.ex. on "Web advertising (which) is already bigger than Print advertising",  as he observed already in 2008, (largely confirmed  by recent Statistics throughout all US Media), using also "E-mail" distribution, as well as "Syndication" and other "Ideas on (how to develop) an Internet News Website".

- "Truth" not only respects Human Dignity and Freedom by addressing itself to a reasoning and independent Person's judgement, so that "fidelity to  Truth, ..is (a) guarantee of Freedom ..and of ...Human Development", but it also "creates Dia-Logos (i.e. democratic Debate), and hence Communication" between  People, and "is the Light (of Reason and/or Faith) "that gives Meaning", which "can be understood..., shared and communicated", stressed Pope Benedict in his landmark 2006 Regensburg University speech and 2009 "Caritas in Veritate" Encyclical, on which "EuroFora" briefly spoke with Strasbourg Cathedral's representatives while waiting for Mitterrand's visit, regretting that we here hindered to attend an important Conference recently organized by COMECE at EU Parliament's building in Brussels, the same Day that, among other exceptional events, ECHR was publishing in Strasbourg a landmark Judgement on the cold-blood Murder of Armenian Journalist Hrant Dink in Turkey, (See "EuroFora"s relevant Publication, dated September 14).  Moreover, the "convergence" of "Greek Logos" and "Biblical (i.e. Judeo-Christian) Faith"added" to "the Roman Heritage", culturally "created Europe", and ("even Today") "remains the Foundation of what can rightly be called Europe", he stressed already at the 1st of these two occasions.

By a coincidence, these same days, World-wide Open Source movement Pioneers at "Mozilla" Labs' website exceptionally published a Breakthrough Invention for a New Mobile Phone able to use Light in astonishing ways, such as, f.ex. to easily monitor 3D Images, use Immaterial I.R. Keypad anywhere, project Video-Films  on any Wall, etc., which could help bring closer a long-expected "Fusion" between all Media : Text, Audio, Video, interactive Com., etc., via Internet.  "SeaBird"'s (as is called that innovative Mobile Phone Project) Mozilla eye-catching presentation topically uses a sympathetic, fresh Young Musical Rock Group "Submarines"' song, precisely called "Modern Invention", astonishingly close to ...On-line Media Press Deontology :

- "..Didn't I make you feel to have the Mind to reconcile the TRUTH, in this Troubled Times ?", critically asks their song - But, "Good Machines don't lie !", they stress.  And all Conclusions result from  that, crucial fact : - "From here, we roll on. From here, we roll on"..., the young group's "Modern Invention" song stresses in conclusion.

Nice, instructive and timely readings for Hundreds of Thousands € - rich, old Dinosauric Oligarchs' fans (See supra)...