Media+Culture CEO Pflimlin to EF: WebNews can Boost Democratic Debate +EU has Digital Potential, but

 

*Strasbourg/Press Club/Angelo Marcopolo/- Nowadays, "we must Advance Further" on WebNews Democratic Debates in Europe, which has, indeed, an important "Potential" also for the Internet, but also to Face a Big Global Competition, mainly from some US-based Multinational Companies. So that, Today, some good European "Initiatives" are Needed, replied, in substance, to a Double relevant Question of "Eurofora", the Experienced long-time f. CEO of "France-Televisions" Big Media Conglomerate and mainstream Newspapers, recently apointed State Counselor on Social Legislation Issues, President Rémy Pflimlin,

by a Symbolic Coincidence just a few Hours before an Exceptional Quality Artistic Event at the official Opening of the Internationaly known 2016 "Musica" Festival in Strasbourg (that he Chairs since 30 Years), with a Unique representation of World Famous Stanley Kubrick's Mystic Science Fiction film "Space Odyssey" (1968), notoriously Focused on Humanity's Past and mainly Future, whose landmark Musical pieces are now played "Live" by a Big Orchestra, at the recently reNovated "Music and Congresses Palace", later this Evening, in the presence of New French Minister of Culture, Mrs Azouley, and various other French and/or more widely European a.o. Officials, (See Infra).

- "Eurofora"'s Double Question had pointed at the 2 main Characteristics with which Pflimlin had presented Strasbourg's Annual "Musica" Festival, i.e. Historic Cultural Heritage and Modern Creation, in order to evoke Europe's Potential at the Internet Today, First at as far as Web's New Possibities to Boost Democratic Public Debates, also at a European level area, including around Media's Press work in Topical Dialogue with interested EU Citizens, in Addition to Web Forums, but also on Digital Economy as such, given, in particular, several Concrete Examples, concerning Both Hardware and Software. (F.ex. going from the 1st SmartPhone in History : made by Finland's "Nokia", as well as Mobile Phone's "Chip", invented in France, etc., up to Browsers, such as "Opera", "Vivaldi", "Quzilla" etc, Search Engines as "AllTheWeb" -bought by USA's "Yahoo" -, "Qwant", etc, Communication Tools as "Skype", created by Skandinavians - also bought by a USA Company - France's "LinPhone" - selected by German mainstream Media "Die Welt" since 2013 - but even Russia's "Telegraph" or Iceland's new "Unseen Messenger",  Operation Systems as "Linux"' various offsprings, initialy launched from Finland, "CMS" such as Germany's "Typo3", France's "2Evolution" and "SPIP", or Greece's "Elxis", etc, AudioVisual applications such as "VLC" from France, etc). All this, naturaly, Added to a particulary "Rich" Content, given also Europe's Long, Diverse, but Converging Cultural Heritage, as well as, more Recently "Boillant" Political Exchanges. Instead of risking to be, eventualy, Pessimistic, f.ex. by leaning to speculate that, perhaps, it might already be "Too Late" for Europe to Catch Up in that domain of action, or abstractly "Optimistic" only in Vague terms, i.e. threatened to miss an Historic Opportunity and Vital Need for Europe to "simply" become, at least Today, seriously and Resolutely "Voluntaristic" and Start, at last, to Make Good "Use of that Potential", in such a Globaly Crucial, Strategic Area.

- "On your First Question, You are a Thousand Times Right : I.e., I have spoken about the Emerging Social Networks. What appears to be, Today, of a Fundamental Importance, is to be Able to Create everywhere New Areas ... for Public Debate", President Rémy Pflimlin sharply Replied to "Eurofora"s abobe-mentioned Double Query.

- "And to Say, thanks to Digital Technologies, to Social Neworks and Other (Modern) outlets that we can Create : <<So, Let's Debate !>>

 - "You know, when we have, f.ex. a Website as that of "FranceTV-Info", which is (nowadays) the 3rd WebNews site (in France) just after that of "Figaro" (mainstream, Large-circulation Newspaper, near to that of its main competitor "Le Monde"), "we have Created such Areas where People could react" vis a vis published NewsArticles, on various Topical Issues, etc. "And this Worked Fine, Immediately !", he went on to add, as a matter of concrete example for a French-Speaking public.

=> -  "But, now, we must Advance much Further", Rémy Pflimlin Urged Today, going-on in his Reply to "Eurofora"s 1st Question about WebNews Citizens Debates on Decisions about Topical Issues, (Comp. Supra). "And, I think that, claim, Tomorrow, that the Democratic Expression won't exist but only around an old Mig-Mar (as just a National Parliament, or a Prince's Court, etc), would be false, he Warned.

- In fact, "it's around a Final Deal that will lay the Key Elements" for Democratic Debates in Future : F.ex.,  - "I let you (EU Citizens) Speak in a Debate, in Exchange of an Informed Opinion, Democratically expressed", he suggested in this regard.

Pflimlin considers, by the way, that "the Most Important" recent Development about NewsMedia "is the Digital Revolution", which unfolded "with an Incredible Speed", and "was rapidly Adopted by (Internet) Users". Even if, until now, "the Real Problem" about "WebMedia" is "how, the News-Content, which is at the Heart of their Added Value, could transform these New Technologies into an Economicaly Sustainable Model" : "Something that Nobody (in the World) didn't manage to Find yet", as he noted earlier.

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+ "As for ("Eurofora"s 2nd Question on) the Digital (Society), I am Not Pessimistic at all", about Europe's Potential, Pflimlin Agreed, (Comp. Supra).

- "But, what I'm saying is, Simply, that we'll have to Face also some American Giants, which are currently in the process of taking some Incredible Positions" accross the Global Economy, he pointed out.

 - F.ex., "just have a Look on what is Going-on, Today, in the Field of Health, which is Developing Fast, or those Cars withOut Driver, etc., he HighLighted, citting, inter alia, some Recently notorious "Google" and/or "Apple" New Projects.

- "Now, its True that there are in Europe, several People who can Create things, there are various Inventions and/or Initiatives wich can work well, etc", he observed.

 >>> - "But, when it comes to Situate outselves (EU+) at a Global Scale, we Must Achieve, around what we (Europe) are, our Culture, our Know-How, our Peuple, to capture this Digital World, and Take certain Initiatives", Pflimlin positively Urged.

 - "There isn't any reason for us to fail doing so. However, once again, in Today's Global Competition, there are some Incredible Moves recently unfolding", he Warned anew.

- "Naturally, Europe currently Tries to Defend itself" : F.ex., "what is Going on Today, about EU Commission trying to say to some MultiNational Companies that they must Pay their Taxes", etc. As well as "what is going on (even) inside the USA" themselves, "with Anti-Trust taking action about "Google" and/or "Apple", etc, "we can clearly see that Societies are currently Wondering" about what they should better do, he observed.

=> "In Consequence, we (EU) Must Support some good Initiatives", President Rémy Pflimlin concluded his Reply to "Eurofora"s 2nd Question, (Comp. Supra).

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"Digital" Economy and Society was also at the Focus of the latest, Exceptional EU-27 Heads of State/Government's Post-BREXIT Summit lastweek at Bratislava, which clearly mentioned that in its Official Conclusions, together with a Timely Call to "Focus on (EU) Citizens' Expectations", (See, among others, also at relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReports from Bratislava, f.ex. at : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/bratislavasummitoutcome.html).

German Chancelor Angie Merkel, had already kick-Started, as Early as since a landmark "Post-Snowden" October 2013 EU Brussels Summit, ( Comp. "Eurofora"s NewsReports from that 10/2013 EU Brussels' Summit, inter alia, also f.ex., at : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/merkelandeuonobamawebspying.html +http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/eusummitandwebspyingplusblockade.html), i.e. when she had just marked an Exceptionaly Strong Political Win at the latest National Elections with almost 40%, (Comp. "Eurofora"s NewReport from her "Debut" in that Electoral Campaign at Ludwigshafen : ....), while also being, then, Exceptionaly Autonomous at the Head of the Government, before making inevitable Concessions at certain Coalition attempts with Other Parties, later-on that year, which Coincided with an, astonishingly, much Lesser Franco-German involvement on Internet issues, after also some Other Developments, including Top Officials' Visits to US President Obama's North American Washington DC, etc, as "Eurofora" was surprized to find at the subsequent, December 2013 EU Brussels' Summit. Comp. f.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/brokonusareportaboutnsa.html + ...).

Significanty, however, Germany's 2009-2019 EU Commissioner Günter Oettinger, from nearby Baden-Wurttemberg Region, (Comp. various Oettinger's Replies to "Eurofora"'s Questions, already as early as since 2009+, f.ex. at : ..... + ... + ...), passed from Energy to Digital Economy since 2014. Relevant seems also to be, inter alia, the last-minute initiative taken by French Prime Minister Manuel Valls, to take, Together with him, during an Exceptionaly Important Meeting, recently in Strasbourg, the Minister for Innovation and Internet, Axelle Lemaire, (Comp. Minister A.Lemaire's Statements to "Eurofora", f.ex. at : ...), at the International Space University, with a Group of Universitarians and High-Tech Companies CEOs, etc., shortly before some Important, Long-term Decisions on Funding High-Tech Research and Technological Innovation, Strategic Projects in Strasbourg's region, at the Borders of 5 European Countries: France - Germany - Switzerland - Luxembourg - Belgium, (See "Eurofora"s NewsReport from that event, at : ....).

While Experienced President of ChristianDemocrat/EPP Political Parties, HeadQuartered in Brussels, former EU Parliament EPP Group of MEPs' Chairman, Joseph Daul from Strasbourg, has Recently anounced, at an Earlier Conference at Strasbourg's University/European Doctoral..., his Intention to Incite, Next Year, the New French President, who shall emerge from the forthcoming Presidential Elections of April-May 2017, to launch a brand-New Initiative (most likely Franco-German+) "on Internet Communications", apparently SmartPhones and relevant High-Tech Phone Networks, including Both Hardware and Software, as well as Communication Lines.

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Pflimlin was speaking during a Working Press-Lunch, organized by Strasbourg-Europe's Press Club, (the Same Day that Internationaly Famous "Musica" Festival is officialy Inaugurated by Minister of Culture,  Azoulay, with an Original Music Orchestra-accompanied Version of Stanley Kubrick's "Space Odyssey" spectacular Film , in the recently reNovated "PMC" Mega-Building, later this Evening, concerning an Annual Event which epreads from September up to October 2016), at the popular and Historic "Ancienne Douane" Building, which, in addition to a Multi-Modal Restaurant and Meeting Rooms' Company (often used also for CoE's PanEuropean Assembly's Political Groups' gatherings, and, recently, for Journalists Covering Strasbourg's Franco-German-EU Parliament Summit between Presidents Schulz and Hollande with Chancelor Merkel, on February 2016 : Comp. f.ex. ....), Hosts both a Classic Art Museum and a New Digital Audio-Visual start-up Business outlet, etc.

Rémy Pflimlin is also Nephew of Historic former Prime Minister of France, f. President of EU Parliament and CoE's PanEuropean Assembly, as well as f. Long-time Mayor of Strasbourg, Pierre Pflimlin, a De Gaulle-friendly ChristianDemocrat/EPP Politician whom "Eurofora" had a Chance to meet at his Landmark 1997 Speech on Europe's Future, when he was Aged 90 y.o. (but looking More Active, Energetic and Motivated than a Young Man) at a CoE's Hemicycle full of interesting People. He passed away around 1999-2000, but a Statue of him, Welcoming European Visitors wih a smile, stands at the Splendid "Orangerie" Gardens (reportedly build by Napoleon) right in front of PanEuropean CoE's main Building, at Strasbourg's "European Quarter", while the Biggest, and recently entirely ReNovated Music, Exhibition Centre and Congresses Palace (PMC), whose New Look has just been officialy inaugurated Last Week, still bears his Name. For Hand-written Dedicacies to "Eurofora"'s co-Founder, by Experienced Long-Time Chief Editor of Strasbourg's main Newspaper "DNA", Alain Howiller, and EU Parliament's 1st Press Director, Paul Collowald, of a recent Book which published certain Key Original Extracts from that Landmark Pflimlin Speech, pleading for a Re-Launch of Europe, this time "based on Spirit", i.e. mainly on Moral and Cultural Values, see, f.ex., "Eurofora"s NewsReport on "Pflimlin : Honouring the Memory of the Man who Wanted to Build Europe on the Mountains, based on Spirit" : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/irish/pflimlin.html).

Topicaly, Remy Pflimlin expressed Today, speaking with Strasbourg's Journalists, including "Eurofora", his regret for the Fact that, at least until Now, both French and all-Europe public Debates at the Political Fora don't yet refer, vigorously enough, to "Culture"s potential Role in nowadays Society, contrary to what was done in an Historic Past, (f.ex. with De Gaulle's World Famous Culture Minister and Writer, André Malraux, as well as with former French Prime Minister, EU Parliament's and CoE Assembly's President, as well as Mayor of Strasbourg, Pierre Pflimlin's above mentioned landmark CoE Speech : Comp^. Supra).

The additional Fact that this Move came right at the precise Moment (i.e. just after a Crucial 1st EU-27 Heads of State/Governments' Post-BREXIT Summit at Bratislava, due to Focus on EU's most Urgent Measures to Face the Biggest Challenges of Nowadays, and to prepare a RoadMap for Re-Launching anew a fresh, Top Political Debate on Europe's Future -due to be more Concretely Shaped on Spring 1997, on the occasion of an Exceptional EU 60th Anniverasry Summit scheduled in Rome, as EU Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker has just anounced at EU Parliament in Strasbourg last week, (Comp., f.ex. : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/junckercallsstatesandcitizenstobuildtogetherabettereurope.html + ....) - obviously, deserves to be noticed.

As for this year's "Musica" Festival in Strasbourg, September-October 2016, Pflimlin mentioned, inter alia, also Stanley Kubrick's "Space Odyssey" World-Famous Science Fiction film, which is Now due to be Played, for the 1st Time, Together with a Series of Big Orchestra "Live" Music, interpreting, f.ex. Strauss' "Blue Danube valse", "Also Sprach Zarathustra", and Ligeti's "Requiem", "Lux Aeterna", etc, in Cooperation with USA's "Warner Bross" and UK's "British Film Institut", as well as German Bavaria's "Munchener KammerOrchestrer" at the Historic, over-Millenary Strasbourg's Cathedral, playing an Orignal Music and Historic Religious Text Creation, artfuly Combining 2 Composer's works, from Italy and France, (one initialy presented as "Disputatio" at Berlin's 2014 Festival, based on a Text by an English Theologian of the 8th Century), confronted to a "Requiem" by French Composer Duruflé at the immediate 2nd World War's Aftermath.

By a Coincidence, partly Rectifying with a Kind Smile an initial Mention, by a Collegue Journalist, of the Long Experience that that Rémy Pflimlin has got also as Chairman of that Annual Modern "Musica" Festival in Strasbourg "for more than 15 Years", he obseved that, "in Fact, it's More than the Double : i.e. 30 Years now" that he is Working on that Event, "Starting already as early as from the Beginning of the 1980ies", which Matches also "Eurofora" co-Founders' meeting with his Wife, while PhD Students in Law at Strasbourg's University, Marriage and Birth in Strasbourg of our Son, currently a French ExPat. working as Natural Science Professor abroad, who, however, didn't yet found a Chance to personaly hear "Musica"-supported, Original Creations until now, as a Young Adult, (except, perhaps, when he was still just a Human Embryo in his Mother's Womb) !

International Competition to Europe, in nowadays Global Economy, as Rémy Pflimlin warned on the occasion of another Topical Issue (Comp. Supra), is, indeed, quite Strong, but it's Not Only purely American...