[A2k] EU: Commission meeting with editors- in chief + accessible web consultation launched

[Michelle Childs]

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
Couple of Press release maybe of interest to this list. Follow link
for more details
PRESS RELEASE
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1091&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
Nine editors-in-chief mull future of written press and media pluralism
with Commission
(3 July 2008)EU Media Commissioner Viviane Reding will meet today nine
editors-in-chief of European newspapers such as Le Monde (France) and
Lidove Noviny (Czech Republic) in what is becoming a staple high-level
dialogue on the health of print media. On the agenda: Is the press
maintaining high editorial standards online or is there a rush to be
first with the news at all costs? Are print journalists being forced
to take on too many roles in the multi-platform world of print, web,
podcast and video clip and if so, is quality suffering? Do editors-in-
chief from old and new Member States have any common views on media
pluralism that could help the Commission in its quest to devise
indicators for measuring media pluralism? How could public funding of
online activities of broadcasters come into conflict with freedom of
the press?
PRESS RELEASE
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/1074&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=nl

Commission wants a web that is better enabled for the disabled
(2 July 2008)15% of Europeans suffer from some form of disability, and
many face barriers such as reading a website's small text or even
knowing how to access websites and online services. Despite repeated
calls by the EU and government leaders to improve this situation,
progress remains limited: by far the majority of websites fail to use
universally accepted user-friendly solutions. Today the European
Commission launched a public consultation on further measures to make
websites in Europe accessible, starting with those of public
administrations, and invites stakeholders to give their views. It also
addresses other technologies like digital television. The consultation
is open until 27 August 2008.
---------
Michelle Childs
Head of European Affairs
  Knowledge Ecology International
www.keionline.org / www.cptech.org
Phone:+44(0)207 226 6663 ex 252
Email: michelle.childs@keionline.org