1. The USA and Supranational Information Policies Joseph Straubhaar University of Texas at Austin

2. Structural change in global policy setting New international organizations focused on global commercial interests dominant in setting policy agenda –WTO, WIPO New selective, dominant nation organizations, like Group of 8, increasingly important as policy fora Tendency toward direct representation of non- governmental actors in international organizations –Major firms now direct participants –NGOs also increasingly involved Either in main meetings or parallel critical meetings

3. Epochal policy forums: NWICO vs. WSIS NWICO (1976-78) News flow TV flow National communication policies Access to media Representation of developing countries Free press role WSIS (2003-2005) Internet/info flow Internet regulation Access to info tech Financing improved access Free press role

4. Access to information and information technology Original goal of WSIS, ITU, UNESCO Promoted by –Some donor countries, like Canada, Italy –Some donor organizations, like FAO, BID Return by Bush administration to market-based, diffusionist policies (Rogers, Compaign) –Departure from access oriented Clinton policies Cut both domestic and foreign access subsidies

5. Developmentalist info flow Concessionary access to development info –AID, other national development agencies –UN agencies Conflicts with market commercialization –Conflict within US and other national policies –Conflict between UN agencies WTO vs. UNDP, UNESCO –Conflicts within UN agencies ITU, World Bank

6. Information society versus knowledge society? Information society framework reflects commercial vision of information as trade good –Seen in USA, East Asia and Europe as coming dominant form of economic production, sale –Reflected in conflicts over interests at WSIS Knowledge society framework (UNESCO) more focused on production and use of information –Potentially more bottom-up, diverse –Enabling more societies, communities to be producers of information and knowledge Both visions require shift in education policy to facilitate production and use of knowledge

7. Commercialization of information Commodification of information as economic trade good (Mosco) –Privatization of public information –Private creation of information Global economic strategy by USA, other national information economies (Bell, Reich) Global city strategy by some informational cities, apart from national policy (Castells, Sassen)

8. Intellectual property Rising emphasis of information policy –Supports commercialization National supporters increasing –Increasing diversity of countries with significant intellectual property interests Indian films, music, software Brazilian music and film industries Degree of piracy problem in Russia, China hurts national artists

9. Intellectual property, continued Emphasis on info commercialization shifts emphasis to different organizations WTO WIPO Strong national differences on anti-piracy policy –many countries do not wish to enforce what are seen as foreign intellectual property interests Huge piracy issue, complaints between USA and China

10. Privacy Public opinion in USA and elsewhere wants stronger privacy protection –Texans refuse to let state government finance e- government by letting contractor sell data USA moving toward stronger privacy protection before 11/9, BUT after 11/9 –USA Patriot Act allowed much greater domestic surveillance of electronic communications –U.S. NSA interception of international electronic communications stepped up

11. Privacy, continued Public opinion and government in European Union moving to stronger privacy protection –Stronger protections over employee data –Stronger restrictions on personal info in transborder data flow –Stronger restrictions on gathering and use of consumer data –Setting standards that U.S. multinationals have to follow to operate in Europe, thereby setting de fact global rules?

12. Anti-monopoly rules U.S. tendencies under Bush –Michael Powell (FCC) wants to allow greater conglomeration of media, but challenged –Proposed Federal Trade Commission director intends lower enforcement of anti-competitive behavior rules, appointment under challenge –Conflict between civil society movement, Bush directions, courts, Congress

13. Anti-monopoly rules, continued European Union tendencies opposite –challenged greater conglomeration of media Example, proposed union of Sony and Bertelsman music firms scrutinized after US approval –stricter enforcement of anti-competitive behavior rules Example, proposed tighter restrictions (than US) on Microsoft anti-competitive behavior in music players

14. Global, Regional, National, Local Media Global information systems and media Glocalization –Local productions with global forms or ideas Regionalization –Trade blocs –Targeting transborder cultural-linguistic markets –targeted at language and cultural communities Cultural proximity drives both national and regional cultural linguistic markets Globalization of elites and middle classes drives global informational and cultural markets