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Delegates also vowed to step up campaigns to defend and extend public service broadcasting, media pluralism and cultural diversity. Motions supporting the action of unions at the BBC, Greek Television, in Korea, Spain and Hungary to fight cuts in budgets, job losses and to protect public service broadcasting were passed unanimously.



Lee Keung-Haing from the National Union of Media Workers of Korea won huge applause as he described the struggle to protect MBC TV against political interference. More than 100 workers had been dismissed, transferred to remote areas and taken to court following a series of protests against the heads of the station. He said: “They sought to minimise criticism of the government, we were losing our independence, it meant less diversity. A democratic society must have checks and balances like the two wings of a bird flying in the sky. I was dismissed but it is our duty to defend cultural diversity, democracy and economic and social justice”.



It was a theme echoed by many delegates, including Nikos Apostolou from the Greek Radio and TV union who said his members had faced cuts, forced early retirement, higher workloads and the attempted abolition of some terms of their collective agreements. He said there was an increasing attempt by government to get friendly people on the board which was undermining the broadcasters independence.



Growing up in East Germany, Toni Winter of Verdi in Germany said she knew what it meant not to have freedom of expression and how political or financial pressure undermines the work and independence of the media. She said: “We have to protect the right to independent information. Information is a weapon – those informed cannot be manipulated so easily”.



Urging strong support for the resolution, Bamgbose Abel Oluwayemisi from Nigerian affiliate RATTAWU hit out at political interference in public service broadcasting. “Local government has been given the right to collect the licence fee and we do not receive all the money so content is poorer, we have students replacing experienced workers and they sacrifice quality for commercialisation. If we raise our voice we are sacked, transferred or punished that's why the solidarity of UNI MEI is so important”.



Joining the conference on screen from London, Gerry Morrissey of BECTU, who is the newly elected president of the sector, described the current attacks on the BBC including the threat to 2000 jobs and a major assault on terms and conditions. The unions had forced the BBC to lift the deadlines for impsoing the changes and return to negotiations. Moving the emergency resolution on the BBC cuts Willy Donaghy from BECTU appealed for continued support. He said: “We have won the first round, won a battle but we have not yet won the war. We need your support”.



In some countries the situation had got so dire said Peter Murdoch from CEP in Canada that “lunatic MPs say we should sell our public service broadcaster. That moves the debate to should it be from what should it be. That can have a chilling effect on broadcasters so we must speak out for them”.



William Maunier from SNRT-CGT in France made a powerful call for UNI MEI to be at the forefront of resisting attacks on public service broadcasting before delegates heard powerful stories of the activities and struggles of affiliates in Spain, Belgium, Chile and Germany.



Summing up the mood Jose Perez Nella from SAL in Argentina said public service broadcasting and culture “should not be tied to the rules of the free market. We must foster cultural goods not just the ones the market demands”.



More news:

· Gerry Morrissey, General Secretary of UK affiliate BECTU, was elected as the new UNI MEI President.

· An emergency motion condemning the killing and threats to journalists and media workers in Mexico and expressing solidarity with Mexican unions was passed unanimously.



Click here to see photos from the conference.