Should the traditional media be encouraged to take up social responsibilities in an increasingly multicultural environment?
Yes. The responsibility of promoting intercultural relations does not just rest with community media. The diversity of society should also be represented and communicated by the mainstream media. Journalists can play an important role in avoiding the spread of xenophobia by communicating universal values present across all cultures. However, until a stronger involvement of all minorities (ethnic, religious, cultural or other) in the media is achieved – as media professionals and as established sources of information – representation of diversity is bound to remain partial. Diversity is best represented and communicated by those who embody it, so it needs to enter into newsrooms and even more in decision-making posts. Facilitating recruitment of media professionals of different backgrounds or of minority groups should be an objective of traditional media. Minority associations also need to be proactive, for examples by producing and updating lists of qualified professionals and free-lan
