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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 3 Dec 1997

Vol. 484 No. 1

Ceisteanna—Questions. - World Media Network.

John Bruton

Question:

1 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the World Media Network. [20030/97]

I met the World Media Network on Thursday, 13 November 1997 following a request from The Irish Times which is a member of the network and was hosting an editorial meeting of the group in Dublin. The World Media Network is a grouping of 20 newspapers around the world, but predominantly European. It started in 1990, embracing such titles as The

Guardian, and La Stampa. It has since expanded to take in several Middle Eastern titles as well as a number of Latin American and Asian ones. I am circulating a list of current members in this reply. The Irish Times has been a member since 1992.

The network publishes two supplements each year, one geopolitical and the other a guide to summer cultural events in Europe. Recent topics have included Europe, world centres of power, cities and health. The network's editorial meetings alternate between its headquarters in Paris, and at six-monthly intervals, the home cities of its members. Recent meetings have been in Madrid, Cairo, Sarajevo, Istanbul, Marrakesh, and Turin.

Those attending the briefing in Government Buildings were editorial executives who usually report for their newspapers on these briefings. Deputies will see from the list of papers circulated that it provided a very good opportunity to present a positive view of Ireland, particularly the economy and the peace process, to a wide international audience. I was accompanied at the briefing by the Ministers for Finance and Foreign Affairs. We discussed aspects of Irish economic and foreign policy with the group and briefed them on progress in the peace process and the all-party talks.

List of participants in the World Media Network meeting on 12 November

COUNTRY

NEWSPAPERS

Argentina

La Nacion

Austria

Der Standard

Belgium

Le Soir

Bosnia

Oslobodenje

Brazil

Folha De S. Paulo

Canada

La presse

Egypt

Al Ahram

France

Liberation

COUNTRY

NEWSPAPERS

World Media

Greece

To Vima

Hungary

HVG

Italy

La Stampa

Ireland

The Irish Times

Israel

Ha'aretz

Japan

Yomiuri Shimbun

Lebanon

An Nahar

Morocco

L'Economiste

Portugal

Publico

Slovenia

Delo

Spain

El Pais

Turkey

Milliyet

Did the Taoiseach raise the concerns of the Irish-owned media at the alleged dumping of newspaper product on this market from a neighbouring country, using the same language, where it is possible for it economically to undercut the price of product originating from the media here?

No, those issues were not discussed. I made a presentation of issues relating to the economy, the peace process and other matters. Questions were taken for a considerable period, generally on foreign policy issues, the North and the economy. Domestic views were not put forward.

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