COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION TO HOLD ANNUAL MEETING IN NEW YORK, 6 - 17 MAY
Press Release
PI/939*
COMMITTEE ON INFORMATION TO HOLD ANNUAL MEETING IN NEW YORK, 6 - 17 MAY
19960503 Background ReleaseThe Committee on Information will continue its examination of United Nations public information policies and activities and follow-up on progress made by the United Nations system in the field of information and communications, during its upcoming two-week session, to be held at Headquarters from 6 to 17 May.
It will also continue its consideration of the establishment of a new, more just and effective world information and communication order, aimed at strengthening peace and international understanding and based on the free and balanced dissemination of information.
In reviewing these matters, the Committee will have before it reports of the Secretary-General on publications of the Department of Public Information (DPI), as well as on the allocation of resources for the United Nations information centres.
During the first day of its 1996 session, the Committee is also expected to commemorate World Press Freedom Day, which is observed on Sunday, 5 May.
Reports of Secretary-General
A report of the Secretary-General on publications of the DPI (document A/AC.198/1996/3) reviews both recurrent and non-recurrent publications issued during 1995. It points out that a comprehensive review of the DPI publications programme was undertaken to ensure that each publication had a well-defined target audience; enhance sales and marketing; eliminate duplication; improve cost-effectiveness of production; and employ new technologies for electronic publishing and dissemination.
__________ * Press Releases PI/936 and PI/937, both dated 22 April, should have been numbered PI/937 and PI/938, respectively.
As an essential restructuring step, all DPI units producing recurrent publications or carrying out typographic and production tasks were combined in one Publications Service, the report states. That step, along with purchase of desktop publishing hardware and software, had greatly improved coordination, boosted productivity, and reduced the use of costly outside typesetting and design.
Similarly, the Design Section was converted to a full-service desktop publishing office, providing design, typography and technical print production services, not only for the Department, but also for many other offices throughout the Secretariat, the report states. In the effort to streamline and avoid duplication, the publication Development Business was merged with the World Bank's International Business Opportunities Service.
Measures were taken which enhanced the Department's efforts to market its sales products widely and effectively. However, while DPI had increased its outreach to commercial markets, it had continued its free distribution policy on many print outputs. That dual approach enabled it more fully to meet its mandate of promoting global awareness about the United Nations. The Department was also continuing its efforts with commercial publishers to make publications available in electronic formats.
During 1995, the DPI was also actively involved in seizing new opportunities in electronic publishing and communications, the report states. New avenues had opened for the creation and timely delivery of information products, as well as for revenue generation. Electronic dissemination made it possible to expand outreach, while reducing pressure for larger print runs. With respect to the Internet, the DPI collaborated in inaugurating a United Nations home page on the World Wide Web. Work continued to enrich that Web site, with new and updated information and improved links to other sites.
The Department has aggressively reduced the number of externally printed publications by making greater use of internal capacities, the report states. Its enhanced desktop publishing capability has accelerated the process by using internal design and typesetting for practically all non-recurrent print products. However, the Department continued using external printing for a number of publications which were highly time-sensitive and involved tight deadlines, such as those prepared in connection with major United Nations conferences.
The report goes on to provide specific information on the production and marketing of such recurrent publications as the Secretary-General's annual report on the work of the Organization, the Yearbook of the United Nations, the UN Chronicle, Basic Facts about the United Nations, Everyone's United Nations, the UN in Brief, Image and Reality, the Student Booklet, the United Nations Blue Book Series, Development Update, Notes for Speakers, Africa Recovery, Development Business, and a number of reference publications. It
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also reports on the publication of such non-recurrent items as information kits, backgrounders, feature articles, reference papers, pamphlets, booklets, posters and wall charts.
The Secretary-General also reports on the "extraordinary level of activities" of 62 United Nations information centres during 1995 (document A/AC.198/1996/2). In particular, the report reviews activities carried out in connection with the United Nations fiftieth anniversary, as well as with two major conferences -- the World Summit for Social Development and the Fourth World Conference on Women.
During 1995, the centres regularly assisted local media in producing programmes on issues pegged to United Nations commemorative days, the report states. The centres continued their tradition of translating major documents and publications into local languages. They also helped launch such annual reports as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) State of World Population Report, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) World Investment Report.
In keeping with the request of the General Assembly, every effort was made to facilitate the integration of information centres with UNDP field offices whenever feasible, taking account of the host country's views, the report states. At present, 15 information centres had been fully integrated with UNDP field offices, while another 15 centres operated under the immediate supervision of UNDP resident representatives. Both the UNDP and the DPI were committed to strengthening the integrated centres.
As part of the effort to enhance the effectiveness of the information centres, new directors were appointed to those in London, Moscow, New Delhi, Tokyo and Washington, the report continues. To strengthen the branch offices, special briefing programmes were held at Headquarters for selected local staff, while local computer training was encouraged. The Department was also involved in updating the Information Centres Manual, which contains policy guidelines and practical instructions for programme activities.
At the end of 1995, 37 information centres and seven United Nations offices received information through electronic means, which helped in the timely dissemination of information, the report continues. For greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the DPI intends to switch every centre to the electronic mail mode of transmission as appropriate technology becomes available. However, the prospects for additional financial resources for the United Nations budget are extremely unlikely.
During the past year, the critical financial situation of the Organization affected decision-making and programme planning, the report states. Travel was severely restricted, hampering the ability of many centre
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directors to adequately service the host country, as well as other countries of the region served by that office. In view of their modest size, the centres were particularly vulnerable to the current recruitment suspension.
"Extrabudgetary funding in the form of government contributions in cash or in kind for the information centres continued to decline during 1995", the report adds. "In the current financial situation, it will be very difficult for the Department to maintain the level of operation of certain information centres where contributions have not been forthcoming in accordance with agreements with the host country."
Officers, Membership
The officers of the Committee are: Ivan Maximov (Bulgaria), Chairman; and Jose Alberto de Sousa (Portugal), Vice-Chairman. Two Vice-Chairmen and the Rapporteur are to be elected during the upcoming session to fill posts which have been vacated. The new officers will complete the original terms for those post, which continue through 1996.
The Committee's 89 members are: Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guyana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malta, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Romania, Russian Federation, Senegal, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire and Zimbabwe.
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