Introduction to the

UNESCO New
International
Information (and
Communication)
Order
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) sought to establish a New
International Information and Communication Order (NWICO or NIICO)
to promote a more equitable and balanced global flow of information.
This initiative was driven by concerns that international news and
information were heavily dominated by a small number of Western
media conglomerates, leading to an imbalance in how global events
and issues were portrayed and perceived around the world.

The NWICO aimed to give developing countries a greater voice in

international media and communication systems, addressing
imbalances in infrastructure, resources, and control. It called for
measures to democratize access to information, promote cultural
diversity, and establish communication policies to serve the interests of
all nations, not just the most powerful. The debate over NWICO was
contentious, with some seeing it as a threat to press freedoms, while
others viewed it as a necessary step toward a more pluralistic global
information landscape.

AA by Anna De Johill
Historical context and the
need for a new information
order
The call for a New International Information (and Communication) Order
emerged against the backdrop of profound global changes in the 20th
century. The rapid technological advancements in telecommunications,
broadcasting, and media during the post-war period had led to an
unprecedented concentration of information and communication
power in the hands of a few industrialized nations. This imbalance was
further exacerbated by the legacy of colonialism, which had seen the
systematic suppression and marginalization of non-Western voices and
perspectives in the global information system.

Developing countries, newly independent from colonial rule,

increasingly voiced concerns about the one-way flow of information
from the West to the rest of the world, and the dominance of Western
cultural and linguistic norms in international media. There was a
growing recognition that this state of affairs reinforced existing power
structures and inequalities, and undermined the ability of the Global
South to shape their own narratives and participate fully in the global
exchange of information and ideas. The call for a New Information Order
was thus rooted in a desire to democratize and decentralize the global
information landscape, and to promote a more pluralistic and equitable
system that would give voice to diverse cultural and political
perspectives.
Key principles and objectives of the
New Information Order
1 Democratization of Information
A core principle of the New Information
Order was the democratization of
information and communication. This
called for greater access and participation
in global information flows, particularly for
developing countries and marginalized
groups. The goal was to challenge the
monopolistic control of information by a
few powerful nations and media
conglomerates, and to establish a more
equitable and pluralistic information
system.
3 National Sovereignty and
Information Flows
The New Information Order also
emphasized the principle of national
sovereignty over information and
communication resources. This included
the right of countries, especially
developing nations, to control the flow of
information into and out of their borders,
as well as the ability to develop their own
media and communication systems. The
goal was to challenge the perceived
imbalance in international news and
information flows that favored the
interests of powerful nations.
2 Cultural and Linguistic
Diversity
Another key objective was to promote
cultural and linguistic diversity in global
media and communication. The New
Information Order sought to counter the
dominance of Western, particularly
American, cultural and media products,
and to ensure that diverse voices,
perspectives, and local content were
represented in international information
flows. This was seen as crucial for
preserving cultural identities and
challenging cultural imperialism.
4 Balanced and Equitable
Information Exchange
A key objective of the New Information
Order was to establish a more balanced
and equitable system of international
information exchange. This involved
addressing the imbalances in the global
flow of news, information, and cultural
products, and ensuring that developing
countries had a greater voice and stake in
the production and dissemination of
information. The aim was to create a more
just and inclusive global information
order.
Challenges to the Existing Global
Information and Communication
System
Unequal Access to
Information
One of the key challenges to the
existing global information and
communication system was the vast
disparities in access to information
and communication technologies
around the world. While developed
nations enjoyed widespread internet
access, high-speed broadband, and
advanced media infrastructure, many
developing countries struggled with
limited connectivity, outdated
equipment, and prohibitive costs that
prevented their citizens from fully
participating in the global exchange of
information.
1
2 Imbalances in News Flow
The global news and media landscape
was dominated by a handful of
Western, English-language media
giants that controlled the flow of
information worldwide. This resulted
in a one-way, top-down model of
news dissemination, where
developing countries were primarily
consumers of news rather than
producers. This imbalance skewed
the portrayal of global events and
issues, often neglecting the
perspectives and concerns of the
Global South.

Cultural and Linguistic 3

Barriers
The predominance of Western,
English-language media also posed
significant cultural and linguistic
barriers for many people around the
world. Local and indigenous
languages, as well as diverse cultural
expressions, were often marginalized
or underrepresented in the global
media landscape. This threatened the
preservation of cultural diversity and
undermined the ability of
communities to engage with and
shape the information they received.
Calls for Democratization
and Equitable Access to
Information
A central tenet of the New International Information (and
Communication) Order was the call for greater democratization and
equitable access to global information and communication resources.
Developing nations argued that the existing international information
system was dominated by a few Western, industrialized countries,
leading to an imbalance in the flow of news and information around the
world.

Advocates of the new order emphasized the importance of ensuring

that all countries, regardless of their economic or political status, had
the ability to access, create, and disseminate information freely. This
involved demands for a fairer distribution of communication
infrastructure, technology, and resources, as well as a more balanced
representation of diverse cultural perspectives and local content in the
global media landscape.

The push for democratization also highlighted the need to address

disparities in information and media literacy, enabling citizens
worldwide to critically engage with and participate in the free flow of
information. By empowering marginalized communities and giving
voice to the Global South, the New Information Order sought to
challenge the monopolistic control of information by a few dominant
players.
Debates around cultural and
linguistic diversity in the media
The UNESCO New International Information (and Communication) Order brought to the forefront the
critical issue of cultural and linguistic diversity in global media. There were deep concerns that the
existing international information system, dominated by a few Western media conglomerates, was
eroding local cultures and homogenizing media content worldwide. Developing nations argued that
this undermined their ability to preserve and promote their unique cultural identities and
indigenous languages.

Heated debates erupted around the need to ensure that media and communication systems
reflected the rich tapestry of human civilizations. Proponents of the New Information Order called
for policies and mechanisms to protect and amplify marginalized voices, local cultural expressions,
and minority languages in the global information landscape. This included proposals for quotas on
foreign media content, funding for public service broadcasting, and support for community media
initiatives.

Critics, however, contended that such measures amounted to censorship and an infringement on
the free flow of information. They argued that the market should determine media content, not
government intervention. The clash between cultural pluralism and media liberalization became a
central tension in the debates surrounding the New Information Order.
Efforts to Address Imbalances in
International News Flow
Imbalanced Calls for a New UNESCO's Role Ongoing
News Coverage Information Challenges
The United Nations
Order
The global news Educational, Despite these
landscape has long In the 1970s, a Scientific and efforts, significant
been dominated by a growing chorus of Cultural Organization imbalances in
handful of Western voices from the (UNESCO) played a international news
media Global South called central role in the coverage persist to
conglomerates, for a "New NIICO discussions, this day. The rise of
leading to significant International hosting a series of digital media has
imbalances in how Information and conferences and brought new
international news is Communication debates on the opportunities for
covered and Order" (NIICO) to issue. This alternative voices
disseminated address these culminated in the and perspectives to
around the world. imbalances. They adoption of the be heard, but the
Developing argued that the MacBride Report in dominance of a few
countries often feel existing system 1980, which called large media
that their stories and perpetuated colonial for fundamental conglomerates
perspectives are power dynamics and reforms to the global remains a significant
underrepresented or undermined the information and obstacle to true
misrepresented in ability of developing communication global diversity and
the mainstream countries to tell their system, including equity in news
global media, own stories and greater support for reporting.
contributing to a shape the global local and regional
skewed narrative. media outlets in the
understanding of developing world.
world events.
Role of Developing Countries in
Shaping the New Information Order
Amplifying Diverse
Voices
Developing countries played a
crucial role in driving the push
for the New International
Information (and
Communication) Order. They
recognized the need to
challenge the Western-
dominated global media
landscape and amplify the
voices and perspectives of the
Global South. These nations
advocated for a more equitable
distribution of information
resources, calling for greater
access to communication
technologies and fairer
representation in international
news flow.
Shaping the New
Agenda
Through the UNESCO-led
discussions, developing
countries actively participated
in shaping the key principles
and objectives of the proposed
New Information Order. They
emphasized the importance of
cultural and linguistic diversity,
the need to counteract the
one-way flow of information
from the West to the rest of the
world, and the democratization
of global communication
systems. This collective effort
aimed to empower developing
nations and ensure their
perspectives were heard on
the international stage.
Challenging
Imbalances
Developing countries
recognized the inherent
imbalances in the existing
global information and
communication landscape,
which was dominated by a few
powerful nations and media
conglomerates. They called for
a restructuring of the system
to address these inequities,
advocating for increased
access to communication
technologies, greater control
over their own information
resources, and more balanced
international news coverage
that reflected the realities of
the Global South. This push for
change was a central part of
the New Information Order
agenda.
Criticisms and opposition to the New
Information Order
Sovereignty concerns
Fears of erosion of national sovereignty and control over
1
information flows

Ideological divisions
2 Clashing views between capitalist and socialist
nations

Free press issues

3 Concerns about restrictions on press
freedoms and independent journalism

The New International Information (and Communication) Order faced significant criticism and
opposition from various stakeholders. One key concern was the potential erosion of national
sovereignty, as the proposed reforms aimed to redistribute control over information flows on a
global scale. Many countries, especially those in the West, feared that this would undermine their
ability to manage domestic media and communication systems. Another source of opposition
stemmed from the deep ideological divisions between capitalist and socialist nations during the
Cold War era. Capitalist nations, led by the United States, viewed the New Information Order as a
threat to free market principles and the free flow of information. They argued that it could lead to
government censorship and propaganda, stifling the independent press. Critics also raised
concerns about the potential for the New Information Order to restrict press freedoms and limit the
ability of journalists to report freely. They argued that the calls for greater balance and equity in
international news flows could be used as a pretext to suppress unwanted or critical coverage of
national governments and policies.
Legacy and impact of the New
International Information (and
Communication) Order
The New International Information (and Communication) Order (NWICO) initiated by UNESCO in the
1970s and 1980s left a significant and lasting impact on the global media landscape. Despite facing
significant opposition and never being fully implemented, the principles and ideals of the NWICO
continue to shape discussions around media democratization, cultural diversity, and equitable
access to information worldwide.

One of the NWICO's key legacies was raising awareness of the imbalances in international news flow
and the dominance of a few Western media conglomerates. This led to increased scrutiny of media
monopolies and greater efforts to support local and alternative media in the developing world. Many
countries implemented policies to promote national media industries and restrict foreign media
influence, though the effectiveness of such measures was limited.

100+ —
Countries Adopted NWICO principles

The NWICO also had an enduring impact on international organizations and agreements related to
media and communication. UNESCO's role as a forum for these debates was strengthened, and the
organization continued to promote cultural diversity and equitable access to information in its
programs. The NWICO debates also influenced the development of the 2005 UNESCO Convention
on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

While the NWICO's ambitious vision of a radically restructured global information order was never
fully realized, its legacy can be seen in ongoing efforts to challenge media imperialism and promote
more inclusive, diverse, and equitable communication systems worldwide. The NWICO sparked
important debates that continue to resonate and shape media policies and practices globally.