Brussels, 30/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 25 September, the plenary session of the European Parliament adopted the report by Karin Resetarits (non-attached, Austria) which calls on the European Union to encourage alternative media in Europe in order to promote pluralism and cultural diversity. Stemming from the old family of “free radio” and other pirate broadcasting, alternative media today is often a community media, addressing a certain category of the population for example the Muslim population, senior citizens or young people. They can be distinguished from commercial media by the fact that they are not profit-making but purely social, linked with their community by the service they provide. Resetarits would like to see this recognised by the European Commission and the Member States. “Alternative media does not result in isolating people, on the contrary, they allow a community to integrate, informing them of their rights, especially in the area of education and access to public services but also promotes citizens to take part in active life and listens to their problems and concerns. This type of media is a community tool and serves as a cultural and social integration project”, she said. The support measures recommended by Resetarits are mostly of a technical nature (access to the digital landscape), legal (attribution of frequencies) and financial (possible financing by the EU). Resetarits said she hoped that, in its communication on the indicators of pluralism in the media to be published in 2009, the Commission would take account of alternative and community media. (I.L./transl.rt)