UNITED NATIONS • Forum on Minority Issues 48. The media should strive for balanced coverage to ensure equitable media access to all candidates or, where appropriate, each political party in all elections. 49. The effective participation of persons belonging to minorities in various media related bodies, such as supervisory boards, independent regulatory bodies, public service broadcast committees, auditors’ councils or production teams, should be encouraged. All mass media organizations should take positive steps to ensure that their workforces are diverse and representative of society as a whole while seeking access to multiple voices within communities. 50. The freedom of minorities to establish and maintain their own private and public media, both printed and electronic, must be ensured without restriction on the free choice of the language used therein. 51. States should promote equitable access to new information and communications technologies, including the Internet, as a vital aspect of the democratization of information and a vehicle for encouraging the effective participation of youth in public life. 24 Compilation of Recommendations of the First Four Sessions 2008 to 2011