Measures Affecting the CrossBorder Supply of Gambling and Betting Services.
By: Melisa Ricardo Hoyos Santiago Gómez Cadavid Natalia Ríos Espinosa Lina María Mejía EAFIT University International Negotiation Case Analysis
Measures Affecting the Cross-Border Supply of Gambling and Betting Services. 1. What role could/did the media play in the dispute? Nowadays Media has become an important part of our society, people consume news with the breakfast, lunch and dinner; it has become a basic need just as clothing or exercising, for example at the university, there are teachers whom tell the students that in order to be “running” on the right “field” in their particular studies area is almost mandatory to be informed about what’s going on in the world, especially in the business and scientific fields. So is a reality that media is playing an outstanding role in building society, by informing, educating and creating a critical point of view from its audience.
in order to make it more interesting or more “eye catching” with the porpoise to sell news as much as they can; sometimes this fact makes that what’s being shown on the news instead of informing is confusing and disorientating people. Now with all the technology we have developed, it is instantaneous even to make a publication of some article, for example by the internet, or reading it by the same way. Now reporters can be common people who have access to the information, and the desire to tell others about it, or the feeling to express their point of view in order to act towards some topic or situation. Then regarding the important role that media has in our society, we are able to project into the situation what role did the media play regarding this dispute, or what role could it have if wanted to report more on the case. Media could play with U.S reputation, so the countries can be aware about its gambling commitments. Affected countries could make use of their media body, making entrepreneurs to understand U.S position in some commerce issues, in other way, media can bring a U.S reaction about gambling commitments and change its position.
Nevertheless sometimes the information which is presented is not the most accurate for the current situation, or the reality, and instead of that there are some media agencies whom are presenting “commercial information” it means that they are looking for “hot” news or modeling the information
Another good strategy, would be to inform the interested group of people and like that put pressure on the unfair measures of the United States Government, because it is
unreasonable to tell people what to do on their free time and even more if those measures goes against the GATT regulations.
The media definitely play an important role in this dispute, because thanks to it, the world or are least the interested parts could be informed about what was or is going on, but also it is essential to state that the media or people can not do to much on this negotiation for the reason that the regulations on the WTO are already set. Also if we analyze this dispute has been during almost seven years, and no one is able to do something, in our opinion because the United States is looking always forward to act according to its own laws and not a very collaborative strategy. 2. Could/ did the parties use the media in anyway in their negotiation strategy? Both parties have used media in some way in their negotiation strategy, but Antigua has used this tool more than United States. This is because it pushes the US government to accomplish its commitments with the WTO articles, and highlight a situation affecting other countries that have “economic alliances” with US, but the only one who “do
their part” are the countries involved. Next we have an example of the media used as a tool for reporting the situation:
“In a July 2009 government press release, the Minister of Finance of Antigua is quoted as stating that “‘while we may in the future consider exercising the right to impose sanctions, as of this moment, I am instead looking forward to meeting with the United States government in the near future and focusing on a mutually beneficial resolution of the issues raised by the remote gambling case.’”249 The USTR’s annual report for 2010 also indicates that the parties have been consulting with a view to achieving “a mutually agreeable resolution” to the dispute.” By the other hand United States goverment rarely report its position in a different scenario to the WTO.
3. If you where the media, would you report on the dispute? Why or why not?
interested on the prohibitions of the on line gambling and Betting services, as well as in the Us borders. According to this, as a media agency we would report the dispute, in order to make public the debate and show people how the government is using a “double moral” with the objective to benefit some empires.
This situation is a very weird situation, in one hand there is a prohibition of gambling games and betting services in the U.S, except in those states where it is aloud as in –Nevada – and – Athlantic City and in the other hand the US government is pushing the country neighbors to forbid this activities on the online channel.
As seen, there is a moral dilemma, and this is also mixed with legal ambiguous situations. That makes us wonder about the real interest hidden. Whether as International Negotiators or as a Media agency, there is a trouble situation that requires a deeper analysis; it is important to visualize the whole scope, for example observing who are the stakeholders in this situation, and according to the logic, the Gambling empires at the States, are
If gambling is allowed in some states, why the US feel the right to push other counties to forbid activities that they as a whole nation, are not completely agree on how to manage the subject, and even worst, that allow inside their own country, no matter that is forbidden in some areas. In other direction, there is the ambiguity of the US laws referring to this particular case.
Reviewing this dispute, we can perceive that there is something that “smells bad”, the lobby of the gambling empires is being
stronger than the common well and the justice. So if we would have the chance to inform the audience about this we would definitely do it, but only under certain circumstances. For example, we would do a very serious investigation on the details of the case, and we would bring a lawyer expert on the case in order to explain on an objective way, the issues with the ambiguous laws, in order to promote a critical point of view of the audience, and if possible produce a good impact in the case and straggling for justice and fair play for the gamblers. By: Melisa Ricardo Hoyos Santiago G贸mez Cadavid Natalia Rios Espinosa Lina Maria Mejia