April 29, 2005

TRAINING: Education Makes News in Arab World

Education Makes News in Arab World
28-04-2005 (UNESCO)

Twenty journalists and media professionals from thirteen Arab countries representing Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen gathered in Doha, Qatar from 17 to 21 April to participate in the UNESCO-Aljazeera workshop on ?Writing & Reporting on the Goals of Education for All (EFA)".

The five-day workshop was hosted by UNESCO and organized at Al Jazeera Training Development Centre focused among all on developing better understanding of journalists on EFA, improving reporting and writing skills to highlight EFA goals by analyzing education budgets, policies, trends and systems and investigating the issues of EFA in the overall context of the Millennium Developmental Goals( MDGs). It also provided some insights to the undeniable link between education and development issues including gender and child rights the context of Arab countries.

?The workshop provided me all the necessary information to bring educational news on the top of our news agenda,? said Joëlle Riachi, a senior educational reporter from Lebanon?s Nahar-An Newspaper. ?We all know very well that education is paramount in our lives. But we need to present some human interest stories to get the attention of our viewers? said Amal Alkawari from Islam online.

The workshop was conducted in English and Arabic and led by a group of media trainers ( Hara Padhy and Bassam Mansour) and EFA experts (Nour Dajani). The workshop ended with a nine-point plan of action for better media coverage of EFA issues in the Arab countries.

SOURCE: http://portal.unesco.org/ci/en/ev.php-URL_ID=18792&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

The opinions and views expressed in this message and/or articles & websites linked to from this message do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.
_________________________________________

NEWS: Media coverage under spotlight at UU conference

Media coverage under spotlight at UU conference

Media coverage of conflict and its impact on children came under the spotlight at a special University of Ulster conference on Monday.
?Media, Children and the Experience of Divided Communities: Ireland, Israel and Palestine?, which was organised jointly by the Centre for Media Research and School of Psychology, gave media analysts and psychologists a chance to share and discuss their research.
Organiser Professor Máire Messenger Davies of the University of Ulster's Centre for Media Research said: ?There has been a great deal of research among Media Studies scholars on the impact of the media on young minds, particularly the effects of fictional violence. Psychologists on the other hand have carried out a great deal of research into the impact of conflict and division on children and young people.
?This event gave leading authorities on several key areas a better understanding of the role of the media in shaping young minds.?
Contributors to this yesterday?s event included internationally renowned academics such as Dr Jean Whyte, Senior Research Fellow, The Children's Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin and Professor Sami Adwan, Faculty of Education at the University of Bethlehem, Palestine and Co-Director of the Peace Research Institute in the Middle East.
(MB/SP)

SOURCE: http://www.4ni.co.uk/industrynews.asp?id=39894

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS: Chipawo Introduces New Concept (ZIMBABWE)

Chipawo Introduces New Concept

The Herald (Harare)
NEWS
April 26, 2005
Posted to the web April 26, 2005
Harare

CHILDREN'S Performing Arts Workshop (Chipawo) Media Centre has introduced the "Kwikstart" media learning programme so that children can learn and experiment with cameras, make short video programmes and edit their own work.

The Herald visited the Media Centre in Mount Pleasant during a media tour where it caught up with some of the children shooting a documentary called "Handspeak" that was co-ordinated by deaf children.

The fully-equipped centre has digital and linear video, sound and studio facilities.

It offers video and sound services as well as training on how to use cameras.

"Because of its expansion, Chipawo can no longer be called a children's performing arts workshop, instead 'Arts Education for Development and Employment' best describes what the organisation is doing in promoting children through arts.

"Training the children how to use the camera, image editing, video and sound recording is a way of preparing a new generation of young, creative and imaginative filmmakers, camera persons and editors for the future development of Zimbabwean film and television," said Robert McLaren, executive director of Chipawo.

He further added that the programme was a very effective way of empowering the girl-child because men dominate television although there are few women directors.

"A number of girls are selected to go to the media centre for training and set up their own video projects usually focusing on issues and topics that concern them," he said. Also provided by the media centre are vocational skills training in media for young school leavers from 20 rural communities where Chipawo has assisted the community open arts education for development and employment. The media also visited the Zimbabwe Academy of Arts Education for Development, a division responsible for all of Chipawo's training programmes.

The academy in conjunction with the Midlands State University provides a diploma in media arts and performing arts, as well as a certificate in music, dance, drama and theatre arts.

The tour took journalists to Chipawo's main offices in Marlborough where most of the business is done in terms of the manufacturing of musical instruments, costume designing and bookings.

According to MacLaren, a new centre dubbed "Umtwana-Children's Development and Entertainment" centre is on the cards.

Chipawo, founded in 1989, has made great achievements in empowering children and the society through arts education.

SOURCE: http://allafrica.com/stories/200504260509.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

TECHNOLOGY: Mobile phones join the fight against youth depression

Mobile phones join the fight against youth depression

Medical Study News

Published: Thursday, 28-Apr-2005

Mobile phones are to be used in a 400 person study to determine how youth depression starts and develops. The researchers hope to use the results to create a mobile phone program to act as an early warning system for at-risk young people.

Capitalising on teenagers' favourite accessory, Dr Sophie Reid from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute has worked with Harvard Medical School to design software that will monitor a young person's mood and assess how they respond to stress. Initially, the program will be used in research to understand the development of youth depression; then, as a clinical tool to assist individual patients.

"Mobile phones will allow us to take brief, repeated assessments of how adolescents experience stress, and what they do when they're feeling down. It will give us a unique insight into the beginnings of depression," says Dr Reid. "A phone survey is much more attractive to young people than questionnaires or daily diaries.

"Depression affects 30 per cent of young people and can lead to suicide. There is a pressing need to understand the origins of adolescent depression, and to ensure that we have effective forms of prevention and treatment.

"Because young people don't go to psychologists or GPs when they're feeling down, we had to find a youth-friendly, non-intrusive method to study how they feel," says Dr Reid. "And 85 per cent of young people own a mobile phone," she says.

Interactive software is loaded onto a young person's mobile, to collect information as they experience and respond to depression and stress. The program is being trialled at present with 40 young people. Then 400 teenagers will participate in a one-year study that the research team hopes will reveal the early warning signs of youth depression.

"Our long-term vision is to use the phone to help young people identify when they're really low, and what is making things better or worse. The phone will also provide a menu of assistance and treatment options," Dr Reid says.

In future, the program may be introduced to young people through their peers, teachers or GPs, as well as through internet sites such as ReachOut.

"Adolescent depression is a precursor of youth suicide and a major concern for society. We need new tools to help us identify and act on the early signs of depression," says Professor Ian Hickie, Clinical Advisor to Beyond Blue, Australia's national depression initiative.

The research is a joint initiative of the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, The University of Melbourne, and industry partners, Object Consulting, and Harvard Medical School. The initial phase of this research is supported by Beyond Blue and the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute.

Sophie's innovation has won her a place at Fresh Innovators?a national initiative to bring the work of 16 early-career inventers to public attention. After training in Sydney, the Innovators are talking to the media, schools and business about their ideas. One of the 16 will win a study tour to the UK courtesy of the British Council Australia.

http://www.freshinnovators.org/

SOURCE: http://www.news-medical.net/?id=9626

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

ONLINE VOTE: "Make a difference" One minute video contest!

"Make a difference" One minute video contest! -
http://www.unicef.org/voy/takeaction/takeaction_2088.html

Vote!
Watch the videos of the 10 semi-finalists from the global Make a difference!
video contest. After you have watched all 10, cast your vote for the 3
finalists! Who is going to be the winner?

You must be a registered member of Voices of Youth to vote. If you are not a
member, register now.

---------------------------------------

Project Think Different
Producer: Garreth J. Middlebrook
Country: United States of America

Make a Difference
Producer: Ndizeye Janvier
Country: Burundi

We, Young People
Producer: Matus Krajnak, Gabriela Marcinkova
Country: Slovakia

No Matter Who
Producer: Olga Chimirciuc
Country: Moldova

Youth of the World, Youth for the World
Producers: Eleonora Veninova & Ivana Bidikova
Country: Macedonia

Juventudes MIRA
Producer: Movimiento MIRA
Country: Colombia

Sam and John
Producer: 4 kids from Australia
Country: Australia

One for all
Producer: Bro'siz
Country: Kenya

Vanaja's Story
Producer: The Concerned for Working Children (CWC)
Country: India

Operation Traffic Light
Producer: Olivia Cha
Country: United States of America

------------------------------------

These are the judges who helped us with the selection of the Top 10 videos
that are now open for the global online vote:

Youth judges: Shayan Khiro & Juhanah Pimping
Youth judges: Tsz Wong & Marisha Naz
Youth judges: Limpo Chinika & Natália Saliés
Youth judges: Denis Stepura & Zuhur Yassin
Adult judges: Jim Chabin & Stephen Cassidy
Adult judges: Ursula von Zallinger & Essie Chambers
Adult judges: Frode Hoejer Pedersen & Bernardita Prado

More info when you click their names at
http://www.unicef.org/voy/takeaction/takeaction_2088.html

Questions & comments are welcome any time!

April 26, 2005

ARTICLES: Big help from ST's new little paper (SINGAPORE)

SINGAPORE: Big help from ST's new little paper

The Straits Times launches their new primary school magazine, Little Red Dot, with full explanations of how it can be used in the classroom

The Straits Times
Monday, April 18, 2005

The Straits Times' newest - and youngest - addition is a weekly supplement designed to help tweenies use the daily broadsheet in the classroom.

Little Red Dot, a 16-page publication, is slated to launch in July, and aims chiefly to develop news interest and understanding among upper-primary readers.

All primary school teachers and educators are invited to attend its soft launch this Saturday, from 10am to 11.30am, at the auditorium of the Singapore Press Holdings operating centre in Genting Lane.

The launch programme includes a showcase of how The Straits Times can be used as a teaching tool in the classroom and, of course, a glimpse at the new publication.

Greenridge Primary School will be making a presentation on how the school uses ST for its classes, and teachers will get to meet the creators of Little Red Dot, such as its supervising editor, Ms Bertha Henson.

Little Red Dot pages come with valued-added lesson plans that use news reports and analyses from the ST to teach a range of topics - from the English language to National Education - in classrooms.

Stories in its pages are based on existing formats used within its broadsheet parent. These include a big weekly feature on students' interests and concerns, quizzes, lifestyle trends, local and world news, history, as well as items on science and nature.

What's unique in Little Red Dot is a 'Class Action' box, which appears on each page to help primary school teachers enrich their lessons using the ST.

These include suggested interactive games, projects and group activities, to bring home the relevance of news to its young audience.

Already, educators and heads of department have reserved places to the launch at 82, Genting Lane.

To sign up, call Patrick Ang at 6319-1284 or 9847-1225, or Shahrena Hassan from The Straits Times Editorial Promotions and Branding Unit at 6319-5097.

Date Posted: 4/18/2005

SOURCE: http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=23193

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 21, 2005

NEWS: 'Junk' food ad ban to hit £190m spend on primetime TV (UK)

'Junk' food ad ban to hit £190m spend on primetime TV

Mark Sweney, Marketing 16 Nov 2004

LONDON - The government's plan to restrict TV advertising of 'junk' foods to children would wipe out £190m of expenditure by major brands trying to target adults during primetime.

The White Paper on public health, published today proposes an outright ban before the 9pm watershed as an ultimatum to force food and drink companies to implement voluntary restrictions.

Moves by brands such as McDonald's, Kraft and PepsiCo to reduce levels of fat, salt and sugar in products or offer healthier menu options have failed to appease critics in the government.

Advertisers have been told that any action to curb "junk" food ads must match the reality of children's viewing habits and extend beyond weekday afternoons and Saturday mornings to the period between 6pm and 9pm.

According to an Ofcom report released in June, 71% of children's viewing takes places outside the time allotted to kids' shows.

Food and drink firms' primetime adspend reached £190m in the 12 months to October 31, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The Advertising Association said the ban would be "a short-term, populist and disproportionate response".

SOURCE: http://www.brandrepublic.com/bulletins/br/article/228084/junk-food-ad-ban-hit-190m-spend-primetime-tv/

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS: Youth Voice to Be Respected (ZAMBIA)

Youth Voice to Be Respected - State

The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
NEWS
April 20, 2005
Posted to the web April 20, 2005

GOVERNMENT is making every effort to address the views of young people, Youth, Sport and Child Development acting Minister Judith Kapijimpanga has said.

She said Government was committed to ensuring that the views of young people on national issues were respected and heard all the time to make them partners in development.

The minister said this at the official opening of the Children's Press Bureau (CPB) journalism training programme at the Commonwealth Youth Programme Centre.

She said in Lusaka yesterday that to achieve the aspirations of young persons, Government had re-introduced the youth parliament association for them to air their views.

Mrs Kapijimpanga said the International Labour Organisation (ILO) had given Government directives on how young people could engage into public employment.

"This Government should be applauded because we are making gigantic steps in addressing issues of youths.

This ministry is revising the Penal Code and Child Policy so that they can give stiffer punishment to child abusers," she said.

Mrs Kapijimpanga, who is Lands Minister, urged the young people to make submissions to the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) on how they wanted the Constitution to suit them.

On the Press bureau, Mrs Kapijimpanga said young people had not found it easy to access the national media to air their views but was hopeful that the CPB would change the situation.

The CPB is a national news agency delivering young people's views to the national media organisations on various issues directing affecting them.

"The CPB will give young people the means to express themselves through the media and in the process reach the whole country," she said.

The minister said in an effort to manage the implementation of youth welfare and development, her ministry was ready to partner with organisations to reach out to more young people and address their concerns.

CPB executive director Mary Tembo said the paper would enable the young to participate in both national and regional issues.

She said due to lack of a platform for the young people to air their views, they were exposed to a lot abuse, injustice and crime.

Mrs Tembo said apart from training 25 youths as reporters and editors in Lusaka, her organisation would also train more in Mazabuka in Southern Province.

Speaking on behalf of other CPB members, Chikumbutso Phiri said through CPB he was hopeful that his colleagues would be able to air their views freely and influence national issues and decisions.

SOURCE: http://allafrica.com/stories/200504200128.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

BOOKS / PRESS RELEASE: Wishes and Worries: A storybook to help children understand a parent's problem with alcohol (CANADA)

Wishes and Worries: A Story to Help Children Understand a Parent Who Drinks Too Much Alcohol

Released April 20, 2005

For Immediate Release: April 20, 2005 - Toronto - Children have lots of questions when someone in their family drinks too much alcohol. Sometimes they just don't have the answers and alcohol problems often become the family secret that nobody talks about. To help children understand their parents' problems with alcohol, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, (CAMH), has recently published the first storybook of its kind developed in Canada, called Wishes and Worries.

"Children tend to have worries and fears when someone in their family drinks too much alcohol. When children don't get accurate information, they often come up with their own wrong and sometimes frightening conclusions," says Dr. Bruce Ballon, a psychiatrist in CAMH's Youth and Addiction program. "Encouraging children to communicate will help them feel less confused and alone. This book can be used as a tool to start that conversation."

Research conducted by CAMH has shown that children have many questions about their parents' substance use or mental health concerns, but there was a lack of resources to help explain these problems to children. To help solve this problem, CAMH began a series of children's storybooks in 2002 starting with Can I Catch it Like a Cold, a storybook to help explain a parent's depression. Wishes and Worries is the second book in this series.

Wishes and Worries is written for children aged 5 to 10 years old, for use by parents, extended family, teachers and professionals who want to address the impact of a parent's problem with alcohol in children's lives. The book answers children's questions such as: "Does dad drink so much because of me?," "Is dad's drinking problem going to get worse?," and " Is my family different?"

Wonderfully illustrated by Ben Hodson, this new storybook explores alcohol problems through the story of Maggie, an 8-year-old girl who wishes and worries that her father doesn't ruin her ninth birthday party the same way he ruined her last birthday. Maggie discovers that her father drinks too much alcohol, and through the help of family, friends, and professionals, Maggie gains a better understanding of her father's problem.

Copies of Wishes and Worries are now available from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health for $9.95 at 1-800-661-1111 (or 416-595-6059 in Toronto). An accompanying information brochure for adults is also available. The storybook will soon be available at selected bookstores. Information on addiction and mental health issues can be obtained by calling CAMH's 24-hour Information Line at 1-800-463-6273 or in Toronto at (416) 595-6111.

CAMH is a Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization Collaborating Centre and a teaching hospital fully affiliated with the University of Toronto.

Media contact: Sylvia Hagopian, CAMH Media Relations Co-ordinator, (416) 595-6015

Wishes and Worries the storybook for children is available in English. The accompanying information brochure for adults is available in both English and French.

SOURCE: http://www.camh.net/news_events/wishes_worries_pr0405.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

URGENT: Extended deadline for submission of nominations - UN Study on Violence against Children

See message below...

Again, if you need the full documents/application forms in English and/or Russian, please let me know - cschuepp@unicef.org.

Chris

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

Subject: URGENT: Extended deadline for submission of nominations - UN Study on Violence against Children

Dear All,

I would like to inform you that we are now extending deadline for submissions of nominations of children and young people to participate in the Europe and Central Asia Regional Consultation on the UN Study on Violence against Children for one more week, i.e. until 27 April 2005. We particularly welcome and encourage nominations from West and North Europe, as the response from these countries so far hasn't been particularly intensive whereas we have received a number of nominations from Central Asia and South-East Europe.

Apart from Diane Widdus (dwiddus@unicef.org) and myself (r.sekulovic@scfukbgd.org.yu), these nominations should also be copied to Antje Rothemund of the European Youth Centre Budapest at Antje.ROTHEMUND@coe.int , as the final selection process will take place there on the 27th April.

I would appreciate your immediate action on this, so that we can ensure a balanced representation and participation of children and young people from different parts of Europe and Central Asia.

Thank you for your kind efforts and support,

with best wishes to all,

Rasa

Rasa Sekulovic
Child Rights, Protection and Participation
Programme Manager

Save the Children UK - Serbia Programme
Ljutice Bogdana 20
11000 Belgrade - Serbia and Montenegro
Office phones: (+381 11) 3671476, 3671477, 3672701
Mobile: (+381) 63 377016

PROJECTS: Bei uns, bei euch - Inter-cultural film project for young people (JAPAN & GERMANY)

SOURCE: http://www.beiuns-beieuch.de/english.php

The Project

"NRW / Japan ? My view... Your view?" is a multicultural media project for kids and teenagers which ? along with other activities from the German Land North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) ? takes place on the occasion of the Year of Germany in Japan 2005/2006 (dinjpn.nrw.co.jp). In NRW the Project will be run by the ecmc European Centre for Media Competence GmbH (www.ecmc.de) on behalf of the State Chancellery NRW (www.nrw.de). On the Japanese side, the Nippon Carl Duisberg Association (www.ncdg.jp) will be in charge of this competition.

The Concept

How do you spend your Saturday evenings? What do you have for breakfast? How is your way to school like? What kinds of music do you like?

In the frame of the media project questions like these could be asked by children and teenagers in form of 1-minute film contributions. Participants from North Rhine-Westphalia and Japan report about everyday situations and traditions from their home country and call on kids and teenagers from the respectively other country to describe ? again in form of a 1-minute film ? the presented situation from their own perspective.

On the website www.beiuns-beieuch.de all contributions will be presented and visitors will be invited to view, participate and exchange. The best films will be awarded on the final event of the competition in December 2005.

How does a film contribution look like?

Content and Design of all film contributions should...

pick up an optional theme from the everyday life of kids and teenagers in NRW or Japan,
have a maximum duration of 1 minute,
have a certain structure: They start with an introduction ("Who made the film?"), show what it is all about ("My view....) and ask a specific question ("Your view?"). (If the film contribution is an answer to a previous question, no further question will be posed.)
be comprehensible for Germans without any knowledge of Japanese and for Japanese without any knowledge of German.

Who can participate?

(a) Creative media groups, committed individuals or classes from secondary schools in NRW and Japan who are interested in posing an interesting question or submitting a good answer in form of a 1-minute film contribution.

(b) Furthermore cultural and educational establishments, companies as well as institutions are cordially invited to support the whole project and the media work of the participating groups.

How is the time schedule?

Kids and Teenagers who would like to participate register at www.beiuns-beieuch.de. All submitted film contributions will be evaluated by a Japanese-German Jury. The best films will be awarded on the competition platform NRW: NEUES LERNEN (www.nrw-neueslernen.de) in December 2005. In Japan, the Nippon Carl Duisberg Association (www.ncdg.jp) will decorate outstanding contributions to the competition.

More information is available at the project offices in NRW and Japan.

IN GERMAN: http://www.beiuns-beieuch.de/

IN JAPANESE: http://www.japan-nrw.jp/

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 19, 2005

NEWS / RESEARCH: Children's Humour under the Microscope

Children's Humour under the Microscope

By Ian Graham, PA

Academics across the globe have been given funding to try to find out what makes children laugh, it was revealed today.

A professor from the University of Ulster is teaming up with counterparts in the US, Germany, Israel and South Africa to see what tickles children?s funny bones.

One of the tests involved will examine whether the Simpsons make kids in all five countries chuckle.

Professor Maire Messenger-Davies, based at the University of Ulster?s Coleraine campus, said: ?The purpose is to determine what children laugh at and whether there are national or cultural differences that influence their sense of humour.?

The year-long research project is being funded by IZI ? the serious sounding International Institute for the Study of Youth and Media, based in Munich.

Initially the researchers are compiling samples of humorous material ? mainly television programmes, both live and animated ? from each of the countries under the microscope.

These will be shown to audiences of eight to 12-year-olds in selected schools in each country and specialists from IZI will measure the responses using a ?Fun-o-Meter? ? a device to gauge the giggle quotient.

Afterwards the children will be invited to discuss their reactions to what they have viewed and the results will be analysed.

Professor Messenger-Davies said: ?English language programmes are widely seen around the world, but children in the UK, Ireland and the US are seldom exposed to programmes from countries like Germany, Israel or South Africa.?

She said they knew children liked verbal humour, silly puns and also got a laugh from action material such as people falling over.

?We want to see what humour crosses national boundaries and what is specific to certain countries or cultures.

?We will also be exploring if there is a difference in the humour appreciated by boys and girls,? she added.

Programmes like the Simpsons were shown throughout the world, but the study would determine whether its particular brand of humour was universally appreciated, said the professor.

SOURCE: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4417114

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS: ITV may use new digital slot for children (UK)

ITV may use new digital slot for children

Jane Martinson
Tuesday April 19, 2005
The Guardian

ITV is considering plans to use its new digital television slot to launch a children's television channel to rival CBeebies, the BBC's popular pre-school channel.

A dedicated channel would mark a strategic change for ITV, which has repeatedly said it had no plans to launch a channel in the highly competitive children's arena.

The plans are at a preliminary stage, but centre on the use of the Freeview slot bought from Crown Castle last month. Most analysts expect ITV to launch a channel for male viewers, who are underserved by its current programming.

However, channel bosses have commissioned research into using the earlier part of the slot - from 7am to 7pm - for children's programmes. In doing so, they are following the example set by the BBC, which shows CBeebies and BBC3 on the same slot but at different times of day.

Any new ITV channel is expected to target the pre-schoolers watching CBeebies and slightly older children watching CBBC.

ITV expects its existing programming, such as Engie Benjy, My Parents are Aliens and The Worst Witch, to fill most of the new channel's 12 hours a day of broadcasting. The broadcaster is also soon to launch Pokoyo for pre-schoolers.

Nigel Pickard, who became ITV's network director in 2002 after launching the BBC's children's channels, is understood to have started re-evaluating the decision not to launch a rival to the BBC because of the success of ITV2 and 3. ITV3, one of the most immediately successful channels in British television history, essentially repackages ITV's output for a specific audience - in this case the over-35s.

ITV bosses believe they can repackage the children's programmes shown for one and a half hours on ITV1 on a dedicated channel. Such plans would lower the cost of the broadcaster's public-service requirement to make children's television programmes.

Although competitive, children's television is highly lucrative because of its potential to bring in merchandising and licensing revenues. Research into a new channel is not expected to stop ITV holding talks with the US company Nickelodeon about a possible tie-up. The two entered exclusive negotiations last autumn but have yet to agree a deal.

The new ITV channel, which could be launched this year, is unlikely to be given the go-ahead if there is a deal agreed with Nickelodeon.

ITV is said to be "some way off" choosing a name for its new children's channel, although cITV is one possibility. One employee said KITV was considered several years ago but rejected as it "sounded too much like a lubricant". Although ITV took over the Freeview slot on April 1, channel bosses are in no hurry to launch the channel. One said: "We'd rather do it later and get it right."

A new children's channel is likely to come as a welcome surprise to city analysts.

Paul Reynolds, analyst at Deutsche Bank, said such a channel could be "win-win" for ITV as it would repackage programming and potentially earn licensing and merchandising fees. "Having a whole generation of people with no knowledge of ITV until they get to the age of 18 is not strategically very clever."

The broadcaster is the second biggest producer of children's television in Britain, spending £35m a year. ITV executives have repeatedly said that since the company was formed 14 months ago that they would not launch a dedicated channel in such a competitive market. Some now believe a new channel would be able to compete against Disney and Nickelodeon because of its local nature. "The key thing will be the British material," said one, who declined to be named.

This year, the regulator Ofcom gave the channel permission to cut 15 minutes from its weekday children's coverage after the broadcaster's advertising revenue fell during teatime programming.

SOURCE: http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,1463110,00.html (free subscription necessary)

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS / AWARDS: Seven young film makers receive media awards - Apr 18, 2005 (BANGLADESH)

Seven young film makers receive media awards - Apr 18, 2005

Seven young filmmakers of Bangladesh received the international Meena Children's Media Award-2005 for their outstanding creativity works on media productions about children and their rights, yesterday.

The United Nation Children's Fund (UNICEF) and Asian Media Information and Centre (AMIC) introduced the Meena Children's Media Award in a bid to develop skills in production for electronic media on children issues.

The Meena Children's Media Award is worth Tk 50,000 along with trophy and certificate.

Recipients of the Award are-Md Anwar Hossain for a documentary Sabujer Deshe, Ms Sheema Shetu for "Eight Year Girl by Out of Focus", Ms Hazera Khanam for "My Travel to Europe", Shahiduzzaman Badal for "Paper Picker", Shardar Zainul Abedin for "Agey Shikhi Bangla Barnamala", Ms Rawshan Ara Rukhsana Sarker for "Amrao Pari" and Arjo Shrestha for the "Lost Love Story".

UNICEF Country Representative Mortin Giersing distributed the Award among the recipients at a ceremony held at the Bengal Foundation Gallery in the city.

The recipients were selected after screening a total of 170 submissions produced in different categories. Of them, seven categories of media works on electronic, print and folk media in separate age groups received the Award. The six of the seven productions are documentary films while the rest is a travel story.

Members of the Jury Board that finalised the nominations of the awrdees after examining the productions, Aminur Rahman, Communications Chief of UNICEF Chirsty Mclvor and Communications Officer Shamsuddin Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.

The award recipients expressed their delight at the feat and said these sorts of awards definitely helped the children in grooming their creativity as well as to explore themselves in the media sector.

The organisers said that the award would be given in nine categories in March next year. The dead line for entry is December 31 this year.

SOURCE: http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_17787.shtml

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 18, 2005

NEWS: Tackling child pornography on mobiles

Tackling child pornography on mobiles

14 April 2005

Increased use of 3G mobile phones and access to the web brings risks.
There are concerns about who can view certain types of content. How is this controlled and how can the abuse of mobile systems for the dissemination of criminal Internet content be tackled?

Since 2003, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has built up an excellent working partnership with all the UK Mobile Network Operators. This concerns safety and responsibility issues over the future development of 3rd generation mobile services. All of the operators are members of the IWF, as are mobile manufacturers Samsung and Nokia.

The Mobile Data Association predicts that by the end of 2005, 75% of all UK handsets in use will be able to access the Internet. WAP page impressions are expected to reach a total of 15 billion in the UK market.

Whilst developing appropriate measures to deal with potentially illegal mobile content, the IWF contributed to the mobile operators Code of Practice in 2004. The code reviewed safety & responsibility issues and safeguards designed to protect members of the public using a mobile phone to access the Web. It particularly considered those who are vulnerable, such as children.

Additionally, there is now an Independent Mobile Classification Body (IMCB), which has been set up to assess content and to effectively rate it. This is to determine what type of material should require the viewer to be over 18 years of age.

Through its fixed and WAP sites, the IWF advocates the same reporting and take down procedures for illegal content on mobiles as it does for PCs.

If and when illegal content appears on the services Mobile Operators make available, then the IWF will work in partnership with them, to have illegal content removed and to assist the police wherever possible to trace the offender.

Peer-to-peer exchange of indecent photos sent between individual mobiles remains the remit of the police.

SOURCE: http://www.saferinternet.org/ww/en/pub/insafe/news/articles/0405/uk_tackling.htm

IWF WEBSITE: http://iwf.org.uk

________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

WEBSITES: Netty's World launch

Netty?s World launch

13 April 2005

Netty?s World, NetAlert?s Internet safety website for children aged two to seven, has recently been relaunched. New features have been included in the site to make it more enjoyable and educational for young children.

Netty is still the star of the site, but the web site is now more relevant and easier to use by young children. Improvements include an easier navigation system, larger and clearer text, audio support and more interactivity and animations.

Children can now travel with Netty through five adventures, learning about Internet safety as they go. After an adventure is over, children have the opportunity to select which of the five forget-me-nots (be nice, get help, think again, stay safe and secure and protect what?s private) relate to the adventure. After the selection is made, children are given instant feedback on why each forget-me-not is relevant.

There is also ?Netty?s All Star Quiz? to complete for those children who have mastered the concepts in the adventures. The quiz challenges children to think in more detail about specific issues.

The website aims to help children stay safe by teaching them the fundamentals of Internet safety.

SOURCE: http://www.saferinternet.org/ww/en/pub/insafe/news/articles/0405/au_netty2.htm

NETTY'S WORLD: http://www.nettysworld.com.au/

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

AWARDS: OUR WORLD - CHILDREN'S MEDIA AWARD (IRELAND)

OUR WORLD - CHILDREN'S MEDIA AWARD

Learn about how we can make the world a better place!

Make your own newsletter, radio interview, painting,
or other media product!

Win great prizes!

	The Development Cooperation Ireland 'Our World' Children's Media Awards is an exciting new competition for primary pupils on the eight Millennium Development Goals, which were agreed in September 2000 by Ireland and 188 other nations. The Millennium Development Goals By 2015, to:

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Achieve universal primary education
Promote gender equality and empower women
Reduce child mortality
Improve maternal health
Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Ensure environmental sustainability
Develop a global partnership for development.

For more information contact:
DCI 'Our World' Children's Media Awards, Real Event Solutions, 54 Ballyhooly Road, St Luke's Cross, Cork.
Tel: 00 353 21 4550434 Fax: 00 353 21 4554386 Email: info@dciourworldawards.com

SOURCE: http://www.dciourworldawards.com/

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS / EVENTS: Speaking up on issues that matter to youth (EAST ASIA & PACIFIC)

Speaking up on issues that matter to youth

Youth voices matter most at the Children and Young People?s Forum held in conjunction with the 7th East Asia and Pacific Ministerial Consultation on Children (Mincon) organised by United Nations Children?s Fund in Siem Reap, Cambodia, recently. BRAT CHAN KIT SZE who was there as a youth reporter writes about her experience.

BROUGHT up with the idea of ?adults command, children listen?, I was beyond excited to be at a place where young people?s views would be heard and taken seriously.

It was our chance to demonstrate to government officials attending the Mincon how young people can contribute towards building a harmonious society. We also had the opportunity to review and comment on the Siem Reap Declaration for the Mincon.

?Our mission here is like a journey to the Angkor Wat,? said Lakan Perlyn Bunyi, a facilitator of the forum.

We were asked to raise relevant issues that directly affected us and identify concrete, do-able solutions for a dialogue with government officials at the end of the forum.

Hence our work during the forum was the journey, and Angkor Wat was represented by our presentation to the government officials.

The five main topics that were discussed throughout the three-day forum were education, HIV/AIDS, child participation, cultural changes and employment of young people.

Discussing the topics and reaching a consensus was not an easy task as every country had so many issues to raise. It was also time-consuming as language was a problem. Not everyone could speak English. So, we had to speak slowly and allocate time for translation.

Being a Malaysian, I had the upper hand. I could understand the delegates from Indonesia, China and Timor Leste, and also served as their translator at times.

We were divided into groups according to our preferred topics. I was particularly interested in HIV/AIDS, as adolescents and young people are the group most at risk of being infected. The statistics are shocking, with an estimated 11.8 million young people living with HIV today. Each day, nearly 6,000 more people are infected.

Through the discussions, we agreed that everyone must have accurate information about how the virus is spread and how they can protect themselves.

I started to wonder how many of my peers back home actually receive proper and effective sex education. Not many, I concluded finally.

?You can?t stop people from having sex. But you can help save their lives if you give them the right education. Peer education is one good way. It?s about positive peer pressure to do the right thing,? said Tanes Rianglaem, 18, from Thailand.

Tipsuda Chadee, 15, from Thailand, stressed on the need to use the media to champion children?s issues.

?The media has the power. As a child, I want that power so I can change bad things for my peers.

?I joined a children?s media club called ?Thai Youth News Centre? in my school two years ago when I was 13 years old. I am now the chairperson of my club and help to produce and host a weekly news programme revolving around topics relevant to young people, like sex education, quality schooling, etc.?

In between all the serious discussions, we managed to squeeze in fun energisers. Every country had a chance to share and appreciate other cultures as traditional games, songs and dances were introduced. During Malaysia?s slot, we played the game of Helang dan Ibu Ayam.

During the forum, we also had the privilege of meeting and speaking to our Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.

?Malaysia is progressing relatively well in our policies but we need to keep up with times to suit the needs and demands of children these days,? she said.

Shahrizat added that she was interested in organising a similar forum in Malaysia for young people back home as a platform for them to be more active in promoting children?s rights and to voice their views.

At the end of the forum, we performed a short sketch which expressed our views to the government officials.

?I hope that all the ideas we get from this forum will not just remain on paper. I hope that all of us will develop our ideas into concrete action so that we can make life better for all children in this region,? said Tipsuda.

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Angkor Wat, a huge temple built by Suryavarman II. I was overwhelmed as I set foot on the supreme masterpiece of Khmer architecture. It was a wonder how well it was built without modern technology hundreds of years ago.

?I hope the Malaysian delegates? participation is a testament to our country?s contribution in the struggle for active child participation. As young people, we cannot wait for adults to decide what is in our best interest. More than ever before, with the active collaboration of government and non-government organisations and young people recognised as individuals with rights, we have to express our thoughts,? said Jayaram Gopinath Nagaraj, 20, from Malaysia.

After my six-day ?journey to Angkor Wat?, I came back armed with newly acquired knowledge from my peers around the region. I had gained greater understanding of issues affecting young people.

Forty youths from 20 countries in East Asia and the Pacific attended the three-day Children and Young People?s Forum on the concerns and capabilities of adolescents in the region.

Five topics identified for discussions were education, HIV/AIDS, child participation, cultural change and media, and employment opportunities for young people.

Education: Common issues include the high cost of education, lack of facilities and infrastructure, and violence in school. The youth delegates urged governments to allocate enough funds to ensure that every child ? including girls, the disabled and children in difficulties ? have access to education.

HIV/AIDS: Provide sex education for youths so that they can learn about safe sex and how to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS. Peer education programmes could be more effective. There is also a need for more counselling and support services for young people who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

CHILD PARTICIPATION: There is a need to improve communication between parents and schools. Children?s views should be represented in different sectors and units of governments.

CULTURAL CHANGE AND MEDIA: Media is a big influence on youths. Allow greater participation by youths in media content, and censorship policies.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: Youths are unemployed due to lack of opportunities for employment. Governments can help by analysing the current employment market and implementing policies to create employment opportunities for people.

SOURCE: http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2005/4/17/features/10668864&sec=features

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

OPPORTUNITIES / CONTESTS: Pillars of a bridge - Visual and literary contest (NOVI SAD, SERBIA)

Very interesting project!!!

All info also available in German, Russian, Serbian, Italian & French on the project website: http://www.pillarsnovisad.org/

Contest description and guidelines

The contest is public.
It is open to all who are interested.

The organizer has provided a certain number of photos of the pillars of the bridge in Novi Sad to serve as inspiration for your work.

Their alteration and modification, adding textual messages, creating animations, i.e. all that your creativity allows you to do, will be your contribution to the contest.

Your work can be:

Visual
Literary
Combined

After designing and carrying out your ideas, you should send us the results of your work through mail or the Internet no later than May 30 th 2005.

The contributions sent after this date will not be considered.

The contest is open from March 1 st to May 30 th 2005.

The selection of the most successful ones will be carried out by June 1 st 2005.

We will inform the participants of the results of the contest and distribute the prizes from June 1 st to July 1 st 2005.

Along with each contribution it is necessary to send a filled out application form with the necessary data. The data sent to us in the application form will be used solely for the purposes of the contest and will not be publicly displayed or forwarded.

E-mail your contributions to:
contest@pillarsnovisad.org

or send them by mail to:
for the contest "PILLARS OF THE BRIDGE"
NGO "World and Danube "
Kraljevića Marka 57
21000 Novi Sad
Serbia and Montenegro

All the participants of the contest will be given a CD about Novi Sad and a Certificate of gratitude for the participation in the contest. The most successful works will be presented to the public by means of:

The media
A catalogue
Exhibitions
The Internet

The organizers reserve the right to print and publish the most successful works without compensation to the author, with clearly stating the full name of the author, the technique used, and the country of origin.

Evaluation of the contributions:
The contributions will be graded on a scale of 10 to 1000 points. The minimum required for a public display of the work is 650 points.

The evaluation will be carried out by the following jury:
Savet za Kultur

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 13, 2005

NEWS / PROJECTS: Youth Website Lends Eye, Ear, Pen to Hard-to-Reach Teens

Youth Website Lends Eye, Ear, Pen to Hard-to-Reach Teens
Posted by: laurakujawski on Wednesday, March 30, 2005

The Open Society Institute launched Youth Media Reporter, a web journal documenting the growing role of youth-produced television, radio, film, and print reporting. The website provides a forum for youth media professionals to share and discuss their work, and provides insight into the lives of young people, particularly those most at-risk and isolated.

Through original reporting and commentary, YMReporter.org will explore the various ways youth media organizations cover local and national news, including the 2004 U.S. presidential election, the impact young journalists had on the youth vote, and stereotypes of teens by the mainstream media. YMReporter.org will also report on the latest trends in youth-produced media, philanthropic support of the field, relevant research, and distribution opportunities.

?Youth media programs foster free and creative expression, while developing young people's critical thinking, analysis, and research skills,? said Erlin Ibreck, director of OSI?s Youth Initiatives program.? OSI regards youth media as a way for young people to bring their issues into the public debate.?

Youth media provides an important outlet for teens who are often hard to reach, like those who are incarcerated, in foster care, or living in rural areas. The programs are run by adults who help train young people in various forms of media production through writing, filmmaking, radio production, and other creative journalism mediums while providing the public a thoughtful, first-hand look at communities and perspectives rarely covered elsewhere.

Youth Media Reporter reflects the growth in teen-produced media. Films created by young people are steadily making strides in the mainstream media and entertainment industry. In January 2005, two teenage film makers from Brooklyn won a special award at the Sundance Film Festival for their documentary, Bullets in the Hood, about the 2004 police shooting of Timothy Stansbury, an unarmed Brooklyn teenager. The movie, co-produced by Stansbury?s teen friend Terrence Fisher who was present at the shooting, highlights the easy availability of guns in one low-income neighborhood and the prevailing assumption that male, African American teens in such neighborhoods are presumed armed and therefore dangerous. Fisher and co-producer Daniel Howard are student producers at the Downtown Community Television Center, an organization where adults train young people in TV and film production.

The influence of young people can also be heard on the radio. The personal narratives of WNYC's Radio Rookies, a cadre of young reporters who work with adult journalists to create radio stories, have become a regular addition to the station's programming. The teenagers produce stories chronicling their experiences with inadequately funded and overcrowded public high schools, the impact of parental drug addiction, and personal struggles with obesity (the latter was subsequently incorporated into an ABC Television segment on obesity).

And in fall 2004, the Columbia Journalism Review wrote about the impact of a special issue of Represent, a teen magazine written by and for foster care youth. Entitled "Crack Babies, All Grown Up," the issue took aim at stereotypes of "crack babies" based on outdated science. The reporters, some of whom were labeled crack babies themselves, helped to debunk the media myths that stigmatized them and many other children of parents battling drug addiction.

Youth Media Reporter is a project of the Open Society Institute?s Youth Media Program, which supports a broad range of youth media projects in addition to distribution efforts, technical assistance and training to improve the quality of the media, pilot projects connected to adult media outlets, and film festivals.

The Open Society Institute, a private operating and grantmaking foundation, is part of the network of foundations, created and funded by George Soros.

SOURCE: http://www.pnnonline.org/article.php?sid=5852&mode=thread&order=0

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

RESOURCES: A practice textbook in the domain of journalism for human development appeared in Chisinau (MOLDOVA)

SOURCE: UNICEF Moldova

A PRACTICE TEXTBOOK IN THE DOMAIN OF JOURNALISM FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT APPEARED IN CHISINAU

22.03.2005

A Practice textbook in the domain of journalism for human development appeared in Chisinau. The book is signed by Igor Guzun assisted by Vsevolod Ciornei, DECA-press communicates.

The book is entitled "Omul, mai ales. Ghid de bune practici in domeniul jurnalismului pentru dezvoltare umana" (Human Being as a Special Matter. Practice Guide of Journalism for Human Development). The work has been published due to the co-operation between the Department of Journalism and Communication Science of the State University from Moldova, Independent Centre of Journalism and the United Nations Fund for Children from Moldova.

Starting from 2003, the young journalists of the Department of Journalism and Communication Science of USM, will attend a new course - "Jurnalism pentru dezvoltare umana" (Journalism for Human Development), while the new publication "Omul, mai ales" (Human Being as a Special Matter), edited in Russian and Romanian completes the didactic and informational resources of this discipline. last year, the book "Jurnalism pentru dezvoltare umana. Repere ale cursului universitar" (Journalism for Human Development. Supplement to the University Course) appeared under the same leadership. The work has formulated for the first time in Moldova the concept of Journalism for Human Development.

The book deals with such important topics like: investment in children and youth (minor justice, social isolation, HIV/AIDS prevention) and media campaigns of public use. The book will contribute to the formation of young journalists from Moldova.

At her turn, Giovanna Barberis, representative of the United Nations Fund for Children from Moldova explained that they support this action because "the final document of the UN Special Session for Children, "A World Fit for Children" mentions that the media institutions must get involved in the problem of informing children, parents, families and large public concerning the attempts that defend and promote human rights". Thus, the young journalists from Moldova may contribute to the solution to this problem..

*** end [DECA-press]

In Romanian:

http://www.usm.md/jurn/news_manual_practici.htm

Un manual de practici reusite în domeniul jurnalismului pentru dezvoltare umană a apărut la Chişinău, cu semnătura lui Igor Guzun şi având o contribuţie a lui Vsevolod Ciornei, notează DECA-press.

Purtând titlul Omul, mai ales. Ghid de bune practici în domeniul jurnalismului pentru dezvoltare umană, cartea a fost editată în cadrul unei iniţiative comune a Facultăţii Jurnalism şi Ştiinte ale Comunicării a Universităţii de Stat din Moldova, Centrului Independent de Jurnalism şi Fondului Naţiunilor Unite pentru Copii în Moldova.

Începând din 2003, tinerii jurnalişti de la Facultatea Jurnalism şi Ştiinţe ale Comunicării, USM, beneficiază de un nou curs universitar - "Jurnalism pentru dezvoltare umana", iar proaspăta apariţie editorială, Omul, mai ales, tiparită în limbile română şi rusă, completează resursele didactice şi informaţionale ale acestei discipline. Anul trecut, în cadrul iniţiativei USM, CIJ şi UNICEF a apărut lucrarea Jurnalism pentru dezvoltare umana. Repere ale cursului universitar, care formulează, pentru prima oară în R. Moldova, conceptul de Jurnalism pentru dezvoltare umană.

În prefaţa la cartea Omul, mai ales, doctorul habilitat Constantin Marin, decanul Facultăţii Jurnalism şi Ştiinţe ale Comunicării, USM, remarcă faptul că atât cursul universitar, cât şi Ghidul de bune practici în domeniul jurnalismului pentru dezvoltare umană vor putea oferi tinerilor reporteri un început cât mai bun în experienţa lor profesională, echipându-i cu competenţe practice în tematici cruciale pentru progresul societăţii moldoveneşti: investiţiile în copii şi tineri, de exemplu, prevenţia HIV/SIDA, justiţia juvenilă, excluderea socială sau campaniile media de utilitate publică.

"Ghidul de bune practici, completat cu studii de caz, exerciţii, activităţi informale, exemple media reuşite, repere din coduri de conduită profesionala şi resurse informaţionale, reprezintă un instrument util şi necesar pentru formarea tinerilor jurnalişti din Moldova", notează decanul Facultăţii.

La rândul său, în Cuvantul înainte al volumului, Giovanna Barberis, reprezentantul Fondului Naţiunilor Unite pentru Copii în R. Moldova, explică de ce UNICEF susţine această iniţiativă media: "Documentul final al Sesiunii Speciale ONU pentru Copii din 2002, numit O lume demna pentru copii, menţionează că instituţiile media "trebuie să joace un rol mai activ în informarea copiilor, părinţilor, familiilor şi publicului larg cu privire la iniţiativele care protejează şi promovează drepturile copilului". În acest efort tinerii jurnalişti din Moldova pot avea o contribuţie esentială". [DECA-press]

For questions/comments:

Violeta Cojocaru
Assistant Communication Officer
UNICEF Moldova
# 131, "31 August 1989" Str.
Chisinau, Moldova
Telephone: 373 22 220034
Facsimile: 373 22 220244
Mobile: 373 691 23 630
E-mail: vcojocaru@unicef.org
Web: www.unicef.org
________________________________
For every child
Health, Education, Equality, Protection
ADVANCE HUMANITY

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
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The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS / RESEARCH: Research Shows Children's TV Viewing Habits Can Lead to Bullying

Research Shows Children's TV Viewing Habits Can Lead to Bullying

By Mary Rettig
April 11, 2005

(AgapePress) - An assistant professor at the University of Washington says his research shows that toddlers who watch a lot of television are more likely to become bullies in elementary school.

Dr. Frederick Zimmerman says a recent study that looked at the amount of television a group of four-year-olds watched and the effects of their viewing revealed some startling facts. For instance, he notes that, according to the study, for every hour of television a child watched per day, the child is nine percent more likely to become a bully.

Zimmerman's research suggests that children may be learning some of their bullying behavior from the TV and movies they watch. "Cartoons contain an enormous amount of violence, and this is something that has concerned experts in the area for long time," he says. "And the same could be said for feature-length animated films -- they also contain a lot of violence."

Also, the researcher observes, cartoons and animated features tend to contain "a lot of disrespectful language. And one of the features of bullying that's so salient is that it often begins with teasing and taunting." For this reason, he advises parents to be aware of the amount and type of material their children watch.

Notably, however, Zimmerman points out that, in his study, the type of the material was not a particularly significant factor in the measurable effects of media viewing on children. That is, the results appeared to have nothing to do with the type of movies or television programming a child watched.

According to the University of Washington professor, the study indicated that the "typical fare of television that children watch" has an effect on their bullying behavior. In fact, he notes, "One of the interesting things that we found was that the effect was fairly large. If you look at the difference between children who watched no TV versus children who watched the typical amount of TV -- which in our sample was about 3 and a half hours per day -- there was about a 25 percent increased risk associated with that difference."

Zimmerman, a father of two, says parents would do well to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation to restrict young children to no more than two hours of TV watching per day.

SOURCE: http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/4/112005e.asp

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
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The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 11, 2005

OPPORTUNITIES: Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Scholarship Fund 2005

Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Scholarship Fund 2005
For young journalists to report on the 60th UN Assembly...
Deadline: May 1 2005

Young journalists from Asia, Africa and Latin America have until May 1 2005 to apply for a scholarship that would send them to report on the 60th session of the United Nations General Assembly. The session begins in September 2005 in New York City.

The Dag Hammarskjöld Memorial Scholarship Fund, named after the late UN secretary-general, expects to award three or more fellowships this year. The programme sends the selected journalists to New York for the duration of the General Assembly session. The fellowships offer journalists the chance to inform their audiences with special-assignment coverage from UN Headquarters. Organisers hope to select one journalist from a country affected by the Asian tsunami.

The fellowship covers round-trip airfare, accommodation, health insurance, and a daily allowance for food and other basic needs. Full-time, professional journalists between 25 and 35 years old and employed by recognised print and broadcast media organisations are eligible. Candidates must be proficient in English.

Click here for more information -

Interested journalists should send the application form along with work samples, a diploma photocopy, letters from references and employers, and a summary statement. The package should be mailed to the contact information below.

Click here for information on application requirements.

Click here for the online application form.

Contact:
Secretary
Memorial Scholarship Fund
Dag Hammarskjold Convenience Center
P.O. Box 20314
New York, NY 10017 USA
Tel.: (212) 826-4520
info@unjournalismfellowship.org

Source: MediaMentor Digest Number 1677, April 4 2005.

Placed on the Communication Initiative site April 05 2005.
Last Updated April 08 2005.

SOURCE: http://www.comminit.com/awards2005/awards2005/awards-1133.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
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The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

ARTICLES: TV violence: the good and bad for our children

TV violence: the good and bad for our children

April 11, 2005

Values, not viewing habits, are the key to moulding behaviour, writes Patricia Edgar.

Here we go again with a simple-minded answer to a complex social question. For every hour a four-year-old spends in front of television, we are told, regardless of what they view, the odds of his becoming a bully increase by 9 per cent. (The Age, 6/4). That has to mean every four-year-old is a bully shortly after his fourth birthday.

The single question that has occupied researchers in relation to children and the media since the introduction of television is: what is the impact of media, particularly media violence on children? Despite the many millions of dollars spent on research, the findings are spurious.

Two large studies in the 1960s, one in the US by Wilbur Schramm and his colleagues, and one by Hilde Himmelweit in Britain, got it right when they reported: for some children, under some conditions, some television is harmful; for other children under the same conditions, or for the same children under other conditions, it may be beneficial; for most children, under most conditions, most television is probably neither particularly harmful nor particularly beneficial.

Effects studies have become a self-perpetuating industry for four decades. Answers have not been found, because the wrong questions are being asked.

Some British researchers, notably David Buckingham, have pointed out that effects studies miss the social and narrative context.

The context of violence is what makes it acceptable or unacceptable, and the depiction of violence in drama is essential for children to understand the world in which they are growing up, both at an individual level and a societal level. Yet the belief that media violence is harmful, and now the suggestion that watching any television is harmful, remains.

The factors that have been identified as risk factors for children who are in trouble and who become bullies are child abuse, family breakdown, unemployment and poverty, isolation, lack of social success, peer-group pressure. The media are not high on the list of influences when other risk factors are absent. But trying to isolate the impact of media alone misses the bigger issue.

While media violence may not be a major factor in explaining individual acts of violence and bullying, it may be a very important factor at the societal level. The media depict a very violent world and the media exploit that violence in news programs as well as in sport and fictional drama.

In the society we see on TV there are high levels of aggression, and there is wide acceptance of antisocial behaviour. As a result of viewing this kind of program day after day, we know that people (viewers) perceive the world to be a much more dangerous place than it actually is and fear they will be the victims of violence. This is particularly true for the vulnerable: those living alone, children, women and older people. Perpetrators learn that aggressive attitudes and behaviours are often acceptable, even on the sports field.

Media content has changed its form in the past few decades. Morality tales are now few. Remember when the hero drew his gun only when he was provoked, and always in the service of good? Increasingly the models of behaviour in films, television, video games and music are antisocial. Gangsters, drug dealers and psychopaths are often glamorised.

Right and wrong are no longer clear concepts. This extends way beyond fictional programs, as we know from the war in Iraq, our treatment of refugees, and the debate that surrounds these issues. We don't believe our politicians any more. And the examination of their manipulation of facts becomes part of the media environment where conflict is heightened and exploited for commercial advantage. Altogether this media world presents an experience where the values depicted are at best ambiguous and confusing.

Behaviour is a function of social context. If young people are to grow up to be socialised human beings rather than bullies, constructive rather than destructive, they have to have hope and opportunity. They must be offered something to live for, to believe in, to value. And our media with its emphasis on conflict, violence and sensationalism, its exploitation of bullying in sport and other arenas consistently undermines that process.

We know the importance of a child's early years. If children are not given the stimulation and support they need in those early years, they will grow up to become marginalised adults. Their health, literacy, and physical skills are all-important. But just as crucial for their social wellbeing is the development of their emotional and moral intelligences. Children require healthy bodies, educated minds, and an understanding of their social purpose.

We won't reduce bullying by the impossible task of stopping four-year-olds watching television. Rather television can have a positive role to play. It can be a wonderful medium to inspire and inform as effectively as it now promotes antisocial values.

In 1995, Nelson Mandela, then president of South Africa, sent a message to the first World Summit on Television and Children in Melbourne. In part, he said: "The future of our planet lies in children's hands. All of you involved in television, which is one of the most powerful influences on children, have an awesome responsibility on your shoulders."

At a time when it appears that the moral and the cultural fabric of our society is disintegrating, it is ever more important that we instil in our youth and children a strong sense of values, a compassion and understanding of one another's culture and humanity, and offer them knowledge about the world.

Dr Patricia Edgar is the chairwoman of the World Summit on Media for Children Foundation, founding director of the Australian Children's Television Foundation.

SOURCE: http://www.theage.com.au/news/Opinion/TV-violence-the-good-and-bad-for-our-children/2005/04/10/1113071849363.html?oneclick=true#

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
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Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 8, 2005

ARTICLES / PROJECTS: Recycling skill (UK & KENYA)

Recycling skill

Millions of PCs are decommissioned every year in the UK, but one company is finding a useful home for them in Kenyan schools. Simon Birch reports

Thursday April 7, 2005
The Guardian

In one of Nairobi's notorious slums, Aquinas Secondary School for Boys is an unlikely location for a pioneering IT education project. Aquinas is one of 120 schools benefiting from the donation of computers and training from Computers For Schools Kenya (CFSK), a Nairobi-based charity helping to produce a new generation of computer-savvy young Kenyans.

This month, Aquinas became one of five pilot schools that have gone online thanks to a wireless internet connection. "School children who don't have IT knowledge are at a disadvantage," believes head teacher George Muthee. "Many of our pupils come from severely disadvantaged backgrounds, but by being able to offer IT classes, students stand a much better chance of getting a job or going to college."

Despite having no mains electricity at home, student Peter Chada is aware of the importance of an IT education. "Everything is becoming computerised and if you're going for a professional or office job the first thing an employer asks you is whether you are computer literate," says the 18-year-old, who aims to become a computer engineer.

A skilled and computer literate workforce is now widely recognised as being a key factor in Africa's ability to boost its productivity and attract investment.

"Information communication technology has been identified by the UN as a driving force for development," says Tom Musili, executive director of CFSK, which launched in 2002 and now has a staff of more than 30.

"The Kenyan government, industry and civil society all recognise that for Kenya to remain competitive in today's knowledge-based economy, more must be done and done urgently to increase access to ICT skills training."

However, with a vast number of Kenyans unable to afford to finish secondary school education, access to school computers and ICT skills is still restricted to the lucky few.

"Most Kenyan schools lack even the most basic ICT resources because of the cost. The result is that the vast majority of Kenyan schoolchildren leave school without having seen a computer," says Musili.

Certainly George Muthee recognises how lucky his school has been in receiving 20 PCs and the ICT training that he and ICT teacher Charles Nganga got from CFSK.

"When I first heard of them, I ran very fast to ensure Aquinas was at the front of the queue," says a beaming Muthee. "It was a golden opportunity for us. We would never have been able to buy 20 PCs."

CFSK has embarked upon an ambitious programme of rolling out PCs to Kenya's schools. "Our vision is quite simple," says Musili. "By 2009, we aim to place almost 15,000 PCs in nearly 600 schools, provide the necessary training and support, as well as boost internet usage and access."

Crucial to this vision are the supporters from within Kenya and overseas who help fund the program.

One of its most important partners is UK-based Computer Aid International (CAI), which supplies CFSK with most of its computers.

An estimated 3m PCs are decommissioned every year in the UK by thousands of companies who upgrade and change IT systems. However, many are in good working order. Since 1998, CAI has placed 45,000 computers in the developing world.

"End-of-life PCs are worthless to most companies but invaluable to schoolchildren," says Tony Roberts, director of CAI. "Companies see getting rid of old kit as one big headache. We can take care of their headaches while ensuring the PCs go to good causes."

Roberts rejects criticism that with so much poverty in Africa, priority should be given to basic educational resources such as books and desks.

"Computers are no longer an optional extra. Without appropriate vocational training and skills development, young people will remain locked into a cycle of poverty and marginalisation," he says.

"Governments in Africa are not trying to decide if they should invest in ICTs, they're focused on determining how much they can invest and how soon. It's a matter of great urgency.

"Unless developing economies such as Kenya are enabled to break out of the cycle of poverty they will always remain dependent upon aid," argues Roberts.

"This endless cycle will only be broken by rich countries providing aid that will impact directly and positively on people's livelihoods by developing marketable skills and increased options for better jobs."

Back at Aquinas, Charles Nganga winds up another double period of ICT. "While many of our pupils come from poor and disadvantaged families, we work hard at instilling in the boys the idea that they can achieve anything if they work hard at school," says Nganga. "The continuing success of CFSK is a crucial part of this process."

Links

Computers For Schools Kenya

www.cfsk.org

Computer Aid International

www.computer-aid.org

SOURCE: http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/story/0,3605,1453286,00.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
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Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

NEWS: EU to triple Research & Development spend in attempt to rival US and Japan (EUROPEAN UNION)

April 07, 2005

EU to triple R&D spend in attempt to rival US and Japan

By Anthony Browne, Brussels Correspondent

THE European Commission unveiled plans yesterday to triple spending on research and development, transport and education in an effort to create jobs and revitalise the EU?s struggling economy.

The ?132.7 billion (£90.8 billion) pitch to raise competitiveness is aimed at making the Commission?s ?1,025 billion spending plans for the years 2007 to 2013 more palatable to member governments, many of which have attacked them as too costly. The Commission insists that the EU must sharply increase spending on R&D to close the technology gap with America and Japan.

The EU budget also includes proposals to nearly quadruple spending on ?culture, youth media and citizenship? to ?2.5 billion over the seven-year period. This includes ?207 million for a ?citizens for Europe? programme to ?foster co-operation between citizens and organisations from different countries who will meet to develop their own ideas and act in a European environment?.

The EU also intends to more than triple spending on ?freedom, security and justice? to ?8.3 billion. The plans include a new EU border management agency, programmes to help illegal immigrants ? such as ?counselling for unsuccessful asylum seekers? ? and a new fundamental rights agency.

Spending on health and consumer protection will be nearly tripled to ?1.8 billion. The Commission is desperate to use its budget to show that it is no longer focused on the post-war problem of boosting agriculture but is helping to make Europe the world?s leading ?knowledge-based? economy.

Although total spending on agricultural subsidies, given through the Common Agricultural Policy, will decrease by 3 per cent, this remains the single biggest area of expenditure, totalling ?301 billion by 2013. However, because of the overall increase in the budget, agricultural spending will drop from about half the EU budget to less than a third.

Dalia Grybauskaite, the Budget Commissioner, said: ?Today?s proposals clearly reflect a shift towards growth and employment with a focus on knowledge-based activities such as research and innovation. The proposals offer a real added value for EU citizens and represent a good use of taxpayers? money.?

José Manuel Barroso, President of the Commission, said: ?The Commission?s blueprint for investing in Europe?s future is complete. Europe must have the means to match its ambitions.?

The spending plans are provisional and show the Commission?s ambitions as it heads into negotiations with EU member states. Overall, it has asked for a budget of 1.26 per cent of EU GDP, but six member states, including the UK, have insisted that they don?t want to pay any more than 1 per cent of GDP into the budget. The Commission insists that it needs more money to turn the EU?s lofty goals ? more competitiveness, greater research, better education, more security and a bigger role in the world ? into reality.

The budget negotiations, which are meant to be finalised by the heads of state in June, are particularly sensitive for the UK, which is staunchly defending its budget rebate, secured in 1984 by Margaret (Baroness) Thatcher and worth about £4 billion a year.

RISE OF EUROPEAN SPENDING

EU spending plans for 2007-13 (and change over period)

Research ... ?67.8bn (166%)
Transport and energy ... ?20.7bn (367%)
Education and training ... ?12bn (268%)
Protection of environment ... ?2.1bn (37%)
Regional development ... ?264 bn (40%)
Agriculture ... ?301bn (-3%)
Rural development ... ?88.8bn (25%)
Freedom, security and justice ... ?8.3bn (228%)
Health and consumer ... ?1.8bn (187%)
Culture, youth, media and citizenship ... ?2.5bn (267%)
Total (inc other) ... ?1,025bn

SOURCE: http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13130-1557846,00.html

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
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The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 6, 2005

NEWS: Al Gore launches youth TV channel (USA)

Al Gore launches youth TV channel

Former US Vice-President Al Gore is to spearhead a new TV channel offering bite-sized entertainment and current affairs aimed at young people.

The cable channel Current will launch in August with 15-second to five-minute "pods" on subjects from fashion to finance plus Google's search headlines.

It will also encourage its 18-34 audience to make their own TV packages.

Mr Gore, who will be the channel's chairman, said it would let viewers "engage in the dialogue of democracy".

He said he wanted to "transform the television medium itself" by making it easier for viewers to get their voices heard.

Current's website will offer editing software and tutorials for viewers to post their videos on the site. A vote will pick the best ones to be shown on TV.

Mr Gore said: "We are about empowering this generation of young people in their 20s to engage in a dialogue of democracy and to tell their stories about what's going in their lives in the dominant media of our time."

But Mr Gore, 57, who lost out in a hard-fought presidential campaign to George W Bush in 2000, said Current would not be a political mouthpiece.

'Two-way TV'

"We have no intention of being a Democratic channel, a liberal channel, or a TV version of Air America," he said, referring to the liberal radio network. "That's not what we're all about."

He said the San Francisco-based channel would launch on 1 August and be available to 19 million subscription viewers.

Its "pod" segments, styled on an iPod digital music player's ability to play a wide variety of styles, will also cover topics such as technology, music, parenting and career advice.

And a deal with Google will provide details of the top search topics twice an hour.

Mr Gore said he was frustrated that television has traditionally been a "one-way" medium dominated by large companies.

"The $100,000 television camera has become a $3,000 high-definition camera, and the $250,000 editing console has become a $1,000 Apple computer program," he said.

"The five-person crew can be one young woman in her 20s with something the size of a handbag."

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 4, 2005

CALL FOR ENTRIES: moviemiento

SOURCE: http://www.moviemiento.com

Call for Entries - Send your movie on the road!

We are looking for films with nomadic ambitions.

> central ideas could be: packing bags, hitting the road, crossing borders,
> searching for home, exploring new worlds, encounters with strangers,
> connecting people, in transit.
> all genres welcome: experimental, documentary, animation, fictional films
> length: running time can be up to 15 min.
> format: Mini-DV, DVD, VHS, S-VCD
> language: if language is important to your film you should subtitle your
> work.
> deadline for entries is: 1 May 2005. Prints arriving after this date
> cannot be guaranteed participation.

Each video must be a screening copy, we cannot send them back. By submitting
you declare it open to public presentation during the event of moviemiento.
Please include the entry form, a short synopsis in English and information
about filmmaker and crew.

Send your film to:
moviemiento e.V.
Manteuffelstr. 20
10997 Berlin
Germany

The final selection for the short film tour will be made by the festival
organisation after 1. May 2005. We will inform you about our decision as
soon as possible.
For any further questions or suggestions please contact us:
festival@moviemiento.com

To download the entry form, go to
http://www.moviemiento.com/2/fileadmin/user_upload/entry_form/mm_entryform_english.pdf

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

The opinions and views expressed in this message and/or articles & websites
linked to from this message do not necessarily reflect the views of the
United Nations or its agencies.
_________________________________________

April 1, 2005

AWARDS / CALL FOR ENTRIES: Barcelona International Television Festival (FITB)

CALL FOR ENTRIES 2005

We invite filmmakers of all ages to submit their children and youth productions and participate in the 9^th edition of the Barcelona International Television Festival (FITB), which will be held from 14^th to 19^th November 2005 in the Mediterranean city of Barcelona.

As with previous years, we are especially interested in films that not only entertain but also ideally help educate and form the young viewer in some way.

We welcome all filmmakers, students, legal entities, and production and distribution companies to submit their films destined for television to our festival within the following terms:

Genre: Children and youth - All public

a. Films and productions made for children and youth.

b. Films and productions about children and/or dealing with childhood subjects.

c. Films made by children, youth and audiovisual students.

For more information please check out our website address:

www.oeti.org where you can find information about the categories and competition sections of the festival, including the prestigious UNICEF PRIZE and the CREATIVE PRIZE Diploma.

The 2005 entry form can be found at: http://www.oeti.org/ingles/festival/entryform.htm (to be completed on-line and forwarded on or before 31st May 2005).

Please contact fitb@oeti.org if you have any queries about the festival.

Please send your films (to arrive no later than 30^th June 2005) for the pre-selection to:

FESTIVAL INTERNACIONAL DE TELEVISION DE BARCELONA

c/o Doina Bird - Festival Coordinator

C/ Aragó 290 ?292, Barcelona 08009, SPAIN

Tel: (34) 93 488 1914 and (34) 93 162 6756

Fax: (34) 93 488 2086

_________________________________________

Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany

Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media

The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.

April 29, 2005

Mobile phones are to be used in a 400 person study to determine how youth depression starts and develops. The researchers hope to use the results to create a mobile phone program to act as an early warning system for at-risk young people.

April 26, 2005

April 21, 2005

Mark Sweney, Marketing 16 Nov 2004

SOURCE: http://www.beiuns-beieuch.de/english.php

The Project

The Concept

How does a film contribution look like?

Who can participate?

How is the time schedule?

April 19, 2005

April 18, 2005

April 13, 2005

April 11, 2005

Values, not viewing habits, are the key to moulding behaviour, writes Patricia Edgar.

April 8, 2005

April 6, 2005

April 4, 2005

April 1, 2005

OneMinutesJr videos from Moldova, 2009

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