AWARDS / OPPORTUNITIES: Contest to award journalism on social conditions in Eastern Europe (EUROPE)

Contest to award journalism on social conditions in Eastern Europe

A journalism contest will award exemplary print journalism on the social situation and living conditions of the people in Central and Eastern Europe. The deadline for submissions is September 19.

The contest is open to all full- and part-time journalists who were born or live in a country that is part of Central, East or Southeast Europe.

Works must address the problems facing people in Eastern Europe, compare and contrast their situation with that of Western Europeans, and address other topics on the issue of social conditions. Works should already have been published in the print media.

The winner will receive EUR€2.000 (approximately US $3,082). In addition, two additional winners will each receive EUR€1.000 (approximately US $1,541). All three awardees will be invited to the presentation of prizes in Munich on November 8.

To learn more contact presse@renovabis.de or click here.

Source

ARTICLES / INTERNET: Parents don't watch kids online (UK)

Parents don't watch kids online
July 30, 2008

The majority of children in the UK are not being monitored while they surf the net.

With the summer holidays in full swing and children enjoying an extended break from school and studies a new survey reveals that parents are largely unaware of what sites children are visiting.

Research by BroadbandChoices.co.uk showed that 84 per cent of parents in the UK rely on a verbal agreement with their children as the primary way of monitoring online activity.

The same survey asked surfers aged 11-16 how they spend their online time during the holidays.

Nearly half said they download music, 45 per cent use chat rooms to make new friends online and 40 per cent use social-networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace.

full article

NEWS / ARTICLES: Youths in the Capital find their own voice, create niche in media (INDIA)

Youths in the Capital find their own voice, create niche in media

Sweta Dutta

Posted online: Friday, July 11, 2008 at 0045 hrs IST

New Delhi, July 10
Disappointed with inadequate representation of their opinions in the media, a number of young entrepreneurs in the Capital have taken the initiative of opening their own newspapers and news portals. And they mean business — already getting a following among the youths inside the campus and out.

Viewspaper, a news portal just 11 months old, is busy following up issues that concern the youth — RTIs on reservation of seats in colleges to plight of students in institutes derecognised by the government.

A brainchild of Shiv Bhaskar Dravid, an ex-student of Shri Ram College of Commerce, this portal had recorded 2 lakh hits last month.

“A majority of the Indian population is young, but all news channels and magazines are airing the opinions of the older generation. The opinions of the youth are not essentially in sync with them. So I felt there was a need to create a voice for ourselves,” asserts Shiv, who is now a full time entrepreneur shuttling between his modest office in Noida and clients in Delhi.

With correspondents in most metros and even abroad, Viewspaper has content ranging from Euro to the Amarnath land row.

“We do not always cover events as most daily newspapers do that. We have reviews and opinions by our correspondents. They are all young students or professionals and we have a large number of our readers write in as citizen journalists,” Shiv says.

full article

NEWS: Praise for ABU children's programme producers (ASIA)

Praise for ABU children's programme producers

The trainers at an ABU workshop on children's television programmes have praised the work of the programme producers who took part.

The Children's TV Programme Item-Exchange Meeting and Workshop was held in Kuala Lumpur on 7-12 July.

The trainers, Hiroko Sakaue of NHK, Bella Stjerne and Kalle Furst from the European Broadcasting Union and Karen Pringle of BBC, said they were happy with the quality of the programmes produced. 

Ms Pringle facilitating and attending the event for the very first time said she was in awe of how producers from different backgrounds had come together, breaching language barriers and culture, to work together for children. .

Thirty-five participants from 17 organisations in Asia and the Pacific took part in this year's event.

A total of 158 items were viewed and discussed, a third of which were non-Asian productions for children

Source

EVENTS: 1st Africa Media Literacy Conference Commences Today (AFRICA)

1st Africa Media Literacy Conference Commences Today

29 July 2008

By Christiana Esebonu

The Youth Media and Communication Initiative (YMCI) in collaboration with National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) and the British Council, Nigeria, is to begin its first Africa Media Literacy Conference today.

According to the group, the conference, tagged, "A tool for Youth Empowerment, Democratic Engagement and National Development," is aimed at creating conditions that would promote sustainable media education in Africa. Adding that the event is scheduled to take place at the Ladi Kwali Conference Centre, Abuja Sheraton Hotel and Towers.

They further revealed that the conference hopes to develop policy documents that will facilitate the integration of media literacy into schools curriculum and to promote democratic engagement for young people by providing them with the needed tools and confidence that will enable them to be active citizens in a progressive and open society amongst others.

full article

WORKSHOPS: Workshop Aims to Empower Youths (PACIFIC)

Workshop Aims to Empower Youths

Youths are currently attending a workshop that aims to encourage them to address issues that affect young people.

The Pacific Youth Voices Youth Media Workshop currently conducted in Honiara is aimed at encouraging young Solomon Islanders to talk about things that matter, such as issues that affect them and also to teach them basic media skills, a media intern for the Commonwealth Program Centre, Tessa Johnstone told Solomon Times.

She said that a lot of young people feel neglected by society or less important.

It is hoped that young people who participate will feel more empowered after the workshop, Ms. Johnstone said.

"The workshop also aims to help young people see issues which other Pacific youths are concerned about," she added.

full article

WORKSHOPS / ARTICLES: Kids' videos tell their stories at Children's Museum (USA)

Kids' videos tell their stories at Children's Museum

Zjanara White of the Hill District knows all about isolation, and the teen is illustrating what it feels like in a video she is creating.

The short video, which includes background music, shows a lone boy in various shots all around Pittsburgh, where he is surrounded by people, yet by himself. That boy represents who Zjanara, 14, used to be.

"I would try to block out the world," she says as she puts the finishing touches on her film, which will air tonight at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh.

"This is the before," Zjanara says, as she points at the video screen, then herself. "And this is after."

Zjanara is one of a dozen local teens -- the first in the United States -- who, through a UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) project, are creating one-minute videos that will be unveiled to the public tonight at the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh. The "oneminutesjr" video project -- which comes through a partnership among UNICEF, the Amsterdam-based European Cultural Institute and the Sandberg Institute -- usually is offered in developing parts of the world like Jordan, the Congo and China.

Karen Cirillo, executive producer of the Children's Broadcasting Initiatives for UNICEF, says she was thrilled to hook up with the North Side museum and bring the creative opportunity to American children, who can try a new skill and express themselves.

"The purpose is to get young people involved in video ... and to encourage creativity and imagination," says Cirillo, who is based in New York.

full article

NEWS / IT: Community media and SMS text messages

Community media and SMS text messages

At first glance SMS text messages would seem like a natural for inclusion in a community radio station’s essential toolkit. SMS messages are inexpensive and easy-to-use and in recent years the mobile phones that are needed for sending and receiving them have become ubiquitous. However, a survey of recent projects indicates that use of SMS messages among community media in the developing world is still at an early stage. In most stations SMS use is informal. The few cases identified of community stations making more complex use of SMS messages have accompanied political crises or natural disasters and have inevitably been donor financed. There are few, if any, experiences of complex uses of SMS by community media without external funding and technical support, even though the financial and technical resources required are minimal.

When the GSM mobile telephone standard was developed engineers included the ability to send short text messages, up to 160 characters, between phones. Operators were sceptical about the service’s ability to interest customers or to generate revenue, but consumers massively took it up as a convenient and inexpensive alternative to voice calls.  With time applications and services were developed enabling, for example, broadcast messages, mobile payments, polling and information services. In 2007 global revenue from SMS messages was more than $50 billion with more than 1 trillion messages sent.(1)

full article

NEWS / WEBSITES: Internet channel for Spanish-speaking children launches programs

Internet channel for Spanish-speaking children launches programs

24/07/2008

Teleclip, a new channel for Spanish-speaking children, ages 7 to 16 years old, aims “to bring the media and children closer, giving priority to the news that interests the young ones,” explained the supporters of the initiative.

But the programs are also “an investigation on how media convergence affects children, and how this generation, called ‘messenger,’ is revolutionizing the conventional media,” they added.

Programs have been created in collaboration with Universidad de la Coruña and Complutense de Madrid, as well as with Chilean, Mexican and Peruvian productions. Plans are in the works to expand the network in the Spanish-speaking world.

To find out how to submit programs, contact loretoc@ccin.ucm.es. For more information, visit (in Spanish) http://www.canalsolidario.org/web/noticias/noticia/?id_noticia=10208.

Source

NEWS / INTERVIEWS: UNICEF promotes children’s rights through film (AFRICA)

UNICEF promotes children's rights through film

QUESTION: What does UNICEF expect to achieve from all this? ANSWER: Our expectations are the same as the expectations of all children: to raise issues about child rights. The award is called 'UNICEF Child Rights Award' and it is to raise public awareness about issues that touch on children's lives -- such as children who might have been orphans because of HIV/AIDS, or are HIV positive. Also, children who may suffer from violence or those who are involved in child labour. We have been sponsoring this award since 2005. So far, two Tanzanian producers have won the award. The film 'Tumaini' took this award in 2005 and 'Elfu Huanza Moja' in 2007. In 2006, the award went to a Zimbabwean entry, 'Through my Eyes'. UNICEF goals for sponsoring this award have always been to promote children's rights through film. Additionally, through this award we hope to motivate both local and international film producers to think of and remember children and the issues surrounding them when developing screenplays – as well as the challenges facing children in our society today, such as the impact of HIV/AIDS, child labour, lack of access to basic education and health, violence, exploitation etc. full article

WORKSHOPS / RADIO: Inviting Cebuano youth to a workshop on "Youth Radio Dramas for Peace" (PHILIPPINES)

Inviting Cebuano youth to a workshop on "Youth Radio Dramas for Peace"

Cebu, Philippines (29 July) -- The Probe Media Foundation, Inc. (PMFI) is inviting Cebuano youth aged 15-20 years old to apply as participant to a workshop on "Youth Radio Dramas for Peace," that will be held in Cebu on August 21-22, 2008.

The applicants must be a part of an organization or club and prior training in radio is not required. The organizers will shoulder the meals, provide for the workshop materials and training. Participants must be able to shoulder their own transportation to and from the venue in Cebu City.

Deadline of submission of application is August 1, 2008 and accepted participants shall be notified by August 8.

According to PMFI, the 2-day live out workshop provides opportunities for young Cebuanos of established organizations to increase their awareness and understanding on issues of peace and understanding, specifically on Muslim and Christian religion and culture in order to produce creative radio dramas on the subject.

In cooperation with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and Radio Mindanao Network (RMN), the 2-day workshop will be composed of lectures, discussions, sharing and radio storytelling techniques.

full article

EVENTS: Sarajevo Film Festival

Council of Europe Partner of Sarajevo Film Festival

Strasbourg, 24.07.2008 - For the first time ever, the Council of Europe has become the partner of the Sarajevo Film Festival and sponsor of the "Heart of Sarajevo" award for the best feature film. This year's festival takes place from 15-23 August. The Council of Europe, the 47 nation organisation known as the guardian of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, is a unique forum for voicing the concerns, hopes and aspirations of all 800 million Europeans.

Established in 1949, the continent's first and largest political organisation, through its work based on intergovernmental co-operation, seeks to promote and enforce fundamental European values that form the foundation of a tolerant and civilised society, and are indispensable for European stability, economic growth and social cohesion.

The Council of Europe works through legal texts, recommendations and other forms of assistance to its member countries, but also through the promotion of diversity and cooperation in the field of culture. For many years, the Council of Europe has been providing support to numerous activities in the field of cinema, and promoting the role that film has in making positive influence at social conciseness and spreading of ideas of tolerance and cultural exchange.

Since 1988, the European Support Fund for the Co-production and Distribution of Creative Cinematographic and Audiovisual Works, or Eurimages, has worked within the Council of Europe to promote the European film industry by encouraging the production and distribution of films and fostering co-operation between professionals. As of 2005, Bosnia and Herzegovina has also been a member of Eurimages.

Being very active in South-Eastern Europe, the Council of Europe considers the Sarajevo Film Festival, as a meeting point of the regional film industry, is a natural choice for promoting its activities, recognising mutual goals to educate people through films, to support artistic creation and the freedom of expression through film making, and to promote its values of cultural diversity and mutual respect.

The Council of Europe also recognises that directors from South-Eastern Europe whose films are selected for the Sarajevo Film Festival, have been choosing themes that correspond largely to the Council of Europe's values, most dealing with social commentary and human rights.

Every year, the Sarajevo Festival offers a truly rich film repertoire for its youngest audience. The Festival's special Children's Programme is a unique selection of films which attracts over 35,000 young viewers from all over the region. It represents a unique forum to present the Council of Europe's activities in the field of the promotion of children's rights and the protection of children from violence. At this year's festival, the Council of Europe will present its most recent Europe-wide awareness-raising initiative against corporal punishment of children, called "Raise your hand against smacking", which aims at legally banning corporal punishment of children, promoting positive parenting and raising awareness of children's rights throughout Europe.

For more information, see www.sff.ba  

Press contacts :
Sarajevo Film Festival, Press office, Tel: + 387 33 209 411, E-mail: press@sff.ba 

Council of Europe Press Division, Tel. +33 3 88 41 25 60 ; E-mail: pressunit@coe.int  

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AWARDS: UNICEF and ‘OneminutesJr’ project rock Stranger Festival awards with big wins

UNICEF and 'OneminutesJr' project rock Stranger Festival awards with big wins

© UNICEF/2008/Schuepp

Sylvain Koko, 18 of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, had three nominations for his film 'Alimentation d'un congolais moyen' ('Average diet of a Congolese man').

By Amy Bennett

NEW YORK, USA, 25 July 2008 – Nine productions from the 'OneminutesJr' project received an unprecedented 14 nominations and two awards in the one-minute films competition at the 2008 Stranger Festival in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The films, made during OneminutesJr workshops sponsored by UNICEF around the world, are all the work of filmmakers under the age of 20.

The Stranger Festival is Europe's biggest event for young videographers working to share their stories. This year, the festival and OneminutesJr organized some 35 workshops in more than 20 countries and hosted an open competition for young filmmakers. The winners were announced at the Stranger Awards show earlier this month.

UNICEF filmmakers took away two very prestigious honours – the MTV Stranger Award and the OneminutesJr award in the 'Inside Out' category. But more than that, all the nominees took pride in their accomplishments and the personal growth they achieved through filmmaking.

"It's like an outlet for your emotions, an outlet for what you think inside," said nominee Kirk Belmonte from the Philippines. "It's also important for intrapersonal communication, because it's something that came from your heart, from your mind. Then you let other people see it,  so it's giving out, pouring out a part of yourself."

Karim Shaaban, 18, from Egypt, and Kirk Belmonte, 19, from the Philippines, were nominated for awards given at the Stranger Festival.

And the winners are…

Sylvain Koko, 18, of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, garnered three nominations for his film 'Alimentation d'un congolais moyen' ('Average diet of a Congolese man'). As the winner of the MTV Stranger Award, he received a JVC HD video camera and the honour of having his film air on MTV Netherlands.

Zarina Pashtova, 12, from Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia, won the OneminutesJr award in the Inside Out category for her film 'Untitled'. Zarina also received a JVC HD video camera. She attended the Stranger Festival and got her award onstage in spite of her shyness – a quality that her short film addressed.

Other nominees on hand at the festival included:

• Georgy Ambalov, 14, from Vladikavkaz in North Ossetia, Russia, nominated for the Stranger Award for his film 'Balance'
• Kirk Belmonte, 19, from Baguio, the Philippines, nominated in the Inside Out category for his film 'Breath of Freedom'
• Karim Shaaban, 18, from Cairo, Egypt, nominated in the Inside Out category and for the Stranger Award for his film 'Overload'.

"It's a very great feeling to see that you are nominated," said Karim. "Everyone can see your film."

The other films nominated for the Stranger Award and OneminutesJr honours were Richard Issam's 'Les enfants dits sorciers' and Landry Koko's 'Mon Pays' (DR Congo); Anas Dhafir Keiralla's 'One Life, One Reality' (Jordan/Iraq); and Emre Acikbas's 'Unklaubliche Phenomene Vol.1' (Germany).

Inspiring creativity

The nine nominated films were produced in workshops supported by UNICEF and various partners, including the Dubai International Film Festival. The competition that culminated in Amsterdam was open to all one-minute films produced since June 2007 by young filmmakers aged 12 to 20. Over 300 films were eligible to compete.

Operated in partnership with the One Minutes Foundation and the European Cultural Foundation (ECF), the OneminutesJr project organizes five-day film workshops in which each participant learns camera skills, story development and production techniques. ECF produced the Stranger Festival this year, in line with its mission of equipping young people with fundamental skills for self-expression and interaction using video.

"It's so inspiring to see the creativity of these young people – how they see the world around them and what they choose to highlight and express about their lives and experiences," said UNICEF's Executive Producer for Children's Broadcasting Initiatives, Karen Cirillo. "OneminutesJr is a unique opportunity to explore identity and culture in a fun and exciting way."

Source

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NEWS / PROJECTS / TV: UNICEF-supported soap opera raises awareness about HIV/AIDS in Niger

UNICEF-supported soap opera raises awareness about HIV/AIDS in Niger

By Sandra Bisin

NIAMEY, Niger, 15 July 2008 – HIV/AIDS is an issue that is rarely talked about in Niger’s conservative society. In August, in an effort to bring the issue to the forefront, Niger will launch its first ever soap opera about young people living in a world affected by the AIDS pandemic.

A joint project of Niger’s Broadcasting Corporation (ORTN) and UNICEF, the programme, titled 'Soueba', is a compelling serial drama that focuses on the lives of young people in Niamey, Niger’s capital. It follows their journey into adulthood, while exploring love, sex, betrayal and the realities of HIV/AIDS. With 'Soueba', UNICEF and its partners hope to use the soaring popularity of soap operas in West Africa to spread their message.

The series recently taped its first episodes in an open-air venue booked for the occasion in Niamey. The packed house quickly overcame their unease about the subject matter and became enthralled as the stories of the lives of the main characters – Soueba, Lamine, Safi and Balla – unfolded.

full article

ARTICLES: The Benefits of Media Literacy

The Benefits of Media Literacy

By

Chido Onumah

 

Thanks to advances in media technology, children and youth are inundated daily with media messages that affect them in different ways. From our local stations that are hooked up permanently to Western channels, to specialty channels that are available with the press of a button, to thousands of pirated CDs and DVDs on sale along the streets of our major cities, children and youth now have to contend with an unhealthy dose of sex, drug, alcohol, violence, and tragedy.

 

What do young people make of all this and how should they respond? Advocates of media literacy contend that for children and youth to be able to respond positively, they need a clear understanding of media and its influence. In a sentence, they have to be media literate!

 

If we consider the power of the ever-expanding social networking sites on the Internet like Facebook and MySpace, it becomes clearer that critical understanding of the media is one of the greatest cultural challenges of the 21^st Century.

full article

NEWS: UNICEF pays tribute to “Mana” production crew (IRAN)

UNICEF pays tribute to "Mana" production crew
Tehran Times Art Desk

TEHRAN -- UNICEF paid tribute to the production crew of "Mana" in a ceremony held at Tehran's Honar Cultural Center on Monday.

Directed by Alireza Razzazifar, "Mana" features a story of a schoolgirl who has AIDS and the many problems she encounters at school.

Alexander Nitzsche, UNICEF Iran's Chief of Communication, Experimental Documentary Film Center (EDFC) managing director Mohammad Afarideh, the Iranian UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mahtab Karamati, and head of the AIDS department of Iran's Ministry of Health Abbas Sedaqat attended the ceremony.

Sedaqat was the first to address the attendees and said, "What influences the issue of AIDS in our country are the erroneous beliefs that the society holds about this disease. It takes time to change these incorrect beliefs and the medium of cinema and television can be of tremendous help."

full article

INTERNET: Parents to be punished for children’s net piracy (UK)

Parents to be punished for children's net piracy (UK)

Parents whose children download music and films illegally will be blacklisted and have their internet access curbed under government reforms to fight online piracy.

Households that ignore warnings will be subjected to online surveillance and their internet speeds will be reduced, making it very difficult for them to download large files.

The measures, the first of their kind in the world, will be announced today by Baroness Vadera, who brokered the deal between internet service providers and Ofcom, the telecoms body.

full article

NEWS / RESOURCES: Revised guidelines for coverage of children’s cases out (PHILIPPINES)

Revised guidelines for coverage of children's cases out

By Tetch Torres - INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:25:00 07/23/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Justice (DoJ) on Wednesday released revised guidelines for media coverage of cases involving children that it said are intended to keep up with rapid advances in communications and with laws not yet in force when the original rules were adopted in 2000.

Undersecretary Linda Hormilla, who chairs the DoJ's special committee for the protection of children (SCPC), stressed "children need special safeguards and care due to their size, vulnerability and young age."

"Every effort must be exerted to ensure that children are accorded special protection to enable them to grow and develop in atmosphere of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity," she added.

full article

WORKSHOPS / DAILY DIARIES: OneMinutesJr workshop on health issues in Astana, Kazakhstan

OneMinutesJr workshop on health issues in Astana, Kazakhstan

From July 21-25, 20 teenagers from all over Kazakhstan meet in the capital Astana to produce OneMinutesJr videos on health-related issues. The films he young people write, film and produce together will be show at an international conference supported by UNICEF, WHO and the Kazakh Government in Almaty in October this year to highlight the children's views on what is affecting their health.

Follow the Daily Diary here and look over their shoulders while they produce their OneMinutesJr videos!

http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/reallives_9355.html

CALL FOR ENTRIES: Cinekid Festival

FINAL CALL FOR ENTRY  - CINEKID FESTIVAL

 

Just finished your feature film for children? You are right in time to send it in for our prestigious film competition!

 

Please note: the 22nd edition of Cinekid, the film, television and new media festival for children will take place October 19-26 in Amsterdam.  Your production could be watched by over 40.000 visitors and more than 200 international media professionals.

 

Our competition programme will consist of 15 international children's films. There is no entry fee, but to qualify for selection we need your DVD with English subtitles and the filled out entry form.

 

Entry Form

 

Awards:                      Cinekid Lion, Jury Award €15.000

Cinekid Lion, Audience Award €15.000

 

Deadline:                    August 1st, 2008

 

For more information: www.cinekid.nl/professionals

 

Send your DVD to:

 

Cinekid

Attn. Marlies van Hoek

 

Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 12

1017 RC Amsterdam

Phone: 0031 (0)20 5317890

Fax: 0031 (0)20 5317899

www.cinekid.nl/professionals

          

              

 

AWARDS: The first edition of the Arab Media Humanitarian Prize on Children and Adolescents

The first edition of the Arab Media Humanitarian Prize on Children and Adolescents

UNICEF urged all journalists, children and adolescents in the Arab World to participate actively in the Arab Media Humanitarian Forum Award launched by the UNICEF, Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa, the Dubai Press Club and UAE’s Al Bayan Newspaper. This award aims at motivating journalists and adolescents to highlight their concerns and contribute in finding adequate solutions. It encourages them to express themselves and helps them convey their message through the media to the biggest number of readers, viewers and listeners. The first edition of the prize will include 4 categories: television, radio, written press and online media as well as materials produced by adolescents. It will reward the best coverage of adolescents themes in the region and awards will be given to four winners per category. The award is open to all materials in Arabic, published or broadcast between January 1st 2008 and October 15th 2008. Abdel-Rahman Ghandour, Regional Chief of Communication, UNICEF Middle East and North Africa, noted that “children and adolescent represent the biggest chunk of our region, and the Arab media play a major role in tackling their issues. The efficient participation of journalists contributes by leveraging the level of awareness on these concerns and striving to find suitable solutions. It is important to encourage children and adolescents to participate and express their views, in their own style, on the issues that matter the most to them. The media represent the adequate forum to convey these ideas and topics, and we urge all journalists and adolescents to participate actively in all categories of the award”. full article

NEWS / WEBSITES: UN unit on inter-cultural understanding launches online educational tool

UN unit on inter-cultural understanding launches online educational tool

18 July 2008 – The United Nations campaign for understanding between faiths and cultures, known as the Alliance of Civilizations, today launched a website designed to foster dialogue and debate on media literacy.

The online tool, called the Media Literacy Education Clearinghouse, collects together information from around the world on media literacy education, media education policy and youth-produced media, and is available in Arabic, English and Spanish.

In a statement released today, the Alliance said that recent research has shown that children and youth spend twice as much time immersed in electronic media – including television, the internet and video games – as they do receiving formal education at school.

The website www.aocmedialiteracy.org focuses on developing the critical thinking skills necessary to digest the information children and young people face every day.

full article

NEWS: No more kids TV advertising bans, demand Tories (UK)

No more kids TV advertising bans, demand Tories

The shadow media secretary has called on the government to place no more restrictions on TV advertising, in a bid to protect the future of children's TV.

In a speech to the annual Showcomotion children's media conference in Sheffield last night (2 July), Ed Vaizey called for a more coherent government strategy on child obesity rather than subject TV to more "regulations and restrictions".

full article

NEWS / EVENTS: KNN Dumaguete joins "Children's Media Against Violence" confab (PHILIPPINES)

KNN Dumaguete joins "Children's Media Against Violence" confab

By Jennifer Catan-Tilos

Dumaguete City (4 July) -- Two (2) Kabataan News Network (KNN) members from Dumaguete Bureau out 50 students aged 15-20 involved in print, radio, and television production from all over the Philippines gathered in Manila recently for a National Youth Media Summit organized by Probe Media Foundation, Inc. (PMFI) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Ms. Wiem Marie Bonganciso of Silliman University (SU) and Joel Aba of Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) were part of the participants underwent an intensive four-day workshop to learn about forms of violence against children, and produce tri-media outputs on the issues.

The young media practitioners came from Baguio, Camarines Norte, Metro Manila, Cebu, Capiz, Dumaguete, Davao, Cotabato and Kidapawan. They are campus journalists, photographers, video producers, and producers of radio programs in their own schools and localities.

full article

AWARDS: Arab Media Award on Child Rights initiated to honour outstanding achievements

Arab Media Award on Child Rights initiated to honour outstanding achievements

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 30 June 2008 – A new annual award is being initiated this year to recognize media stories that accurately depict the situation of children and young people in the Arab nations of the Middle East.

Mahmoud Sabri, one of the youths who helped conceive the award, is a 17-year-old activist with several years’ experience in a Palestinian youth association. He has suffered from degenerative blindness since birth. As an adolescent, Mahmoud has become increasingly aware of the importance of fostering connections among young people and their communities.

Late last year, he and a dozen other teenage leaders from across the Arab world gathered in Dubai for the third Arab Media Forum on adolescents and media representation. The yearly event is supported by UNICEF and co-sponsored by the Dubai Press Club and the United Arab Emirates’ Al Bayan newspaper.

full article

AWARDS: Newspapers to be awarded for reaching young readers

Newspapers to be awarded for reaching young readers

Region :Worldwide
Country :None
Topic :Young Journalists

08/05/2008

A competition sponsored by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) will award newspapers that have devised innovative projects or activities for young readers (under age 25). The deadline to apply is July 31.

Projects submitted to the 2008 Young World Leader Prize can be in five categories: 1) Editorial: A newspaper content strategy; 2) Newspapers in Education (NIE): Use of the newspaper as a teaching tool; 3) Public Service: Public service project in areas such as press freedom, literacy, youth civic involvement, etc.; 4) Brand: Other projects that improve a newspaper brand's relationship with the young; or 5) Newspapers & Literacy: An effective project that supports the basic ability to read and write.

Each winner will receive US$2,310. Each participant must send in a Power Point of their project in French or English.

To learn more, go to http://www.wan-press.org/nie/articles.php?id=1065.

Source

EVENTS: Child media conference tackles the TV/game divide (UK)

Child media conference tackles the TV/game divide

Showcomotion panel to feature Charles Cecil and Michel Cassius

Enjoyed our article on addressing the children's market? If so, you might be interested to know that organisers of the 2008 Showcomotion children's media conference have announced a games-related panel discussion taking place on Friday July 4th.

The talk, entitled "So You Think It's a Game?", will feature Revolution's Charles Cecil and YoYo Games co-founder and previous European Xbox honcho Michel Cassius discussing why difficulties lie in getting the worlds of TV and gaming to coincide.


The Showcomotion conference takes place between July 2nd and 4th in Sheffield. For more information, check out the event website.

Source

OPPORTUNITIES: ymex.org World Population Day Media Contest - Spread the Word!

ymex.org World Population Day Media Contest - Spread the Word!
Calling all youth bloggers, video producers, photographers, podcasters, or gamers who want to make a positive impact!: PARTICIPATE IN OUR LATEST MEDIA CONTEST ON www.ymex.org!
A little bit of background
The United Nations has established July 11th as World Population Day. This day is especially important because it brings together so many issues our global community faces in this moment such as poverty, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, empowerment of women & young people, and sustainable development. Go to http://www.unfpa.org/issues/ to learn more.
What is the contest?
We are accepting all digital media entries (writing, videos, audio, games, or mashups) from ymex.org members that fit the theme, could educate the public or offer solutions on the issues around World Population Day. Entries must be youth-produced and fit into the ymex.org guidelines (found on the FAQ's page under the Community tab). Any ymex.org member can enter - just make sure your media is in English language (or provides obvious English translations). Two prizes will be awarded to media created by members under 18 and one will go to any member 18 or older.
Why would I enter this contest?
Amazon.com gift certificates will be awarded to the top three winners! You will enjoy the fame as you and your media are in the ymex.org spotlight. Best of all you will raise awareness on important issues & make a difference in this world!
How do I enter the contest?
It's easy! All you have to do to enter is submit your media to ymex.org before or by 11:59pm GMT on Friday JULY 11, 2008 and include the tag "wpdcontestentry" on your final submission.
Cast your vote!
If you don't have media that you want to submit to this contest, you can still help us choose the winners by viewing and rating media across the website with the globes rating system as well as commenting on media by answering the question "How did this media affect you?" The winners will be chosen based on comments, ratings, number of views, and the likelihood that the media piece, when shared far and wide, will raise awareness on population issues in a creative way.
Still have questions?
Send an email to  memberservices@ymex.org. We'll respond as quickly as possible. Also, we're sorry if you run into any technical difficulties while working on ymex.org. If you let us know what happens by sending an email to broken@ymex.org, it will help us work out all the kinks. Thanks!

NEWS: Children introduced to various aspects of media profession (UAE)

Children introduced to various aspects of media profession

By a staff reporter

30 June 2008

DUBAI — The ninth edition of the three-week media programme for children organised by the Dubai Press Club kicked off yesterday with a wide range of media-related activities hosted by MBC 3 TV presenter Danya Shafai.

The children, aged 10 to 16, were exposed to newspaper journalism and its theories through interactive and fun-learning sessions.

Danya Shafai said, "Every time these children read or look at a newspaper they will understand the concept and structure of the news. It teaches them to think analytically which increases their knowledge and awareness." 

Many of the children present at the programme expressed keen interest in writing and the media. Laxmi Shetti at age 10 has already written pieces for various children's magazines and hosted two radio shows at 89.1 FM.

Ten-year-old Yuji Losbanos from the Philippines has his own web site which contains videos he has collected on his mother's news reporting career. Yuji who thinks media is the ‘gift of knowledge’ said, "I love this event. It's the second time I am participating. Children get to learn about the media which isn't about fame, but about informing people."

full article

AWARDS / NEWS: Young filmmakers from UNICEF workshops receive honors

Young filmmakers from UNICEF workshops receive honors

NEW YORK, 30 June 2008 –  UNICEF oneminutesjr. films received 14 nominations for the annual One Minutes Jr. Awards.  The films, all made during Oneminutesjr. workshops sponsored by UNICEF, are the work of nine filmmakers under 20 years old from around the world.

The winners will be announced at the Stranger Awards show on 5 July 2008 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.  The awards show is part of the Stranger Festival, a European Cultural Foundation event promoting inter-cultural dialogue among young media makers.

“The oneminutesjr. project provides a unique opportunity for young people around the world to express themselves,” said Stephen Cassidy, Chief of Internet, Broadcast and Image Section, UNICEF. “We couldn’t be happier that our workshops inspired these young filmmakers and we are proud they are being honored for their talent and creativity.”

Sylvain Koko, of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), leads with three nominations for his film Alimentation d'un congolais moyen.  The film is nominated for “Best of the World,” the “MTV Award” and the “Stranger Award.”  It shows in stop motion the daily meals of an averge Congolese man.  Fellow DRC filmmaker Richard Issam captured two nomations (“Inside Out” and the “MTV Award”) with his film Les enfants dits sorciers.  The film highlights the problem of children being shunned from their families due to claims of sorcery.  Also receiving two nominations were Karim Shaaban (Egypt) with Overload and Anas Dhafir Keiralla (Iraq/Jordan) with One Life, One Reality.  Overload alludes to the potential overload of media and interference we experience in society while One Life, One Reality tells the story of one boy affected by the war in Iraq.

Theoneminutesjr. awards traditionally have 3 categories for competition.  In the Inside Out category, four UNICEF films are nominated:  Untitled by Zarina Pashtova  (Russia),  Les enfants dits sorciers, Breath of freedom by Kirk Anthony Balmonte (Philippines) and Overload.  In the Self-Portrait category, Landry Koko represents UNICEF with his film Mon Pays (Democratic Republic of Congo).  The Best of the World category has two UNICEF films nominated: Unklaubliche Phenomene Vol.1 by Emre Acikbas (Germany) and Alimentation d'un congolais moyen.

In addition to the regular categories, this year’s One Minutes Jr. awards also include two special awards - the MTV Award and the Stranger Award.  For the MTV Award, Les enfants dits sorciers and Alimentation d'un congolais moyen are joined by UNICEF workshop film One life, one reality.  Alimentation d'un congolais moyen, One life, one reality and Overload are also nominated for the Stranger Award, along with Balance by Georgy Ambalov (Russia).

The remaining twelve nominated films were produced in workshops supported by UNICEF’s oneminutesjr. partners European Cultural Foundation and The One Minutes Foundation. The competition was open to all one minute films produced since June 2007 by young filmmakers ages 12-20.  Over 300 films were eligible for competition.

full article

WEBSITES: Italy: New youth website unveiled

Italy: New youth website unveiled

Rome, 30 June (AKI) - A new website launched on Monday will encourage young people to express themselves on issues from politics to sex and sport.

The site called Giovani was unveiled at the Rome headquarters of the Giuseppe Marra Communications media group by the Italian Youth Minister, Giorgia Meloni and GMC President Giuseppe Marra.

The new site will promote 'User Generated Content' or UGC, allowing people to upload their own video, photos or other content, and encourage them to participate in forums of discussion.

AS Roma football star Francesco Totti endorsed the new site in a short video in which he noted how important it was to allow young people to express themselves.

"The silence of youth should scare us. We must not allow them to isolate themselves. Young and less young, should be allowed to speak about everything they hear and feel," Totti said in the video message.

"Come on youngsters, do not be silent. Speak, speak your mind."

The site is reachable by clicking on the link here.

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