MediaChannel.org - Media Reader

January 24, 2001

Media Reader:
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Archive

Communication Rights
Twenty years ago the United States silenced UNESCO's MacBride Report, which called for global information equality. Now we have the chance to reactivate "a global movement for authentic public media," writes Dee Dee Halleck. From Media Alliance-San Francisco Bay area More about: Activism, Cultural Impacts, Policy/Law

"Hate Rap" On Capitol Hill
The rapper Eminem, the latest whipping boy in Washington's renewed "culture wars," has found that nastiness sells. But the bipartisan campaign against him is a weak, hypocritical diversion from real social crises, writes Will Coviello. From NewsWatch More about: United States, Audience, Cultural Impacts, Politics, Music

Malaysia's Press Freedom Fighter
Malaysia's 1961 journalists' uprising was the only one of its kind, recalls the new memoir of Said Zahari, who was chief editor of the striking paper and a political prisoner for 16 years after. From Think Centre More about: Malaysia, Asia and the Pacific, Activism, Freedom of Expression, Labor, Politics, Books, Newspapers

Of "Mulan" And Mouse
Mimi Nguyen knows about Disney's sweatshops and capitalist, world-domination ethos, but, damn it, "Mulan" finally brought a kick-ass Asian girl heroine onto the big screen — not to mention McDonald's menus. What's a former "refugee-tomboy" to do? From PopPolitics Media More about: Audience, Children, Cultural Impacts, Diversity, Film

Muzzled By Modesty
In Jordan, social stigmas and cultural taboos keep the press fromcovering "sensitive" issues, say journalists there. Workshops with the Thomson Foundation www.thomsonfoundation.co.uk (a MediaChannel affiliate), might help reporters overcome these barriers, reports Dalya Dajani. From Middle East News Service More about: Jordan, Credibility/Accuracy, Cultural Impacts, Freedom of Expression, News Coverage

Hollywood Drug War
Based on a British TV miniseries, Steven Soderbergh's "Traffic" is the first Hollywood movie to expose the devastation of the U.S. "war on drugs." But, writes Chris Lehmann, it doesn't go nearly deep enough. From Feed, Inc. More about: Mexico, United States, Central America, Credibility/Accuracy, Cultural Impacts, Film

Kenyan Youth Take Pictures
Kenyan Youth Take Pictures In Nairobi's slums, children are taking photos. Through their Web Site and a joint project with other urban kids worldwide, they hope to bring attention to the pain and poverty around them, reports Philip Ngunjiri.From Black World Today.

Community Radio In The Mother Tongue
Creating radio programming for immigrant communities in the United States requires work, but building cross-cultural understanding, spreading health information and seeing families drive to get into range of broadcasts makes it worthwhile. From Sound Partners for Community Health More about: United States, Audience, Cultural Impacts, Diversity, Public Broadcasting, Radio

Prague, Protests And Europe
The International Federation of Journalists appealed to the European Union in support of the strikers at Czech TV. But why, asks Anna-Britt Kaca, did they turn to an institution notoriously hostile to journalism? See MediaChannel's Special Report on Czech TV. From Central Europe Review More about: Czech Republic, Eastern Europe, Activism, Freedom of Expression, Labor, Public Broadcasting