Changing Perspectives in Europe Today

James M. Wall

In what ways do contemporary films resonate with tenets of the Christian faith? The following article examines three recent films that have special value in examining father-son relationships in which love and sacrifice lie at the heart.

Donn James Tilson

As Latin America approaches the 21st century, a confluence of forces are converging upon the region that are at once changing and further entrenching certain aspects of societal culture. The development of free-market economies, the proliferation of mass media outlets and an increase in promotional activities have combined to radically commercialise society while, at the same time, providing opportunities for particular cultural behaviours to flourish at the expense of the common good. These are developments that do not bode well for the future welfare of Latin American society.

Rubens Ricupero

Global financial crises have shaken faith in the market as panacea. Today, the world is grappling for a new consensus to meet the challenges of globalization, development and poverty.

It may sound paradoxical to join two such apparently contradictory words as ‘optimal’ and ‘crisis’. I heard the expression for the first time from the Director of the Institute for International Economics, C. Fred Bergsten, in Washington, D.C. He explained that it was becoming increasingly common there, in

Realizing the right of children to freedom of expression is central to building and sustaining peace, democracy and respect for human rights across the world. It is not simply a matter of morality and altruism that adults should seek to protect and promote children’s rights - it is pre-eminently a matter of personal and political self-interest. The following article seeks to explore this claim through three case studies of countries in sub-Saharan Africa where peace, democracy and respect for human rights have been conspicuous by their absence in the past - South Africa, Uganda and Sierra Leone - and where children have been central to protracted internal conflict, both as victims and as active participants.

The three countries have had varying success in resolving their conflicts. South Africa is engaged in efforts to overcome the legacy of

The international conference Journalism 2000: Child rights and the Media, arranged by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) was held in May 1998 in Recife, Brazil. The conference was attended by more than 150 representatives of journalists' organisations from over 70 countries. Prior to the conference the IFJ Child Rights project undertook a world-wide survey of national and international standards for journalists reporting on children's issues. On the basis of the survey and discussions with journalist representatives, relevant NG0s and UN agencies, the IFJ prepared a set of guidelines, which was further discussed at the conference. The meeting resulted in the adoption of the IFJ Child Rights and the Media: Guidelines for Journalists, as a draft for debate and development among the world's journalists - a process which is expected to take three years.

The international NGO EarthAction has issued a ‘Call for a Safer World’ to demonstrate world-wide support for a more just, democratic and sustainable international system for the 21st century. It will be presented to national governments and to the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The following article outlines its rationale and purpose.

Slavko Splichal

A new kind of public service media is called for based on public funding and not controlled by the state or commercial interests and characterised by high concerns for quality production. In this way, argues the author of the following article, mass media can be made ‘accessible to citizens, and... used as public instruments for the benefit of citizens rather than as vehicles for reaching and persuading potential consumers and voters, and/or for generating profit and power.’ Civil society would have its ‘own’ communication system making it less vulnerable and generating a public that is more politically aware and active.

Lilia Raycheva

The outset of the media processes which begun to unfold immediately after the date of political change in Bulgaria - 10 November 1989 - could be described in two words: communication euphoria. Socially, these processes found particularly fertile soil in the spontaneous pouring of the people into the streets to take part in meetings, marches, wakes, and strikes, so as to give free vent to or exchange long pent-up discontent. For more than four decades the Communist Party dominated the functions of the State, curtailing the rights and liberties of the people. Monitoring of the public mood, if any, had catered to a tight circle of ruling ‘partocrats’ and had never found its way into the media. The public swam in an information fog. The following article reviews before and after.

Jukka Pietiläinen

The following article presents and analyses developments in the Republic of Karelia as an example of the development of the regional press in former Soviet republics since 1989. Karelia is closer to the liberal model of regional press and the situation in other regions may vary significantly. The Republic of Karelia is one of the ethnic republics situated in north-western Russia sharing a border with Finland. The outsome (so far) of democratisation can be summed up as either elite and partisan, or popular and commonplace

Epp Lauk

The transition of the Estonian media from a planned economy to a free market system has been similar to the process in other post-Communist countries. It can be characterized by four main factors: the rapid expansion and gradual stabilization of the press market; the emergence of private radio and television stations, and the establishment of local radio station; privatization of the media; market concentration and growing competition among media firms. Today, the latter has become the most important factor governing market developments as well as media performance.