MAGIC news archive

December 2006

December 27, 2006 - Voices of Youth and the International Children's Day of Broadcasting launches Media Magic Digest

NEW YORK, 27 December 2006 - UNICEF's Voices of Youth and the International Children's Day of Broadcasting launched today a new online multimedia newsletter which showcases media projects by, with and for children called Media Magic Digest.
Media Magic Digest is a quarterly e-newsletter for people interested in how young people create media around the world and aims to promote dialogue between broadcasters and young media enthusiasts.
The inaugural issue shares stories of original youth-driven programmers produced in different media, including photography, video, radio and print.
"UNICEF has long recognized that the media can be a potent force for change. Media Magic Digest is an attempt to harness the media's influence for the good of children everywhere. The e-newsletter highlights media efforts that involve, inform, and empower young people as well as broadcaster," said Stephen Cassidy, Chief of the Internet, Broadcast and Image Section. "We want adults and children around the globe to share ideas and be inspired by the work of others to create their own imaginative approaches to all media disciplines."
All children have the right to freedom of expression, as affirmed in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The projects featured in the Media Digest are compelling examples of what adults and children can do together to create meaningful, positive media experiences for children.

December 11, 2006 - UNICEF Russia celebrates the 60th Anniversary with children at Human Rights Film Festival
UNICEF's birthday was 'Cinema on Guard for Children's Rights Day' at the Stalker Film Festival, Moscow, this year. On 11 December, more than two thousand visitors to the Moscow House of Cinema enjoyed a full programme of films about children, including the celebrated 'All the Invisible Children' produced by eight world-renowned film directors and first screened at 62nd Venice Biennale Film Festival.
Full article

December 11, 2006 - Youth producers from Zambia and Mexico win UNICEF/OneWorld radio prize
Youth radio producers from Zambia and Mexico have won the 2006 UNICEF/OneWorld Radio Prize, presented by UNICEF and OneWorld Radio. The award is given to a radio programme produced by youth that reflects the 2006 theme "UNITE FOR CHILDREN. UNITE AGAINST AIDS." Awards are presented for the best feature (up to six minutes) and the best Public Service Announcement (PSA) and celebrate youth participation in media.
"Living with HIV," by Jose Yesani of Zambia, took the feature prize. The four-minute piece tells the story of a young man discovering he's HIV positive. Yesani uses an animated monologue over a driving soundtrack to relay this man's feelings on learning his diagnosis is not the end of his life. Honourable mentions for features went to "In the Mother's Womb," by Nikita Jain of India and "Thembi's AIDS Diary, " by Thembi Ngubane of South Africa and Jonathan Richman of the USA. "In the Mother's Womb" takes the unusual perspective of a baby in the womb of her HIV positive mother. In "Thembi's AIDS Diary," a young woman called Thembi relays her experiences of being HIV positive.
Full article and audio

December 10, 2006 - Panos youth journalists speak out against stigma and discrimination
He is just 10 years old but his voice was tinged with the kind of emotion that should be foreign to one so young. Jasonis HIV positive and one of approximately 20,000 children in Jamaica who are orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV and AIDS. Twenty thousand voices silenced; 20,000 children who are hurt by stigma and discrimination because they, their parents, siblings or caregivers are HIV positive.
However, Panos Caribbean is giving a number of those young people the chance to speak out about the issues that affect them. The non-governmental organisation that partners with media houses to raise awareness on a number of underreported development issues, recently finished training 25 young journalists who are affected and infected by HIV.
Full article - Panos Caribbean website

December 10, 2006 - ICDB experience in Tanzania
"Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS" was the key message on the 2006 ICDB celebration cut across the broadcasting stations in Tanzania, giving children maximum opportunity to aired their concerns.
The preparation for ICDB 2006 started on July 2006 when UNICEF Tanzania organized a national media workshop for children's program producers from radio and television stations in Arusha, where the famous International Tribunal Court for the Rwanda Genocide took place.
At the meeting, the producers set a common structure for this year's ICDB celebration. Also, promotional materials and a logo were designed to be used by all media outlets. A selected panel of producers met to review different promos made by Radio and TV stations and the best materials were selected.
Now, December 10th was the day to put words into action: The workshop generated impressive results when many radio stations allowed children to "take over" and broadcast their own programs live on ait.
A local radio Station (TIMES FM) offered six hours of airtime in which children hosted various programs including a news bulletin in three international languages (French, Arabic and English). The children also led a deep discussion on the theme and many children voiced their concerns regarding parental protection and care, including transportation problems, the distance from schools and media programs with romantic broadcasting. The show took the whole day from 10am to 4pm in the afternoon.
Radio Tanzania Dar es Salaam, a state owned radio station, offered a live show in which the children had another opportunity to voice their opinions and interact with a UNICEF officer in discussing UNICEF programs in Tanzania.
TV had little part to play as most TV stations offered one to two recorded programs made by children. State owned TV had involved children prior to ICDB in various media training session and gave them an opportunity to produce their own programs which were then aired on ICDB.
Generally, this year celebration was very impressive as many media outlets allowed children to take part by using their equipments and by providing them with in-house training. This is very different compared with previous celebrations as the programs used to be hosted or made by adults and children were only invited as "guests".
Written by Dotto Athumani, YOMnet Chairman, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

December 2, 2006 - Young broadcasters take to the airwaves in Mozambique
Dulce Massunda, aged 18, Ruben Vicente and Faidate Abdula, both aged 17, are three young broadcasters who present their own programme on Radio Mozambique.
Child-to-child programmes like theirs began as a one-time broadcast to mark the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting started by UNICEF a decade ago and have developed into long-running shows.
Full article and video

December 1, 2006 – ‘Our Voice’: UNICEF and Lebanon TV launch youth-produced series
The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC) and UNICEF are showcasing the viewpoints of the country’s million-strong youth audience with a new television series called ‘Sawtna’, which means ‘Our Voice’.
‘Sawtna’ is a one-of-a-kind initiative in the Middle East. Launched on 8 November, the programme features 8- to 10-minute documentaries that address issues affecting young people in the context of the country's complex social, political and economic climate.
What makes this show special is that it is created by a team of producers between the ages of 15 and 21.
Full article and video

November 27, 2006 - Caracol Radio brings young voices to Colombia’s airwaves
Colombia’s children and young people have actively participated in the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) since 1997 and have twice received the special honour presented at the International Emmy Awards for television programming produced to celebrate ICDB.
For the last three years, preparations for ICDB have become a major production at Caracol Radio – one of the most important radio networks in Latin America – with the support of UNICEF.
Children from public and private schools are selected by Caracol and trained with the necessary media skills to perform various radio-related functions. During workshops in preparation for the Day of Broadcasting, children discover the richness and potential of radio as a vehicle to transmit their concerns and ideas about child rights.
Full article and video

OPPORTUNITIES

The "Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS" campaign enters into an exciting partnership with MTV to support "Vlogit", an international video competition encouraging young people to speak out on how HIV/AIDS affects their communities and their lives.
To enter the competition, young people should submit a 250 word narrative of their proposed vlog online at www.staying-alive.org detailing their thoughts and experiences of HIV and AIDS. They should use as much description and "colour" as possible.
The applications will be judged based on creativity, originality and educational value. The 25 best applicants will win a video camera to record their concept (a diary entry to camera) which will then be packaged and uploaded to the Staying Alive site and broadcast around the world on MTV channels for World AIDS Day 2007 and on web-sharing sites such as YouTube and MySpace. The winners can keep the recording equipment and possibly work with UNICEF and MTV on future projects.
The deadline for submissions has been extended to February 14, 2007.
More info

VIDEO
Check out the "Unite for children, unite against AIDS" video

You can still participate, of course, and send us YOUR version so we can add it to the video.
WATCH THE FILM
MORE INFO in English - Spanish - French

For older news, please go to the
ARCHIVE

MAGIC partners | Privacy policy | Top