PART II: MEDIA ................................ Majid Tehranian: Peace Journalism: Negotiating Global Media Ethics "... a kind of journalism and media ethics attempting as best as possible to transform conflicts from their violent channels into constructive forms by conceptualizing news, empowering the voiceless, and seeking common grounds that unify rather than divide human societies." Sergio Tripi: Ethical Code of the Media IFLAC Campaign: Turn Off Violence on TV       ............................................ Poem: Arab Israeli Student on T.V. (Ada Aharoni)

FEATURED ORGANIZATION: PeaceWorks Network (Brilliant Flash presentation) The Call for Moderation Extremists in the Middle East are greatly outnumbered by moderates. The media is responsible for covering both groups. But extremists' acts of violence give them a disproportionate amount of media attention, which negatively affects the spirits and emotions of moderates. To reverse the trend, moderates must express themselves with more impact. "re-empowering the silent majority"

The building of a just and peaceful world is man's duty, just as man could determine its destruction. In a democratic environment which tends to assign to the citizen-elector a growing responsibility for the directions of social development, the formation of a public opinion which is widely aware of the main events that happen in the world is the key for directing the efforts of humanity towards a global village based on unity in diversity and on sharing, fundamental qualities for the development of a sustainable social life.

In this perspective, the importance of the media is fundamental and the consequent social responsibility of publishers cannot be based any longer on the only element which has so far been unquestioned: the search for company profits through the maximum possible diffusion of the media. This aim has so far prevailed over every other consideration, thus taking from the media the responsibility for the formation of an aware and balanced public opinion.

Ethical Code of the Media:

1. It is the moral responsibility of the media to pursue the aim of disseminating information on every aspect of the reality in which we live.

2. The media must disseminate information with respect and consideration for all the public.

3. The information should be organized by distributing the "weight" of the different sectors so as to respect the right to knowledge of important social groups.

4. The information must reflect reality with a variety of news which mirrors the components of reality itself to the extent to which they define it.

5. The information must seek, as far as possible, the causes of the events in the determining behaviour of man.

6. The media have the privilege and the task of also setting the events reported in the context of their correspondence to the principles of responsibility and the search for the common good.

7. It is the privilege, task and responsibility of the media to do their best to emphasize the connections between the most significant world events.

The Ethical Code of the Media will be presented to the publishers of the world's press, radio and television when it has been signed by a large number of signatories, such as:

- organizations of the United Nations;
- non-governmental organizations;
- voluntary service associations;
- journalists for whom the mandate of the editor represents a restraint;
- enlightened editors who have already showed agreement with the values of the Code;
- people who recognize the necessity and validity of the Code.

To express your agreement with this initiative, include your data below and send it to Good News Agency.

I support the Ethical Code of the Media Name and family name: Organization (name and address), Position in the organization: Date:

Thank You!

International Broadcast Campaign Against Violence:

"Turn off Violence on TV"

Television is shaping our societies and there has been a dramatic global exploitation of violence in movies and television programs. More than 80% of the broadcasts of many cable and satellite networks contain violence, and it is causing an increase of violence in our societies. In the United States, for instance, youth violence has escalated with an estimated more than 200.000 children attending school armed with a gun, and there have been a number of alarming incidents recently in which children themselves have been the perpetrators of mass murder.

Several studies have revealed a link between virtual violence and physical violence, and it has become a threat to public safety, and this needs to be addressed quickly and effectively. A recent survey has revealed that a child living in a western society will, on average, have watched more than 8000 murders and 100,000 acts of violence on television by the time they have graduated from elementary school. In regards to adults, the figures are much higher.

IFLAC: The International Forum for the Literature and Culture of Peace, has launched a new global campaign: "Turn Off Violence on TV", following "The Ethical Code of the Media" launched by Sergio Tripi, editor of the "Good News Agency" (see below). This code calls upon the world media to abide by ethical and objective standards, and to equally cover the positive and good aspects of life and of human experience. Unfortunately, this code is often ignored on the electronic media, and detrimental violent films are daily projected on television around the world, which have a bad influence on global society.

The "Turn Off Violence on TV" campaign calls on world governments, and on the citizens of the world who abhor violence and regard it as a danger to humanity, to stop its influence on the electronic media. Citizens of the world are recommended to write to their local and national television stations, and to the sponsors and directors of violent films, and to warn them that they will not watch their films filled with shootings, homicide, blood and murder anymore. Violence and murder are only a small part of human experience, and by all means, not the most interesting or beneficial. Television sponsors are warned that if they do not want to lose their money, they should produce and air good and exciting films that present the real problems of life, films and programs that build society and not destroy it.

The first responses to this innovative campaign coming both from major television networks, TV companies, and from NGO's and associations, as well as from many individuals worldwide, are very promising.

THE TURN OFF MURDER ON TV PETITION

Please sign the Petition below, and distribute it to your friends and families. When you have 20 signatures, please send them to the major TV networks and satellites, as well as local TV stations in your region, and global networks.

I support THE TURN OFF MURDER ON TV PETITION Name and family name: Organization (name and address), Position in the organization: Date:

Thank You!
IFLAC

ARAB ISRAELI STUDENT ON T.V.

You ponder hard in front of hesitating microphone,
Your eyebrows arch puzzlement over the screen.
Nuances of troubled expression on your handsome Semitic face,
Crack and recrack every query in the air:
"Do I really feel at home here?
And if I do, do they feel I feel at home here,
Am at home here?
Do I feel an Israeli Arab? Or an Arab Israeli?
Or a Palestinian? Or all of these? (Or none of these?)"

Suddenly the answer blurts out like a raven in flight
Escaping its dark cage: "I have no identity!"

The raven flies straight into my eyes with claws and beak.
And I remember my own rootless wound
In Egypt land - And I hurt your dangling hurt,
My Semitic cousin in pain.

The questions stir Nile and Jordan visions
Flowing intense churning -
"And if a Palestinian State is founded
Would you go and live there?
Would you feel better?"
Again the puckered brows locked,
Strained jaw-muscles, glowing sorrowful eyes.

Then gently, like a dove swooping
On its way to peaceful green woods:
"My home is in Galilee. But I would feel better
if there were a Palestinian State,
For then my Arab brothers would not fight
The land I live in -
Any more."

(Ada Aharoni)

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