Summary: Representations of children in news media: rights, research and policy: revisiting the Oslo Challenge. Jointly organised by IOE and The Open University Location: Clarke Hall, Institute of Education, University of London, Bedford Way, London WC1 Wednesday, 22 April 2009 9:30 for 10- 4:30pm The Oslo Challenge (1999) was a collaboration between the Norwegian Government and UNICEF and marked the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It included the following challenge to media professionals at all levels and in all media: to work ethically and professionally to sound media practices and to develop and promote media codes of ethics in order to avoid sensationalism, stereotyping (including by gender) or undervaluing of children and their rights (MAGIC 1999) 20 years after the UN CRC, and 10 years after the Oslo Challenge, this international day conference will draw out the political, economic, practical, justice and rights implications of representations of children in news media, and will explore the following questions: * Why do negative representations of children matter? Speakers confirmed: Amanda Barnes, Children's Rights Alliance for England . Victims or vermin, but never the voice of reason: Children's portrayal in the British news media Nada Korac, University of Novi Sad , Serbia . A roughly mapped terra incognita: Images of children in Serbian media Mike Jempson, Director, Mediawise, University of Western England , Bristol . The Oslo Challenge and beyond - a view from the inside. Sanna Nissinen, The Open University. Balanced Representations? Cooperation between local photographers and international aid organisations in Bangladesh Tracy Ulltveit-Moe, Independent consultant "Cute kid, but over-exposed": Media representation of children: The NGO experience and perspective Karen Wells, Birkbeck College , University of London . Images of children in conflict and disaster: the ethics and politics of representation
* What research and evidence are there about possible adverse effects on/for children and young people, adults and societies generally?
* How might more positive representation be promoted? How would it differ from present images?
* How can and should the news media work ethically for and with children, so that their interests are well served?
* What steps can and do governments and professional organisations take to improve the representation of children?
* What scope is there for children to work with adults towards improved news media representation?
UNITED KINGDOM: Representations of children in news media
Countries
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