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The Official website of the Humanitarian Media Foundation (HMF). Using the Power of the Media for the Greater Good.

Featured News


New HMF Initiative: Humanitarian Artists Alliance

The Humanitarian Media Foundation (HMF) has just announced a new HMF initiative will be launching later this year: the Humanitarian Artists Alliance (HAA) for creative artists including fine artists, photographers, filmmakers, writers, poets, playwrights, actors, and performance artists.

The HAA will be a division within the HMF, acting as a social networking apparatus, a production company, publisher, and eventually a performance space for artists whose work surrounds issues of humanitarian importance.

HAA is one among other HMF initiatives, which will include HMF2009 (Reykjavik, Iceland) and HMF Films, which is the film division of the HMF producing original narrative and documentary films by producer and HMF Co-Founder and Board Chairman, K.J. Wetherholt

Featured Website: MediaStorm

HMF Partner


Responsible for such media projects as Rape of a Nationon the DRC (Marcus Bleasdale/VII), Intended Consequences about rape during the Rwandan genocide, and projects including Condition: Critical for Medecins Sans Frontieres, and interactive Crisis Guides for the Council on Foreign Relations, including on Darfur, North Korea, and the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, MediaStorm is the pinnacle of using digital and interactive media to focus on issues of humanitarian importance.

From the MediaStorm Website:

Originally founded in 1994 at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, MediaStorm relaunched in March of 2005 with a focus on creating cinematic narratives for distribution across a variety of platforms.

In November 2005, MediaStorm premiered its award-winning multimedia publication http://mediastorm.org. Utilizing animation, audio, video and the power of still photography, we publish diverse narratives that speak to the heart of the human condition.

MediaStorm is widely recognized for the quality editorial work we've produced for our many clients. We have created award-winning multimedia projects, interactive applications, and web sites for media companies, foundations and advocacy groups. Our clientele include Starbucks, Council on Foreign Relations, and National Geographic Magazine. MediaStorm projects have also appeared on numerous websites including MSNBC, Slate, NPR and Reuters and have been broadcast on PBS.

MediaStorm has been honored with numerous accolades including two Emmy's (2007 and 2008) and three Webby Awards.

The MediaStorm team possesses a diverse range of talent and experience; we come from the photography and television industries, as well as design, journalism, and information technology backgrounds. Our staff is actively sought by prestigious institutions and corporations to lecture and teach about multimedia storytelling as well as strategies for creating successful business models in the digital age.

Our constant interaction with photographers, editors, educators and students throughout the world helps sustain an industry-wide discussion on the promises of multimedia. We offer a variety of online documentation to help others advance their storytelling approaches. In 2008, MediaStorm created the Advanced Multimedia Workshops.


Reuters Alertnet

Equatorial Guinea: Account for Oil Wealth

Source: Human Rights Watch (Madrid) - The government of Equatorial Guinea has set new low standards of political and economic malfeasance in handling its billions of dollars in oil revenue instead of improving the lives of its ...

FACTBOX-Security developments in Afghanistan, July 9

Source: Reuters July 9 (Reuters) - Following are security developments in Afghanistan at 1700 GMT on Thursday. * denotes new or updated item. LOGAR - At least 25 people, including 15 school students, were killed ...

BOTSWANA: Court rules on privacy violation

Source: IRIN In the first case of its kind in Botswana, a woman has successfully sued another woman for publicly revealing her HIV status.

EU to propose dropping visas for Balkan states

Source: Reuters * EU executive to propose dropping visas for three states * Macedonia meets standards; Serbia, Montenegro close (adds Dutch spokesman) BRUSSELS, July 9 (Reuters) - The EU executive will ...

U.S. resumes surveillance flights over Pakistan

Source: Reuters WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) - U.S. military surveillance drones have resumed tracking militants in Pakistan to support Pakistani operations against Taliban insurgents in the South Waziristan region, ...

 

The 2009 HMF International Film/Media Festival & Conference - HMF2009

HMF2009 will seek to explore the Media's role in Humanitarian issues, histories, and crises. This includes, without limitation: refugee crises, medical relief, human rights, war, genocide, debt relief, cross-cultural and political conflict, other war crimes and international criminal tribunals, indigenous populations and conflicts within and without their communities, and humanitarian needs during natural disasters.

HMF 2009 Components:
- International Film Festival (HMF2009Film)
- International Media Conference (HMF2009Conference)
- International Art/Photographic Exhibition (HMF2009Exhibition)

Further information about HMF2009 (Reykjavik, Iceland) will soon be announced, including dates. Early Deadlines have passed, with the final deadline for all submissions being August 1, 2009

HMF2009 Topics:

Our purpose--via panel discussions, conference sessions and papers, and the media exhibitions--is to also address and examine the following:

· The media’s role in humanitarian histories, events, issues and crises – past and present - examples of such coverage, including as a lesson for what should – or in certain select cases - should not be done;

· The role the media has played and perhaps should play in the work of the UN, NGO’s and other agencies to support populations in need and are affected by certain issues or crises, including issues surrounding freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and critical information dissemination to crisis-affected populations;

· The future role of the media with the advent of new technologies; the possibilities inherent in these means of information and media dissemination; and how these new means can be utilized by those seeking to 1) bring further attention to the public sphere regarding issues of international and humanitarian importance and 2) again, bring information to crisis-affected populations themselves;

· The role of the artistic media (film, art, photography, literature, music) in revealing the nuances of issues of international importance;

· The significance and/or complexities of “celebrity” involvement in such media and issues;

· The potential biases, reliability, and standards of coverage among blogs, “iReports,” and "citizen" journalism, including during crisis situations;

· The conflicts inherent in the responsibility of journalism during crisis, including existing amidst potential profit motives of for-profit corporate parents (of news agencies, networks, newspapers, magazines, etc.), particularly in light of the current economic climate;

· Special Sidebars: Media surrounding the often-ignored plight of indigenous populations; top humanitarian crises predicted for 2009-2010 and the active role the media should play.

For those who would like further information and to submit material for HMF2009, please contact us at pr@humanitarianmedia.org.

The Humanitarian Media Foundation (HMF)

HMF Mission:

The Media has extraordinary power to focus attention on issues of humanitarian importance; however, this power is not often used effectively.

The mission of the HMF, launched May 1, 2008, seeks to tap into the power of the media—film, both documentary and narrative; art and music; print, web, television, and photojournalism—and extend their influence more broadly, so that humanitarian issues are not just covered in brief articles, commercials, profiles, or soundbytes, but can be explored and given context, so that their importance is more widely known. With greater knowledge, more people in positions of authority and influence can then also be drawn in to be part of the dialogue, so that such issues are not just lamented, but perhaps some constructive and creative answers can be illuminated among those with the greatest capacity to make a difference.

To this end, the HMF will be enlisting the support and partnership of news agencies, journalists, filmmakers, writers, artists, international NGO's, figures in international policy, and international philanthropy--among others--to bring attention to areas of humanitarian importance and to act as a conduit among them, so that collaborations and exchanges of ideas might more easily take place.

It is our warm hope that you will find like-minded people here, will forge alliances and collaborations, and in whatever ways you can promote creating greater visibility and involvement with humanitarian concerns.

About us:
The Humanitarian Media Foundation (HMF), a non-partisan, non-sectarian 501(c)(3) entity in the United States, employs and multiple forms of media (film, television, journalism, photojournalism, new media, art, photography, music) to explore aspects of domestic and international humanitarian crises, issues and histories; raise awareness for humanitarian matters; encourage collaboration among media entities and international stakeholders; and facilitate change in areas where it is most needed.

Scope of Humanitarian Matters: Including, without limitation: refugee crises, medical relief, human rights, war, genocide, debt relief, cross-cultural and political conflict, other war crimes and international criminal tribunals, indigenous populations and conflicts within and without their communities, and humanitarian needs during natural disasters.


FEATURED BOOK / FILM / EXHIBITION /ARTICLE REVIEWS AND INTERVIEWS

Do you have a favorite humanitarian-related book, film, filmmaker, artist, photographer, or journalist? Would you like to see someone in particular interviewed by the HMF and/or invited to HMF2009?

The HMF wants to hear from you.

Because of our format of being member-driven, we would your input on what you would like to see here on this site--and whom you would like to see at the conference in 2009, including specific interview and speaker requests.

We cannot guarantee that we will be able to get to all requests, but we will make every attempt to make sure your wishes are represented.

Let us know your thoughts via pr@humanitarianmedia.org.

MEMBER FEATURES AND REVIEWS:

We would like to open this site to member reviews of humanitarian-related film, television, books, artist and photographer exhibitions, and feature articles--whether from major news sources or journals.

Reviews can be posted from your member blog or discussion thread, and links for the best and most evocative reviews will be featured on the front page of this site.

Notes

MSF Top Ten Humanitarian Crises of 2008


MSF began producing the “Top Ten” list in 1998, when a devastating famine in southern Sudan went largely unreported in U.S. media. Drawing on MSF’s emergency medical work, the list seeks to generate greater awareness of the magnitude and severity of crises that may or may notContinue

Created by Humanitarian Media Foundation (HMF) Mar 5, 2009 at 8:16pm. Last updated by Humanitarian Media Foundation (HMF) Mar 6.

Notes Home

Welcome to Notes. Continue

Created by Humanitarian Media Foundation (HMF) May 15, 2008 at 10:23pm. Last updated by Humanitarian Media Foundation (HMF) May. 16, 2008.

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All donations and memberships via Network for Good/Groundspring are tax-deductible, with all proceeds from donations, memberships, and HMF gift products going toward the 2009 HMF Festival & Conference and HMF Emergency and General Program Grant Funds.

HMF Co-Founder / Board Chairman Blog

The blog, Repanse de Schoye, by HMF Co-Founder / Board Chairman, K.J. Wetherholt, will include blogs relevant to the mission and subject matter of the HMF.

HMF Mailing List

HMF on the Web


HMF2009 Promotion Partner Magazine


NEED Magazine is an extraordinary publication, and an HMF promotion partner for HMF2009. We highly recommend visiting their site, http://www.needmagazine.com.

From their PR materials:

NEED magazine is an educational artistic hope-filled publication focusing on life changing humanitarian efforts at home and abroad.

Through a dynamic visual narrative NEED strives to educate and inspire. NEED drives awareness, involvement, personal connection and contributions.

HMF Logo Gifts - Supporting the HMF International Film/Media Festival & Conference and General and Emergency Grant Programs


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