Globalization & Human Rights: PBS broadcast Th Oct 29 10PM EST

Tom Boland (wgcp@earthlink.net)
Thu, 29 Oct 1998 22:25:11 -0400 

FWD

Tuesday October 27, 1:33 pm Eastern Time

Company Press Release

GLOBALIZATION AND HUMAN RIGHTS with Charlayne Hunter-Gault Thursday,
October 29 at 10 PM PBS

AS GLOBAL ECONOMIC TURBULENCE IMPACTS AMERICA & SHAPES A NEW WORLD
ORDER, SOCIAL POLICIES FACE URGENT NEW CHALLENGES

NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Oct. 27, 1998-- Robert Rubin, Newt
Gingrich, George Soros, Desmond Tutu, Ralph Nader, & Others

Debate Linkage Between Economic Policy & Human Rights

Uprisings in Indonesia, massive layoffs of South African miners and
protests against child labor overseas are usually reported on as
separate and distinct events. Now, for the first time, a new
primetime public television special explores how the forces of
``globalization,'' the economic engine that is now rocking financial
systems worldwide, are accelerating the impact of far-off events on
both Wall street and main street. Anchorwoman Charlayne Hunter-Gault
examines this powerful but little understood phenomenon in
``Globalization and Human Rights,'' slated for broadcast on PBS
stations, Thursday October 29, l998 at l0 PM. (Check local
listings).

Globalization and Human Rights`` takes viewers on an international
journey that starts at a summit for corporate decision-makers - The
World Economic Forum in the Alps of Switzerland and travels deep into
the gold mines of South Africa, then visits the controversial Shell
oil fields of Nigeria and Nike shoe factories in Asia, while examining
an emerging conflict in a new world order between those making
macro-economic decisions and those struggling to cope with the impact
of those decisions.

Leading political and corporate figures, such as US Treasury Secretary
Robert Rubin, House Speaker Newt Gingrich, billionaire
businessman/philanthropist George Soros, and South African Deputy
President Thabo Mbeki, are joined by such human rights figures as
Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, consumer advocate Ralph Nader,
Chilean writer Ariel Dorfman, and Amnesty International Secretary
General Pierre Sane and labor leaders like AFL-CIO head John Sweeney
in assessing the impact of globalization on human rights and
democracy. At the core of the broadcast is the ongoing debate over
whether or not human rights concerns should be linked to economic
policies.

``Many of us still think of world as divided into nation-states and
political power blocs,'' says Hunter-Gault, now based in South Africa
for National Public Radio. ``But what this special shows is how
multi-national corporations, financial markets, and international
institutions like the International Monetary Fund have emerged as the
new powers in the world, making decisions that impact on human rights
world wide.''

As timely as today's headlines, the program offers important
background to the fall of longtime Indonesia dictator Suharto and
Nigerian military ruler Sani Abacha. It takes the viewer
behind-the-scenes to look at the role played by giant and powerful
transnational corporations like Shell Oil, Nike and multinational
global agencies such as the International Monetary Fund and the World
Bank. It also documents the response of workers and labor
organizations, citizen's groups and human rights activists to the
rapidly changing world order, and features exclusive footage of the
world's first Global March against Child Labor.

``Globalization and Human Rights'' is produced by Rory O'Connor and
Danny Schechter for Globalvision Inc., the independent media firm
whose award-winning newsmagazine 'Rights & Wrongs: Human Rights
Television,' appeared weekly on 150 public television stations for the
past four years.

Funding support is provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York,
The Ruben & Elisabeth Rausing Trust, Roddick Foundation, The
Independent Television Service (ITVS), John D & Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation, National Endowment for Democracy, and Newman's Own.

Contact:

     Lauren Leff/Lloyd Trufelman
     Trylon Communications, Inc.
     (212) 818 9151

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