Talking Books and Reading

Developments in technology, particularly in terms of multimedia capability, have begun to make possible innovative educational use of microcomputers. One particular kind of software which has recently begun to be produced is the electronic book. Such “books” can provide reading experience for children which support and lead into reading proficiency. In this article Jane Medwell describes a study in which she evaluated the effects of experiences with disc-based electronic books on infant reading. Some interesting results emerged concerned with the ways in which children interacted with the “books” and the gender differences in the use and effects of such reading support.     

Book Reviews

Print‐on Demand: A New Option for Journal Publishers? On‐Demand Production of Books (A Strategic Futures Report for Full Members of PIRA International) by John Birkenshaw and David Butler PIRA International, www.piranet.com . ISBN 1‐85802‐433‐1 A Guide to Medical Publishing and Writing edited by Peter Richardson Mark Allen Publishing, 2002. ix + 145 pp. £10.99 The Book History Reader edited by David Finkelstein and Alistair McCleery Routledge, 2001. ISBN 0‐415‐22657‐0 (hbk), £60.00; 0‐415‐22658‐9 (pbk), £17.99     

The eye of the sandstorm: The erosion of first amendment principles in wartime

The conflict between the military's desire to keep secrets and the media's mission to report the news inevitably leads to clashes during wartime. These opposing forces have been held in an uneasy balance by the U.S. Constitution during most of modern history. But, recent policy has allowed the unprecedented exclusion of the press from the battlefield, with increased government control over the flow of information to the public as the result. Press restrictions during the Persian Gulf War led to a threatened constitutional crisis, ending in an uneasy truce which leaves fundamental issues still unresolved.     

The Sow’s Ear,The Ivory Tower and the Enlightened Benefactor

An account and an analysis of the success of the Glasgow School of Art/Strathclyde Regional Council Artists in Schools Project 1990-1996     

Fact-Checkers as Entrepreneurs

This study considers fact-checkers as innovators and entrepreneurs. It explores funding models as well as perceptions about three core aspects of a successful journalistic enterprise: audiences, value propositions, and resources. Findings indicate particular attention to media literacy and civic engagement, independence, and transparency. In addition, many fact-checkers see their role as not merely extending traditional journalism but also correcting some of its shortcomings.