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THE NEW YORK TIMES ON THE WEB HOSTS =
WORLDWIDE INTERNET FORUM ON THE BOSNIA CONFLICT
Electronic Gallery Project Will Feature Gilles Peress' Photographs
NEW YORK, NY, May 29, 1996 =AD=AD The New York Times on the Web has =
announced an interactive multimedia photojournalism project that =
will chronicle Bosnias struggle for peace. To be launched June =
10th, Bosnia: Uncertain Paths to Peace, will feature an electronic =
gallery of more than one hundred and fifty images by renowned =
photojournalist Gilles Peress, and a month-long worldwide discussion =
on war and peace in the former Yugoslavia. Anyone with Internet =
access can view and participate in the project without charge or =
registration at http://www.nytimes.com/bosnia. =
Bosnia: Uncertain Paths to Peace will encourage participation from =
individuals all over the world, particularly in locations closest to =
the conflict and its unfolding resolution. Internet connections are =
being established in Sarajevo so Bosnians themselves can take part. =
Terminals linked to the Web site are being installed by IBM at the =
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The =
Hague, Netherlands, and at the United Nations in New York. Global =
discussions will be initiated on the political, social and cultural =
issues raised by the war.
"This project seeks to use the Internet to facilitate a greater =
understanding of one of the major events of our time, as well as a =
truly worldwide forum for discussion of the issues it raises," said =
Martin Nisenholtz, president of The New York Times Electronic Media =
Company, which conceived the Bosnia project as part of its recently =
launched Internet service, The New York Times on the Web.
(more)
Bosnia: Uncertain Paths to Peace, page 2
Peress images are a personal and journalistic chronicle of the final =
weeks of the siege of Sarajevo, including the exodus of the Serbs =
from the citys suburbs. The interactive photo essay, combined with =
the photographer's narrative, provides the viewer with information =
and experiences similar to those encountered by journalists =
witnessing the end of the war.
Peress is known for his photographic coverage of conflicts in Iran, =
Northern Ireland, Rwanda, and Bosnia. Viewers will be encouraged to =
submit comments and reactions. Individuals in the former Yugoslavia =
will be invited to email their own accounts of events.
More than ten Internet forums will be conducted by leading =
intellectual and political figures specializing in different aspects =
of the Bosnia conflict, including the war and its destruction, =
preceding historical events, the religious dimension, and political =
ramifications. Bernard Gwertzman, senior editor and former foreign =
editor of The New York Times, will oversee the forums. Hosts and =
participants will include:
=B0 Madeleine Albright, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations
=B0 Ervin Staub, professor of psychology studying genocide at the =
University of Massachusetts
=B0 Steve Walker, formerly of the U.S. State Department
=B0 Manuela Dobos, professor of Balkanology at the City University of =
NY
=B0 Bono of U2 and The Passengers, producer of "Miss Sarajevo"
=B0 Aryeh Neier, president of the Soros Foundation & the Open Society =
Institute
=B0 Christiane Amanpour, senior international correspondent for CNN
Users can also access multimedia background materials, color maps, =
audio clips, archival articles from New York Times correspondents, =
and links to relevant sites on the Web. Highlights of discussions =
and forum contributions will be posted regularly on the site. The =
site itself will remain accessible until August.
(more)
Bosnia: Uncertain Paths to Peace, page 3
=B3Our aim is to combine the journalistic mission of The New York =
Times, the visual impact of a magazine, and a forum for opinion and =
debate, in a way unique to this medium,=B2 said Kevin McKenna, =
editorial director for The New York Times Electronic Media Company.
The New York Times Electronic Media Company, a wholly owned =
subsidiary of The New York Times Company, was founded in 1995 to =
develop new products and distribution channels for The Times. In =
addition to developing The New York Times on the Web, it produces =
@times, the newspaper's service on America Online.
The New York Times Company is a diversified media company including =
newspapers, magazines, television and radio stations, and electronic =
information and publishing. The Company, which had 1995 revenues of =
$2.4 billion, publishes The New York Times, The Boston Globe and 21 =
regional newspapers and owns a one-half interest in the =
International Herald Tribune; publishes nine magazines and conducts =
related activities in the fields of golf, tennis, skiing and =
sailing; operates six network-affiliated television stations and =
two New York City radio stations. It also operates news, photo and =
graphic services; manages news and feature syndicates and has =
several electronic publishing and new media activities. The Company =
has minority interests in one newsprint mill and one supercalendered =
paper mill.
The Class A Common Stock is listed on the American Stock Exchange =
under the symbol NYT.A.
Technical support for the Bosnia project is provided by the IBM =
Corporation, including Internet access provided by the IBM Global =
Network, one of the world's largest data and Internet service =
providers offering Internet access from nearly 600 locations in more =
than 45 countries. =
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