Global Policy Forum

Outreach, Publications and Media Work

Web Site

Global Policy Forum's major outreach and publishing vehicle in 1998 was its site on the world wide web. The site, designed by Jacqueline Neuwirth of San Francisco and first posted to the web in March 1996, now offers a very large array of information and analysis on the UN and global policy making. By Annual 1998, it contained over 1,000 resident web "pages," as well as links to hundreds of additional documents and sites, located in dozens of countries.

Similar to a magazine, the GPF site posted current articles, interviews, and topical material, as well as photos, illustrations and cartoons. But it also posted longer research monographs and statistics that might be found in a specialized journal. And it contains archival material, such as texts of speeches and documents. During the year, GPF staff posted at least 500 new documents and other pages to the site, as well as re-organizing material and creating new outward-links. A great deal of staff time during the year went into supporting and improving the site.

During 1998, tens of thousands of people from every continent visited the GPF site. By design, the site attracts diverse users, ranging from the general public to academic specialists, United Nations staff and diplomatic delegates. GPF received many on-site messages with thanks or requests for additional information. To strengthen the site and make documents more readily accessible, GPF added a key-word search engine to the site during 1998. Use of the site more than doubled during the year, to a rate of about a million hits. In 1999, GPF expects site use to more than double again.

List-Serves

Beginning in September 1998, GPF developed a new "list-serv" or internet mailing list, to enlarge our outreach capacity. By Annual, the list-serv had grown to over 300 names in several dozen countries. This new electronic mailing list enables GPF to announce its weekly web site postings and to otherwise communicate with a core group of members, supporters and other interested persons. Associate Lara Tessaro was the major list-serv developer and she regularly produced keen and witty texts.

We plan to expand our postings to this mailing list during 1999 and to include news of GPF's work, including current meetings and conferences, as well as developments at the UN. The size of the list-serv should grow substantially and GPF may also develop othere specialized list-servs during the year as well.

Publications

During the year, GPF published over a dozen original texts on sanctions, NGO access, global taxes, security council procedures and other subjects. The text on sanctions proved to be the most popular, for it was translated into five languages and published in eight different formats. Among the authors were Amb. Antonio Monteiro of Portugal, Institute for Policy Studies Fellow Phyllis Bennis, GPF Director James Paul, and GPF Associates Kevin Baumert, Natalie Reid, Senwan Akhtar and Anja Kallmeyer.

Media

GPF had growing success working with the mass media during 1998. This was particularly true of the issue of the UN financial crisis, which attracted increasing media interest. But the media turned to GPF for a wide-range of other information as well.

During 1998, GPF Director James Paul was interviewed by a number of major U.S. newspapers including the Baltimore Sun and the Los Angeles Times. He was quoted twice in a front-page article in the Christian Science Monitor. Jim also appeared on two national television network shows -- "Good Morning America" and the "Adam Smith Hour" as well as local and cable shows.

The Third Worldwide Vigil attracted considerable media coverage as well, appearing in more than fifty newspapers and newsmagazines, as well as more than a dozen television and radio shows.