over to you

Transition Year students can win a week's work placement in The Irish Times. Send us your thoughts (200 words maximum) on a media-related topic - if your submission is published, the placement is yours.

Clara Ni Riada, Colaiste Chilliain, Clondalkin, Dublin

"Robinson stops Irish journalist travelling" was the headline in The Irish Times on September 9th. The article below attempted to explain how a UN Commissioner for Human Rights could question and interfere with the permission granted to a journalist, Conor O'Clery from The Irish Times , to accompany her on a trip to Tibet. On this trip she was to hold a meeting with topics for discussion such as religious, political and civil rights. One of the rights for discussion was freedom of expression.

Does she really believe in what she is preaching? If so, the question begs an answer: why did she prevent this journalist from travelling with her. The UN Declaration of Human Rights, article 19, guarantees freedom of expression and press freedom, which she has a responsibility to promote.

Michael Allen, St Andrew's College, Booterstown, Co Dublin

Ever since news broke of the "fling of the century"(which feels like years ago), the President of the United States has been on the receiving end of a vicious cycle of criticism and satire.

The tabloid front pages have been groaning under the weight of the column inches devoted to the so-called scandal, with details of Kenneth Starr's latest leaks.

The media cannot seem to get enough of the powerful combination of sex and power, but the public feels differently. Polls in the US show overwhelming support for President Clinton and make it clear that the vast majority of the population does not have a problem with Monicagate.

Quite logically, they believe Clinton has run their country reasonably well. Perhaps even his success in our country has something to do with it.

Nevertheless, it is impossible to open the pages of a newspaper, surf the Net or even enter a newsagent without encountering another picture of Bill and Monica, or Bill and Hillary, or intimate details which cannot possibly be deemed to be in the public interest.

Write to media scope by posting your comments to Newspaper in the Classroom, The Irish Times, 11-16 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2, or faxing them to (01) 679 2789. Be sure to include your name, address and school, plus phone numbers for home and school.

Or you can use the Internet and e-mail us at mediapage@irish-times.ie.