Guest Editor's Introduction

Anniversaries are times that encourage reflection and projection. We look back at what has happened since the event being recognized, assess the current state of affairs, and anticipate future challenges and opportunities. Such is the case with this issue of COMMUNICATION RESEARCH TRENDS, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, paying special attention to the communication rights of children around the globe. The current proliferation of media technologies has allowed the world's children unprecedented access to modes of communication, although access is not equal for all children. Geographic, political, social, financial, and cultural circumstances all contribute to a global situation where some voices and perspectives are heard louder, more often, and in more places than others. But the technology exists to redress some of the inequities in communication production and reception, and renewed emphasis on the rights of children in the communication process encourages us to reflect, assess, and project on what we know about children as communicators.