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Grave robbers, we all know, loot tombs for material gain. Recently, however, Italian tomb robbers, or tombaroli, have sought public attention by publishing their biographies and appearing on television to present an entirely new image of their métier. They depict themselves as heroes who bring the treasures of the past to the public and boast of an expertise, which remains unrecognised by official archaeologists. Rather than merely dismissing these stories as a justification, or glorification of an illegal activity, a more careful reading reveals many issues, which are of considerable importance to heritage management and archaeological research. These accounts contain a wealth of information on the identity of the people who loot tombs; their backgrounds, motivations and attempts to legitimate their actions. Moreover, they provide a unique insight into the relations between tomb robbers and the communities within which they operate. It is well known that public opinion in Italy and elsewhere to some extent sanctions illegal digging and, in my view, changing these attitudes could prove to be one of the most important steps towards a more effective policy of protecting the cultural patrimony.

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Alternative media myths are examined. Alternative media was envisioned as a mechanism for challenging mainstream media messages. This binary opposition concept suggests that alternative media's value rests on their success in countering hegemony; the reality of alternative media is far more complex. Alternative media impact everyday power relationships; by providing powerless audiences a vehicle to create new images of self & environment, they serve as a catalyst for the questioning of sociological, psychological, & existential assumptions. Alternative media producers must change from passive message receivers to active messengers responsible for seeking & filtering information. This begins a process of empowerment described as dynamic, multilayered, & multidimensional. Experiences with the New World Information & Communication Order are related. D. Generoli