  The classical representation problem for a meromorphic function f in C^n,
n>=1, consists in representing f as the quotient f=g/h of two entire functions
g and h, each with logarithm of modulus majorized by a function as close as
possible to the Nevanlinna characteristic. Here we introduce generalizations of
the Nevanlinna characteristic and give a short survey of classical and recent
results on the representation of a meromorphic function in terms such
characteristics. When f has a finite lower order, the Paley problem on best
possible estimates of the growth of entire functions g and h in the
representations f=g/h will be considered. Also we point out to some unsolved
problems in this area.
