Stories about Citizen Media from December, 2007
Caucasus: 2007 Blog Review
With 2008 less than a day away at time of writing, it seems only appropriate to take a look back at the blogging highlights in the Caucasus for 2007. Certainly, although blogging is still largely underdeveloped, the year has seen some major highlights, especially with regards to stories that also...
Francophone Morocco on Eid Mubarak Said
Last week, Morocco celebrated Aid el-Kebir (“Big Eid”), a festival commemorating Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, and God's mercy in sparing him. Family members visit each other over the largest meals they can afford, exchange gifts (often clothing), give alms (zakat, one of the five Pillars of Islam)...
Pakistan: Why Bhutto, and what now for Pakistan?
More reactions are pouring out in the Pakistani blogosphere and elsewhere as it settles in that a very strong and capable leader is no more. Some bloggers are concerned about the law and order situation, providing personal accounts of the violence on the streets. There is also a lot of...
West Africa: The four Cameroonian historical myths
Today, we are taking a tour of the West African blogosphere. Bloggers from Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Nigeria are discussing children's books, historical myths, the military and politics.
Environment: How would Green Tax in SA be implemented?
Carl of Greencars asks ‘South Africa’s Green Tax – how’s it going to be implemented?’, saying “Government needs to apply the carrot AND the stick when persuading car buyers to purchase cleaner cars.”
Armenia: Action Puts Bloggers In Media Spotlight
In countries such as Armenia where the mainstream broadcast media is firmly under the control of government-connected businessmen and/or officials, while the traditional print and online media largely reflects the opposition in the country, there is no doubt that blogs have an important role to play in the dissemination of...
Korea: Drama and Politics
With time running out before Wednesday’s presidential election, the event has turned more dramatic. Following a chaotic and physical fight between members of the Grand National Party and the United New Democratic Party at the National Assembly, Lee Myung Bak’s supporters broke into the National Assembly to protest the request...
Taiwan: Migrant Worker Rally-“I want my day off!!”
On International Human Rights Day, the dogfighting politics of the two major parties still occupied the front pages in Taiwan's mass media. The politicians consume the terms “democracy” and “freedom” for their own political odds while neglect basic rights of underprivileged communities. GVO Taiwan team would cover some important human...
Lusosphere: Are you hetero?
Earlier this week, Global Voices published an article about an advertising campaign in Guatemala which had raised a few eyebrows among local bloggers. More or less at the same time of this publication, some other bloggers in Portugal were celebrating a victory: the day on which a beer company gave...
Japan: In the shadows of influence
A scandal that had been brewing for months came to a head last week when former Vice Defense Minster Moriya Takemasa and his wife Sachiko were arrested by authorities in Tokyo, suspected of having received millions of yen in bribes from former defense equipment trader Miyazaki Motonobu of Yamada Corporation. Many bloggers were surprised, and some dug deeper into the problem of behind-the-scenes maneuvering in Japanese politics.
