Stories about Citizen Media from April, 2008
PangeaDay: Videos to change the world on May 10th
On May 10th 2008 at 18:00 GMT, 24 films will be broadcast during a 4 hour event. What makes this different is that this event, PangeaDay will be broadcast from six locations worldwide in seven different languages worldwide to be viewed through internet, television or cellphones with one unique purpose: to make each other know about the lives of others and focus on what makes us similar, instead of what makes us different and let us work together towards peace.
Lusosphera: Remembering the Carnation Revolution
On April 25 1974, 34 years today, Portugal's 40-year fascist dictatorship, the longest in the history of Western Europe, came to an end with the Carnation Revolution, which also brought independence for the remaining colonies in Africa and Asia. Today Portuguese speaking bloggers from all over the world comment and celebrate.
Armenia: April 24 — Genocide Memorial Day
Yesterday marked the 93rd Anniversary of the Armenian Genocideand the deaths of approximately 1.5 million Armenians in Ottoman Turkey. Every year on 24 April, a date marking the roundup of Armenian intellectuals and community leaders in what is now Istanbul, Armenians commemorate the massacres and deportations worldwide. In Yerevan, this is particularly the case with hundreds of thousands marching up to the Tsitsernakaberd memorial overlooking the capital to lay flowers and pay their respects.
Dominican Republic test drives new metro system in Santo Domingo
People scream, yell and cheer as they see it pass: in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, the newest celebrity is the Metro transportation system. The city is buzzing at...
Japan: Comfort Women Video Calls Attention to a Still Unresolved Issue.
More than 60 years have passed since the World War II, but women who claim to have been abducted under Japanese Military's orders to serve as sexual slaves on military...
11-year-old Chinese environmentalist and Circuit Board Recycling
The blog “Crossroads,” which looks at corporate social responsibility in China, draws our attention to a an article about an 11-year-old environmentalist in southwest China. The youngster took it upon...
Chilean Shorts: Micro and Mini Movies on the Web
From Chile, three examples of online video creation: first, a Chilean pre-candidate for the presidency takes advantage of online video tools to produce documentaries and interviews for web distribution, next, two independent short film producers with videos which talk about poverty, disabilities, old habits which don't have such a hard time dying and, why not? Love.
D.R. of Congo: Fifth fatal crash in under a year, food prices the real disaster
News agencies are reporting that 75 were killed when a cargo plane crashed in Goma shortly after takeoff on Tuesday. Du Cabiau à Kinshasa reflects on how a plane crash can bring attention to the DRC, generally ignored by Western media, even though it's reeling from one of the greatest human disasters in a century. But Cabiau thinks the skyrocketing food prices, although less photogenic, are the real disaster in the making.
Morocco: Hands off my Muezzin!
Robin des Blogs received over a dozen comments on his post about a minister in the Moroccan government who has asked muezzins in mosques adjoining tourist areas not to do...
Vlog International: collaboration across borders
Vlog International is a project bringing together Spanish speaking vloggers: people submit their ideas, one is chosen and everyone records their piece, someone edits them together and they are published...
Brazil: Bloggers united against WordPress ban
The Brazilian blogosphere has not quite yet recovered from its last fright and there is already another threat on the way: a blanket ban on blogs hosted on Wordpress.com after a judicial court passed an order to close down a specific blog. Some bloggers are already campaigning just in case this comes true, while others stress that above all Brazil needs proper legislation (and knowledgeable legislators) to deal with the Internet and the new technologies issues.
Peru: Understanding the Emo Youth in Lima
The emo youth in the Peruvian capital of Lima have not been the victims of violence, as has been the case to their counteparts in Mexico. However, these youth have been the target of jokes and mischaracterization in the media. Even though some local bloggers openly display their distaste for these youth, they feel that local television programming has gone too far in making fun of the emos in such an uncreative manner.
Video on Flickr: An apple of dischord
Seventeen hours after its creation, the Flickr group "NO VIDEO ON FLICKR!!!" already has more than 5475 members and 670 items. What is even more amazing is that another group, "We Say NO to Videos on Flickr", created 2 hours later, has more than double the number of members of the previously mentioned group, and both are composed of flickr users who oppose the idea of having video on the platform traditionally used for uploading pictures. On the other hand, the groups created for uploaded videos hardly have more than 30 members yet. What is the reason for this insatisfaction with Yahoo and Flickr's decision to make video uploading and viewing possible on their site?
Colombia: Jimmy Carter Involved in Peace Talks?
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter phoned Colombian president Álvaro Uribe three times in the past ten days notes Constanza Vieira of Heavy Metal Colombia [es] in regards to Carter's attempt...
Guatemala: Using Blogs to Support Good Works and Raise Awareness
Guatemalan blogs are increasingly being utilized to promote the works of non-profit organizations, solicit funds to support worthy causes, or to raise awareness of important, but often unknown issues. Here are few examples of how blogs have been an important factor in promoting organizations and causes around the country.
Argentina: high school students use online video to report their issues.
By uploading a video on YouTube, argentinean high school students managed to get mass media's attention to their plight: the need for a building where they can receive classes. Currently the Ipem 112 “César Iñíguez Montenegro”, in Sebastián Elcano, a village to the north of the Cordoba capital in Argentina are receiving lessons at an elementary school. However, because the elementary school has double shifts, the high school students are forced to receive evening classes, as if it were a night school.
Video and mobile video contests for global citizen journalists.
Three different video contests open for video bloggers from around the world to participate in, either especifically geared for citizen journalists or with a category for them. One for mobile movies, one to promote causes you care for and the last to report news through online video. So bring out your cameras and read on to discover how to participate.
Colombia: bloggers gathering signatures for copyright and industrial property letter
Carolina Botero, lawyer and Creative Commons promoter in Colombia has been asking bloggers and anyone else with computer access and an interest in what are popularly called "intellectual property rights" to sign an open letter which will be sent to CONPES, the National Council for Social and Economic Politics, to counter a bill the DNP (National Planning Department) previously sent to them, where the new models of sharing knowledge that provide alternatives to the traditional "protection and enforcement" policies were completely ignored.
Venezuela: A Month for Farewells – Part I
Even though two of Venezuela's prominent artists passed away in late 2007 and in early 2008, the month of March was a time when many gathered to pay tribute to Aldemaro Romero and Adriano González León. This is the first in a two-part series that takes a look at how Venezuelan bloggers honored the legacy of these two artists.
Costa Rica: Cow Parade and internet video
The Cow Parade calls itself the world´s largest public art event, and for tiny Costa Rica´s standards, it certainly is a huge deal that the capital city of San José was selected to host the legion of cows. A series of online videos illustrate the comings and goings of the 120 cows and the local artists in charge of decorating them for the event.
