Stories about Citizen Media from August, 2010
France: Discrimination Against Roma People, Labeled as “Thieves”
While the expulsions of Roma people are in full throttle with the silent approbation of the majority of the public opinion, some doubts start to creep in about the fairness of the measures. Some bloggers express their outrage at the measures that target the most vulnerable and the libel of an entire community as "thieves".
Russia: Wildfires Victims Sorry They Fought For Their Houses
The aftermath of the recent wildfires in Russia is on the agenda of the main media channels. Reports on and interviews with victims, volunteers, humanitarian aid workers and government officials are covering mainly positive developments: new houses are being built for the victims, financial compensations are being paid to the...
Bhutan's New Dream Town
Bhutan's well planned and executed development of Bajo Town is going to make it a dream town for many Bhutanese and foreign tourists, according to Passu Diary.
Venezuela: Violent Images Censored for a Month
The Devil's Excrement shares images of Venezuelan newspaper El Nacional with the word “Censurado” (Censored) over the space where images would normally appear. In a previous post, the blogger explains, “a Judge issues the following prohibition [es] ‘For the next four weeks, no newspaper, magazine or weekly of the country...
Zambia: Citizens react to Chiluba's court clearance
Zambian President Dr. Frederick Chiluba and seven others were found guilty of stealing US$46 million public funds by Zambian High Court judge Evans Hamaundu. As expected, the court's decision last week has attracted debate in the Zambian blogosphere.
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Dialogue through film
The free flow of information between Armenia and Azerbaijan since independence is obviously problematic given the still unresolved conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, but can new media move in to fill the gap?
Ecuador: Twitter Users Love Their Country
Ecuadorian Twitter users decided to commemorate their country's independence day by promoting the use of the #teamoecuador (I Love You Ecuador) hashtag on August 10.
Peru: Protests in La Convención Over Export of Gas
The export sale of natural gas from the Camisea project continues to cause social conflicts in Cusco, Peru. Local residents are demanding that a part of the production remains in the region at a reasonable price. Bloggers react to the news of the conflicts.
Brazil: The Indigenous, The Internet and Interculturality
Ever more present in villages, technology has been gaining ground as an efficient means to ensure the indigenous lifestyle and culture. Tools like Google Earth and GPS aid reforestation efforts and help combat deforestation.
South Korea: A Pastor Facing Arrest for Visiting North Illegally
A left-inclining South Korean pastor who made an unauthorized trip to North Korea will be arrested for violating the National Security Law as soon as he returns to South, South Korea’s Joongang reported. Pastor Han is scheduled to return tomorrow from his 10 day visit to North.
Colombia: The 53rd Festival of Flowers in Medellín
The 53rd Annual Festival of Flowers recently took place in Medellín, Colombia and was discussed on citizen media, including the topic of the conflict between two local television stations for broadcast rights.
Nepal: Leadership Vacuum Continues
More than a month after the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, the Himalayan country Nepal is still without a leader. Four rounds of elections have failed to produce a clear winner, another round is scheduled for August 18th.
Africa: It's time for Big Brother Africa All-Stars
On July 18, 2010 Big Brother Africa, a television show produced by Endemol, entered its fifth season with Big Brother Africa All-Stars. The show, which has become the most popular TV reality show in Africa, is being taped at the Big Brother House at Sasani Studios in Johannersburg, South Africa and will run for 91 days.
Tanzania: Lil’ Kim rocks Tanzania
Itchbay writes about Lil’ Kim's concert in Tanzania for an annual party called Fiesta organized by Tanzania’s leading media house, Clouds Media which owns a TV station and the biggest FM radio in Tanzania.
Brazil: New Forestry Code = The Right to Deforestation?
An area of the Amazon equivalent to the size of England and France put together could be destroyed if changes proposed to the Brazilian Forestry Code come into force. The blogosphere reacts.
South Korea: Lax Safety Control Lead to Bus Explosion
An ordinary bus in Seoul has exploded with a loud bang, injuring 17 people. The accident was due to overheated gas tanks but fear is growing among the people as the city is planning to replace every bus to this CNG model which exploded this week.
India: Perils Of Quota System For Minority Groups
Ram Bansal at India In Peril blog opines that the long practiced system of reservations of government posts in India to select minority groups is actually affecting “quality of persons in positions of authority and hence the governance of the country.”
Mexico: Citizen video and Drug Trafficking
Mexican bloggers debate whether citizen videos and pictures showing graphic violent crimes are an answer to what some say is the mass media's resistance to cover drug trafficking related violence or if it is just another way to spread fear and terror.
Rwanda: Bloggers Discuss Presidential Election 2010
Preliminary results released by the National Electoral Commission show that Paul Kagame has won Rwandan election by a landslide. What does Kagame's victory mean to Rwanda? Was the election free and fair? What are the real challenges facing Rwanda now that the election is over? These are some of the issues that bloggers are discussing following the release of preliminary results.
Russia: Blogosphere Helps Man Fight Local Administration
This story has everything for an unconventional blockbuster: a lonely hero facing dozens of armed bad guys, corrupt police forces, private security firm, contract killers, and... thousands of bloggers fighting the system.
Georgia: Second anniversary of South Ossetia war
As Georgia marked the second anniversary of its August 2008 war with Russia over the breakaway territory of South Ossetia, online reaction has been mixed and largely polarized on geopolitical grounds.
