· April, 2006

Stories about Media & Journalism from April, 2006

China: Truth penetrates firewall

  29 April 2006

In ‘China Good News Vol. 3‘, the Laowiseass blogger posts a letter from a reader: “I just saw a PBS documentary about what happened in Beijing in the summer of 1989 with my roommates. The three of us were shocked by not only the bloody, barbarian event, but also the...

Russia: Protes in Ufa Ignored by Media

  28 April 2006

As a discussion of media ownership and censorship in Russia is taking place at Russia Blog, Daut of Ufa Blog writes about a recent protest rally in Bashkortostan's capital that no local media have covered and no one seems to be aware of: “A demonstration in America will probably also...

Belarus: BBC Responds to Blogger

  28 April 2006

BBC responds to David McDuff of A Step At A Time regarding the possibility of broadcasts in the Belarusian language in Belarus – in addition to broadcasts in Russian, Ukrainian and English: “The problem surrounding delivery of the product into the region remains the key stumbling block. The World Service...

West Indian literature online

  28 April 2006

One of the crucial elements in the rapid development of the literature of the Anglophone Caribbean in the 1940s and 50s was a weekly radio programme called Caribbean Voices, broadcast from London on the BBC's Caribbean Service and produced by Henry Swanzy. Caribbean Voices featured stories and poems by West...

Sri Lanka: Outside Colombo

  27 April 2006

Portrait comments on how the news focuses on what happens in Colombo and ignore what happens outside of the city. A very interesting discussion is ongoing in the comments space.

Russia: Kateryna Chumachenko's 1983 Letter

  27 April 2006

Michael Averko, a Diaspora Russian contributing to Russia Blog, writes about the letter that Kateryna Chumachenko, a (formerly) Diaspora Ukrainian wife of president Yushchenko, wrote to the Washington Times 23 years ago. In it, Chumachenko wrongly suggested “that Russian-Americans didn't petition to have Russia listed as a captive nation.” A...

Latin America: Stories Broken By Bloggers

  26 April 2006

Jose Luis Orihuela is making a list (ES) of stories that first broke on Spanish-language blogs and were then picked up by the mainstream media. Among the stories include Argentine soccer celebrity Diego Maradona's contract with a TV station (ES) and an anti-MTV marketing parody (ES).

Indonesian Playboy

  26 April 2006

Two colleagues are in a reflexology place enjoying their massage. A stranger joins in and starts small talk with them. The fun starts when the Indonesian Playboy magazine issue comes up.

China: Detained writers remembered

  26 April 2006

Has it really been a year since Hong Kong journalist Ching Cheong was charged by China for spying? And two months since Beijing or Bust blogger Wu Hao's arrest for what has yet to be announced? AsiaPundit‘s myrick reminds us in ‘lest we forget’.

Iran: Brain Drain!

ArashKamangir finds an interesting point in Iranian President's recent news conference. Blogger writes “a reporter asked him about the brain drain. He replied “…the Iranian nation is free to go where ever they want and to live there.We are not disappointed that Iranian scientists work for others.”

Belarus: Chernobyl Neglect

  26 April 2006

TOL's Belarus Blog notes that when it comes to Chernobyl awareness and aid distribution, Belarus is neglected: “70% of all the radioactive fallout landed in Belarus. And yet, in mass-media world-wide everyone talks only about Ukraine. Belarus is lucky if it’s getting 5-10% of the coverage and 5-10% of the...

Hong Kong: Health hazard ignored

  25 April 2006

sevenyearsinChina‘s Han Girl stayed up late one night last week to show us why it wasn't in Hong Kong television station TVB's best interest to cover a recent report from Greenpeace which found levels of pesticides—some banned in the European Union—in vegetables sold in the city's two largest supermarkets at...

French Antilles: Banana Drama

  25 April 2006

InternetRapide.com points (FR) to recent efforts to promote Martinique and Guadeloupe bananas, including a commercial and website featuring athletes from the two islands. The blogger cites increased competition from American corporations and international regulations limiting French government subsidies as threats. Caribbean Free Radio gave the commercial a thumbs up.

Haitian Blogger Yon Ayisyen: “I'm No Revolutionary Hero”

  24 April 2006

Yon Ayisien (whose name means “A Haitian”) blogs at Ayisyen Sa Nap Regle? (“What's Up Haitians? ” in Creole) and might as well be renamed HaitiPundit. He is the only Haiti-based Haitian blogger who blogs about politics and his blogging wit and vision is surprising for a 25 year-old. Though...

Zambia: Freedom to be heard

  24 April 2006

Zambian blog, Real Life of a Journalist posts on a local project “ Freedom to be heard Campaign through Radio” which would help to provide ….”a medium for people especially women and children to express them selves to government leaders, community heads, civil society heads and the rest of the...

Bloglogue: US Dollars & Democracy in Iran!

Bloglogue’s first issue was about Iran in Media and several bloggers & non bloggers from different countries took part in discussion. Second issue is about a very hot issue: US 75 million dollars help to promote democracy in Iran. Five bloggers including two Americans, one Finnish and two Iranians joined...

China: Hu's heckler footage

  21 April 2006

Chinese media guru Jeremy Goldkorn of Danwei links to Youtube footage of Chinese president Hu Jintao being heckled at the White House late last week. “Are you nuts man?,” asks one reader. “You are going to get blocked.”