Stories about Media & Journalism from January, 2010
Turkmenistan: Jesus saves Turkmenistan on TV
Annasoltan says that Kanal Hayat (Channel Life), a satellite channel programming in Turkish about Christianity, has launched programs in Turkmen language that are broadcast in Turkmenistan.
Sri Lanka: ‘Lanka E news’ Banned
Journalists For Democracy In Sri Lanka blog informs that “the office of the ‘Lanka e news’, a prominent news website operating from Sri Lanka, has been sealed off by the authorities. [..] Two days before the elections, another regular contributor to the website, Prageeth Eknalogoda, went missing.”
Russia: CJR Piece on the Media
Robert Amsterdam recommends Adam Federman's article on the Russian media, published in Columbia Journalism Review: “[…] Federman focuses on the remaining mechanisms and political dynamics for freedom of press and the conditions in which genuinely good investigative journalism can still occur in today's harshly repressive media environment in Russia.”
Global Voices in Haiti: Our Team on the Ground
In the aftermath of the 12 January earthquake in Haiti, Global Voices has sent a two-member team to Port-au-Prince to augment our coverage of recovery efforts, and stimulate local participation in citizen media. Here are details of the objectives Georgia Popplewell and Alice Backer are working towards.
Trinidad & Tobago: Giving Up the Post?
Despite the devastation taking place in other parts of the region, in Trinidad and Tobago it appears to be politics as usual. On the heels of news that party voting for leadership of the opposition United National Congress had gone in resounding favour of Kamla Persad-Bissessar, former party leader (and founder) Basdeo Panday reacted by refusing to admit defeat. Bloggers discuss the impasse...
Bermuda: Busting the Budget
“In three years, the public debt has grown by $480,481,000! And that’s before the economic recession really dug it’s teeth into Bermuda”: Vexed Bermoothes says that “the costs of the constant circus are mounting fast, and only we Bermudians will be left holding the bucket.”
Brazil: The National Program for Human Rights – Part 1
Controversy has erupted following the proposal of a legislative reform package that decriminalises abortion and criminalises homophobia, bans religious symbols from public spaces and calls for a truth commission.
Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti: On the Ground
“You try to get around as much as you can, but in the end you’ll see only a tiny fraction of the whole, and perhaps understand or read accurately only a fraction of that”: Caribbean Free Radio blogs from Port-au-Prince.
Japan: Website Localization
Motoko discusses the need for foreign websites to be localized into Japanese: If your website is not in Japanese, it would have little to no chances of being found in the search results in Japan.
Jordan: Tweeps Celebrate their Country
In an initiative that was adopted by tweeps from other Arab countries, Jordanian users of micro-blogging site Twitter created and maintained a hashtag that celebrates the top 50 things they love about their country. Ebtihal Mahadeen takes a closer look at #Top50Jo.
Russia: Newspaper Web Site Hacked
The Web site of a popular Russian newspaper “Novaya Gazeta” has been hacked today, RIA news agency reported [EN]. Allegedly, the attack has been provoked by the article [RUS] about a controversial demolition [ENG] of houses at the luxury Rechnik neighborhood in Moscow.
Trinidad & Tobago: Crime Rate
Jumbie's Watch laments the worsening crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago.
Philippines: Blogger charged with libel
A Filipino blogger was charged with a libel suit by the secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development after writing about the ‘rotting’ relief goods in a government warehouse. This is the first time a public official has sued a blogger in the Philippines.
Costa Rica: Charges of Plagiarism in Presidential Campaign
With the Costa Rican presidential campaign well underway, many bloggers are noticing that some of the candidates' campaign ads and campaign proposals appear to be too familiar.
Jamaica, Haiti: Using the Language
Jamaica's Active Voice says: “Trust the Brits to do the right thing. While our newswomen and men are contorting their mouths reproducing peculiar versions of the Queen's English, British broadcasters are broadcasting to Haitians in their mother tongue–Kreyol.”
Haiti: Media Responsibility
Repeating Islands posts an excerpt from Rebecca Solnit, who, “disturbed by media coverage of alleged looting in Port-au-Prince following the earthquake, posted a powerful article decrying the criminalization of victims by the media.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Woman is Boss
Bloggers comment on Kamla Persad-Bissessar‘s winning of the leadership of Trinidad and Tobago's current opposition party.
Haiti: Media Operations Center launched for Haitian journalism
Réseau Citadelle announces the launch of the Media Operations Center, an initiative from Reporters without Borders and Quebecor, aimed at facilitating the field work of local and foreign journalists in Haiti as well as establishing collaboration between the media and NGOs.
China: Hillary Talks About the Problem of the Chinese Internet
Max R from China Geeks translated human rights lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan's comments to Hillary's talks about the problem of the Chinese Internet.
Haiti: “1+1=3”
More than ten days after the 12 January earthquake in Haiti, with large-scale relief efforts underway, Haitian bloggers and Twitter users wonder what the future holds in store, and how reconstruction efforts will be managed. Others seem concerned that media reports don't always add up with what they observe on the ground.
Jordan: TV channel logos
Read this interesting review by Roba about logos for popular and reputable Arab TV satellite channels.
