Stories about Media & Journalism from December, 2016
There Were Many Bright Spots to Be Found Amid the Doom and Gloom of 2016
Here's a list of 41 Global Voices stories about the strength and creativity of the human spirit, proving that 2016 wasn't an annus horribilis through and through.
The 2016 Russian Words of the Year, Explained
Like many words in Russian, the 2016 words of the year can be explained but not quite translated.
A Year of Violence in Bangladesh
Groups linked to ISIS, Ansar Al Islam or Ansarullah Bangla Team have claimed responsibility for violent attacks on intellectuals and regular citizens. What does this mean for the future?
In the Social Media Age, How Should Jamaica’s Head of Government Communicate?
"Jamaica’s Prime Minister [uses] social media. To imply that the press is asking hard-hitting questions that only they are capable of asking, is negating the opinions of the public."
‘Learning to Live with the Narco in Mexico’, Stories from Survivors of the War on Organized Crime
"We must urgently portray the faces of those who face fear."
Homeless People Outside Tehran Are Taking Refuge in Empty Graves
Images of homeless people in Iran taking refuge in empty graves outside Tehran have been sweeping Persian social media.
Syria's War May be the Most Documented Ever—And Yet We Know So Little.
With the end of the devastating siege of eastern Aleppo, the world watches, parses and argues over the meaning of the media messages being shared by those remaining within it.
Investigative Journalists Reveal Accumulated Wealth of Serbian Politicians
The revelations, compiled by investigative journalism network KRIK, are generating lively debate online and within traditional media.
Watch TED Fellow Bektour Iskender's Talk on the ‘Mega Force’ of Youth Journalism in Kyrgyzstan
In the era of fake news and 'information warfare', the story of Kloop.kg is one that both inspires and reassures.
Thailand’s New Computer Crimes Law Threatens Free Speech and Encryption
"The law's most serious shortcoming is in its giving too much power for authorities to make their own judgement whether certain actions may be deemed in violation of the law."
Kazakh TV Channel Famed for Fake News in Hot Water after Fake Interview
The interview with a self-promoting Kazakh news presenter that never happened was quickly disowned by the purported interviewer.
In Addition to Innovation, Journalism Needs Trusted Communities
A friend donates part of a grant to Global Voices, because "infrastructure, communities and trust take a long time to build—and without support, those gains can all too quickly disappear."
That Fake U.S. Embassy in Ghana Issued Real Visas for a Decade
For ten years, a U.S. embassy operated quietly in Accra, the capital of the West African country of Ghana. But the embassy wasn't an embassy at all.
MujeresMundi Offers Spanish-Language Chronicles of Women's Roles Around the World
"Change is around the corner, even though we sometimes feel it's far away. The only way to bring change closer is to set our minds on it."
#FreeMaxenceMelo: Authorities Charge Tanzanian Whistleblowing Website Owner Under Cybercrimes Law
"Mentioning 'Tanzania' and 'democracy' in the same sentence amounts to subjecting the term 'democracy' to ridicule."
Ghanaians Call Out CNN for Misrepresenting Their Country in Post-Election Coverage
"Such a lazy coverage of a fantastic story by @CNN. No nuance, just the usual template "Africans are suffering."#CNNGetItRight"
Russian State-Run TV Network Refuses to Give Former U.S. Ambassador His Own Show
This Sunday, Michael McFaul proposed a novel idea: he reached out to the chief editor of Russia Today, offering to host his own television show on the network.
The High Cost of Algeria's Crackdown on Speech: Life and Freedom
Will the Algerian government acknowledge the high cost of silencing its critics before more lives are lost or destroyed for a mere Facebook post?
Taiwanese Are Disappointed With the Foreign Media’s Response to Donald Trump’s Tweet
Donald Trump, the next president of the United States, shocked the people of Taiwan on Dec. 2, when he tweeted about a congratulatory phone call he'd received from Taiwan's president.
Military Trials of Journalists Cast Light on the Taboo of Criticizing the Army in Tunisia
Laws allowing military courts to handle cases involving citizens, including journalists and bloggers, continue to hold back Tunisia's democratic reforms.
Three Somali Journalists on Lesbos Hope for the Best—Asylum in Europe
Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis make up the majority of the refugee population stuck on Lesbos and other Greek islands. So the Africans there to seek asylum are often overlooked.
