Stories about Media & Journalism from March, 2017
Back in the USSR?: Critics Say Draft Legislation Puts State Above Rights in Kazakhstan
"Can we designate people that leave their rubbish bags lying around outside their apartment doors enemies of state interests and remove their citizenships?"
What Role Did Brazilian Mainstream Media Play in the Murder of a Teenage Girl? This Filmmaker Wants to Know.
"Eloá’s story is the story of many Brazilians. Brazil is the fifth country in the world in terms of the number of women killed..."
Georgia Really, Really Wanted a Visa-Free Agreement with the EU, and Now It's Party Time
"From Tuesday, Georgian nationals may visit Europe’s vast borderless Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180 day period."
Thai Junta's Media Regulator Suspends Voice TV for ‘Unreasonable Criticism’ and ‘Biased Content’
"Even though Voice TV may provide different views, we insist that the contents do not harm national security."
Iranians See Arrests and Intimidation of Telegram Administrators and Journalists Ahead of the Elections
Revolutionary Guards have previously attempted to limit Telegram's free flow of information with arrests for immoral or obscene content. This is the first time crackdowns have focused on political affiliation.
China's Great Firewall Gives Rise to a Robust Industry of Information Smugglers
More often than not, information smugglers prioritize things like click rates over hard-hitting public interest journalism.
Young Iranian Faces Execution Over ‘Anti-Islamic’ Social Media Posts
"Sina's grandfather was a martyr of the eight-year war. Sina himself served two years. Sina has more rights to this country than most of these authorities."
Reporter's Murder in Mexico Revives Outrage over Violence against Journalists
"They killed Miroslava for talking, for making information that society demands to be public, and for annoying the powerful, in all its forms."
In Kyrgyzstan, Media Facing Pressure from a Fearful President
A series of civil suits launched by the state prosecutor have seemingly targeted media for quoting the government's critics.
‘Zelyonka': the Anti-Putin Antiseptic
"Brilliant green" is becoming the unofficial color of Russia’s opposition movement.
If You Really Want To Know What's Happening With Tech in Cuba, Read Beyond the Headlines
Internet access is fleeting, connection quality is poor, and the costs of getting online are astronomical. But you wouldn't know it from the headlines.
Hong Kong's Hottest Fake News Headlines Target Refugees, Foreign Domestic Workers
Hong Kong's increase in fake news prompted media activists to create the Facebook page Kau Yim to verify important information and identify fake news.
Rio de Janeiro Is Caught Between a Yellow Fever Scare and Press Censorship
"What's left of the dictatorship? Everything except the dictatorship."
How One Small Japanese City Is Attracting Trainspotters
How is a small city in western Japan attracting thousands of tourists? Trainspotting.
A Visit to a Moscow Mental Health Center
Vera Shengelia, a Russian journalist and a mental health activist, recently visited a young man at a residential care center for adults in Moscow. The experience shook her.
Fake News and Fake Solutions: How Do We Build a Civics of Trust?
When posing solutions to fix fake news, we need to be careful not to build our own self-censorship machines.
UAE Court Sentences Jordanian Journalist Tayseer al-Najjar to Prison
UAE authorities took issue with a Facebook post that Tayseer al-Najjar published before he had even moved to the country.
Syrian Civil Society in Douma Navigates a Tough Crackdown
Fundamentalist backlash to a magazine article has thrown civil society in Douma and Eastern Ghouta into turmoil, as activists and journalists struggle to get back to work.
Macedonians Mourn Folk Singer Vanja Lazarova, Whose Plight Inspired Facebook Activism
Vanja Lazarova became part of digital activism history in Macedonia after her tough circumstances late in life inspired the innovative use of Facebook as a tool to petition the government.
In Kyrgyzstan, Prosecutors Sue Media for Offending President
"By advising him to sue internet publications, they are really doing him a bad turn."
India's Cashless Villages: Not Really There Yet, But the Journey Has Begun
The Lanura village lacks basic facilities, like electricity infrastructure, water and other amenities of life. The people were stunned to learn that the village was declared a "cashless village."
