Stories about Media & Journalism from August, 2010
Armenia-Azerbaijan: Unbiased e-media coverage call for projects
There are just three days left until the deadline passes for the Eurasia Partnership Foundation's unbiased e-media coverage project for Armenian and Azerbaijani journalists and bloggers. Global Voices Online will be presenting its experience to date in this area at workshops held as part of the initiative.
Hungary: More on Béla Biszku's Case
Hungarian Spectrum writes about Béla Biszku's case (also covered by GV's Marietta Le here and here).
Guyana: Domestic Violence
“Domestic violence has not been stamped out; instead it has grown to staggering proportions”: The Guyana Groove thinks the country needs “a real, feasible solution to this dire situation.”
Hungary: Foreign Media on Orbán's Government
Hungarian Spectrum reviews foreign media coverage of Viktor Orbán's government – here, here, and here.
Russia: It's not the Kremlin
THIS summer Russians faced several state attempts to "filter" (selectively block) websites. And as in many other things, Russia has gone its own way with a slightly more complicated technique: regional filtering.
Uruguay: Journalist Álavaro Alfonso Sent to Prison for 24 Months
Qué Pasa Uruguay? [es] points out that local media have ignored the sentencing of journalist Álvaro Alfonso to two years in jail for libel, and the confiscation of his book “Secretos del Partido Comunista” (Secrets of the Communist Party). The blogger posts an article by the The Inter American Press...
India: Deadly Journalism
Sans Serif reports that two journalists of an Indian TV channel in Ahmedabad instigated Kalpesh Mistry (29) to set himself on fire to protest his harassment by police so that they could film him. Kalpesh died in the hospital after suffering 90% burn.
Haiti: Shifting Focus
The Haitian Blogger suggests that the mainstream media is focusing on the wrong thing: “Attention should focus less on the distraction of WyClef Jean’s failed presidential bid…and more on the desperate humanitarian situation on the ground…”
Cuba: Additional Releases
Havana Times reports that another six political prisoners are scheduled to be released.
Brazil: Competition Turns Blogs into Books
The idea is to turn the best Brazilian blogs to books, and the competition [pt] is open until September 12th. The participants can vote and apply through fifteen different categories, including Ecology & Environment, Religion and, a special topic for 2010, Sports.
Taiwan: Who Needs A Founding Father?
Does Dr. Sun Yat-sen deserve the title of “the Founding Father of Republic of China (R.O.C)”? Is he really a flawless idealistic political leader and the hero behind the revolution that overthrew Qing Dynasty? The myth around Dr. Sun has been under scrutiny in Taiwan where people largely do not identify themselves as “Chinese” anymore.
Russia: LiveJournal Communities as a Transparency Tool
Alexey Sidorenko explores how LiveJournal communities are being used to promote transparency and accountability in Russia.
Cuba: Blogger Arrested
Uncommon Sense and Blog for Cuba report on the arrest of blogger Luis Felipe Rojas Rosabal, with the former saying that the authorities are “especially persistent with its repression towards the more accomplished chroniclers of the reality of life in Cuba today.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Unique Deal
Afra Raymond says that comparing the CL Financial bailout to the US situation is “nothing less than public mischief”: “The only resemblance to the US bailout is in name only. Real Trini-ting. Duprey and his cohorts negotiated a Blank-Cheque Bailout at zero interest, without losing any of their assets. That...
Jamaica: Policing Style
Jamaica Salt says the kill-or-be-killed approach to controlling crime is ineffective: “When things are tough it’s hard not to look at possible solutions like this. But this has been a style of policing in Jamaica for decades now and it is not working. The murder rates speak for themselves.”
Tunisia: Doctored Photographs Symptomatic of the State of The National Press
The use of national media as an instrument of propaganda has been fairly well documented in Tunisia. The latest evidence of media manipulation was identified by Tunisian bloggers on August 20 when newspapers le Temps and Assabah illustrated on the sending of food supply by fundation Zitouna to the victims of the floods in Pakistan.
Barbados: CARICOM Pappyshow?
As the Secretary General of CARICOM takes his leave, B.C. Pires is more convinced than ever that “the whole enterprise is one big pappy-show, an elaborate skulls that mocks integration of a people while enriching the lifestyles of a few persons…”
Haiti: Beauty & Controversy
As controversy swirls around Haiti's representative for the 2010 Miss Universe beauty pageant, The Haitian Blogger says: “The assassination of Miss Haiti's mother was a terrible tragedy. Unfortunately the sad event is being used by many to demonize Haiti's first real democratically elected government and the Lavalas political party.”
St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Haiti: Access Denied
Abeni has been following Wyclef Jean's bid for the Haitian presidency and says: “Now that Wyclef's candidacy has been stalled…maybe Wyclef's next bid should be ensuring that the media continues to shine a light on the Haitian situation.”
Pakistan: Horrid Act of Mob Shock The Citizens
Pakistanis are in shock as the news and video of the brutal mob-lynching of two teenage brothers in front of police and an enthusiastic crowd in Sialkot were aired on local media. Netizens question why this savage act was allowed to happen without any opposition.
Barbados: Paper Trail?
As a police raid in Trinidad and Tobago reveals alleged illegal activity at a deceased contractor's house, Barbados Free Press “want[s] to know…if the Anti-Corruption Investigation Bureau found any paperwork relating to Karamath’s connections to the Barbados politicians and officials who awarded him big government contracts here.”
