Stories about Media & Journalism from September, 2010
New video from the Global Poverty Project
The educational and campaigning organisation Global Poverty Project has released a two-minute video that depicts how each of us, not world leaders, can actually end extreme poverty within a generation.
Ecuador: Former Football Referee Caught Smuggling Heroin to United States
Ecuadorians are devastated and surprised by news about one of their citizens: this past week, football referee Byron Moreno Ruales was caught trying to smuggle 6 kilos of heroin strapped to his body through the JFK international airport in New York City.
Ukraine: Calls to Dismiss Deputy Defense Minister
Foreign Notes writes about a scandal involving Ukraine's deputy minister of defense, Oleksandr Cherpitsky, who is reported to have had a criminal past.
Africa: Africa Media Leadership Conference 2010
Tweets from Africa Media Leadership Conference 2010 taking place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Russia: Controversy On Twitter Use in the Government
Russian General Prosecutor's Office registered [RUS] a Twitter-account @genproc [RUS]. Previously [RUS], Federal Anti-monopoly Service got @rus_fas [RUS] account. While more than 20 high [RUS] Russian officials already started tweeting, country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is sceptical about the new media which it considers an “information weapon.”
Belarus President Refused to Start a Blog
Blogger pilgrim-67 sarcastically comments [RUS] on Alexander Lukashenko's decision not to start a blog [RUS]: “That's a pity. I would be excited to read about Belarus cows and gaz wars in his blog […] I think his blog would be more lively than Medvedev's.”
Brazil: Mainstream media flaw on Senator's life condition
The politician Romeu Tuma [pt], a candidate for reelection in the Brazilian Senate, was wrongly announced dead by national mainstream media on September 24, “despite the fact he's alive, although, at the hospital”, as Pierre Lucena from blog Acerto de Contas [Getting even, pt] comments.
D.R. of Congo: Okapi Radio, Winner of “Free Media Pioneer” Awards
The International Press Insitute (IPI) has granted Okapi Radio, the UN Radio in D.R. of Congo, with a "Free Media Pioneer" Award. The radio has been broadcasting since February 2002 to contribute to the peace-building process in DRC.
Azerbaijan: Journalists to visit Sweden ahead of November vote
Gulara Azimzadeh's blog reports that seven journalists from Azerbaijan will visit Stockholm to see how the media covered the 2010 elections in Sweden. The journalists were selected after a competition held by the Azerbaijan Media Center as the country prepares for its own parliamentary vote this November and recounts the...
South Korea:Soap Opera Fans Damaging Traditional Constructions
The Jeonju Hanok village is a treasured tourism spot where hundreds of traditional houses are preserved. A famous historical soap opera is being filmed there, and its fans have molested the village by scribbling the character's names on the wall with permanent marker pens, making people frawn at these photos...
Anti-censorship webmaster arrested in Thailand
The webmaster of an independent online journal in Thailand was arrested at Bangkok airport today on charges of insulting the monarchy. Local mainstream media has been quiet about the issue but twitterers are providing information and other updates which help sustain the campaign to demand the freedom of the arrested activist
Sri Lanka: Hearings of the Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission
Valkyrie at Groundviews posts translations of reports on the hearings of the Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) held in Killnochchi and Mullaitivu that appeared in Tamil newspapers.
Colombia: First Reactions to the Death of FARC Leader ‘Mono Jojoy’
Víctor Julio Suárez, better known as Jorge Briceño or Mono Jojoy, one of the top leaders of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), was killed in the so-called "Operation Sodom." Colombian Twitter users immediately reacted to the news.
Barbados: Vigilante Victim Charged
The Bajan Reporter has an update on the incident in which an alleged pedophile was the recipient of vigilante justice, saying that the man “has been charged with rape of a Minor…Police will not even reveal the age of the girl involved.”
Italy: Social Media Week in Milan and Worldwide
Social Media Week is an eclectic, multi-city event (Sept 20-24) aimed at connecting people, content, and conversations about emerging trends in social and mobile media.
Mexico: Government Announces Plan to Protect Journalists
Gancho writes about the government's new plan to protect journalists, concluding that, “What's missing is a genuine recognition from the government that journalists being killed is a substantial problem for the nation at large. I'm skeptical that Calderón's plan can will that element into existence.”
Vietnam: ‘No Firewall’ website
Pro-democracy group Viet Tan has launched the No Firewall website which aims to “assist Vietnamese internet users learn about circumvention techniques and digital security.” The Vietnam government has been accused of intensifying its internet surveillance activities to restrict dissent in the country
Latvia: Oct. 2 Parliamentary Elections
Notes on the upcoming Oct. 2 parliamentary elections in Latvia – at All About Latvia, Baltic, and Juris Kaža's blogs (here, here, and here).
Africa: Africa Media Leadership Conference 2010
Dibussi blogs about the Africa Media Leadership Summit. Tjis year the summit will focus on finding “Sustainable Media Business Models in the Digital Age”.
Latvia: Investigative Journalist Flees the Country
Free Speech Emergency in Latvia reported on Sept. 12: “Lato Lapsa, a controversial Latvian investigative journalist with access to hundreds of pages of documents in a criminal investigation of politician and Ventspils mayor Aivars Lembergs, announced he was fleeing the country and shutting down his websites, including one that was...
China: New media, new challenges
China media project translated a CCP journal article written by Gao Xinmin on how new media has changed the political culture in China.
