Stories about Media & Journalism from October, 2010
Puerto Rico: Student Blog Continues Coverage
The student blog Desde Adentro [ES], an alternative online paper created during the recent 60 day student strike at the University of Puerto Rico, is covering the mounting tensions between the students and the administration at the main campus.
Puerto Rico: Second Blog Day Against Violence
Bloggers Nahomi Galindo Malavé and Verónica RT convened bloggers in Puerto Rico to express themselves on violence against women and the media for the Second Blog Day “No More Violence Against Women.” [ES]
South Korea: A Repairman Won the Nation's Biggest Singing Contest.
Hur Gak, is a stout, homey-looking repairman who took home the trophy of the nation's biggest singing contest, “Superstar K,” Korean version of American Idol. Hur won around 177 thousand USD, a car and the opportunity to release his own album. He is now referred to as Korea's Paul Potts. Video...
Brazil: changes made to digital crimes bill
Jomar Silva, of blogging collective Trezentos [pt], speaks out against recent changes [pt] made to a controversial draft bill on cybercrimes in Brazil. The bill, which would require web users to provide identification for online transactions, such as setting up a blog or downloading files, may now see content service...
Angola: Update on Press Freedom – “Repression or Urban Violence?”
One day after Global Voices published an article about the murder of journalist Chakussanga, on October 22 another Angolan journalist from “Radio Despertar” – Antonio Manuel “Jojó” da Silva – was injured in stabbing, as Committee to Protect Journalists reports.
Haiti: Cholera!
As a cholera outbreak hits Haiti, bloggers discuss this latest assault on the already besieged country.
Pakistan: Marriage Of Convenience
Tamashbeen at All Things Pakistan finds it disgusting that 23-year old Azhar Haidri of Multan, Pakistan has become a media celebrity by marrying two women within 24 hours – the woman he was engaged with and the woman whom he claims as “his true love”.
China: My father is Li Gang!
The son of a deputy police director in Hebei province killed a young woman in a traffic accident on October 16 and reportedly shouted to an angry crowd, "Go ahead and sue me, my father is Li Gang". Now hundreds of people have been writing and sharing songs and poetry online in protest against bad behavior by offspring of government officials
Azerbaijan: Free Expression under Attack
Global Voices Advocacy features a guest post from Rebecca Vincent, Article 19's Advocacy Assistant for Azerbaijan. The post details the situation with freedom of expression in the oil-rich former Soviet republic and the case of imprisoned video blogging youth activist Adnan Hajizade.
Brazil: Jose Serra ‘struck’ by paper ball
Earlier this week, Brazilian presidential candidate Jose Serra was struck by a ball of paper during a rally in Rio de Janeiro. Eduardo Guimarães at Blog da Cidadania [pt] has accused mainstream media outlets of representing Serra as a “victim” at the hands of the ruling party (PT), and laments...
Panama: Freedom of the Press
The Panama Digest reports that “Panama fell 26 spots on the annual Reporters Without Borders Freedom of the Press Index published Wednesday.” The post also points out that, “just yesterday, on the day the report was published – journalists picketed against government limits on their freedom of expression.”
Brazil: ten days of media fury
Over the next ten days, political blogger Eduardo Guimarães at Blog da Cidadania [pt] will chart the tumultuous role played by Brazilian mainstream media in swaying voters’ choices, as the 31st October date for the second round of presidential elections draws nearer.
Angola: Journalist Murdered: Repression or urban violence?
On the 5th of September, journalist Albert Graves Chakussanga lost his life at the hands of strangers who in cold blood shot him down inside his house, in the neighbourhood of Viana in Luanda. According to Reporters without Borders, Chukassanga was killed from behind with a gun equipped with a silencer....
The Balkans: Angelina Jolie's Bosnian War Movie
Greater Surbiton writes about “Angelina Jolie's Bosnian imbroglio”; Belgraded reviews “anti-Serb” movies.
Puerto Rico: Once Upon a Time There was a Newspaper
Iván Chaar-López comments [ES] on the extremely precarious financial situation and the lack of institutional support that have caused the practical elimination of the University of Puerto Rico's monthly paper Diálogo.
Haiti: Upcoming Elections
“The November 28th elections are supposed to provide a beacon of hope for Haiti. Unfortunately, flawed and undemocratic elections which exclude large groups of essential Haitian stakeholders will kill this hope”: Wadner Pierre republishes a post about “whether unfair and exclusionary elections would be beneficiary for the country.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Tragic Accident
A recent accident in which a car ran over two police officers, killing one and leaving the other in critical condition, prompts bloggers to comment. Jumbie's Watch says: “Until such time that the laws are actually enforced we will continue to see death and destruction around us”, while Lisa Allen-Agostini...
China: 50 Cent Party Roams on Internet
Lee Chi-Leung from interlocals.net translated an investigative report written by Chang Lei on the history of government hired online commentators, the so-called 50 Cent Party, in China.
Ukraine, USA: Kuchma and Clinton
Ukrainiana writes about the current political situation in Ukraine, the Gongadze case, and ex-president Kuchma's special relationship with ex-president Clinton – here and here.
Venezuela: Misinformation on ETA-Chávez Connection
“The ETA – Chavez connection, brought to light after Spain's equivalent to the Supreme Court asked Venezuela to extradite a number of people involved in terrorist activities, is generating a torrent of misinformation rarely seen,” writes Alek Boyd in his blog.
Trinidad & Tobago: Battling Corruption
In addition to “crying out for stronger campaign finance regulations as a key solution to our disturbing legacy of political corruption”, KnowTnT.com‘s Edmund Gall proposes “two other more urgently required types of regulatory reform: public accounting, and public procurement.”
