Stories about Media & Journalism from September, 2011
China: Interview with a digital dissident
Tom from Seeing Red in China interviews Xiaomi (twitter: @xiaomi2020), one of the organizers of Yizhe, a group which translates Western journalism on China so that they are more accessible to ordinary Chinese. Though not politically-oriented, some members of the group were identified by authorities because they translate news considered...
India: Independent Radio Legend Deported
Shivam Vij at Kafila reports that “David Barsamian, founder director of Alternative Radio, and independent radio legend, was deported on arrival from New Delhi airport in the early hours of Sept 23.” Initial reports suggest that his attention to the Kashmir issue could well be the reason.
Russia: Racial Propaganda in the State-Owned Media
Drawing on a rich tradition of "political technology" honed under both the Tsarist and Soviet police states, the Russian media are now rife with paid stories planted to advance specific agendas. Will Partlett examines what appears to be a recent example of this practice.
Haiti: Duvalier's Lawyer Disrupts Press Conference
mediahacker posts audio of “one of Jean-Claude Duvalier’s lawyers…attempt[ing] to shout over Gerardo Ducos, a researcher for Amnesty International, as he [spoke] to reporters…about his organization’s call for prosecuting the former dictator.”
Trinidad & Tobago, U.S.A.: Troy Davis’ Execution
Trinidadian bloggers share their thoughts on the Troy Davis execution, with Afrobella saying: “I’m not here to rehash the facts of the Troy Davis case or to analyze the details of the social media outcry or the last minute attempts to save his life. I just know I’m not the...
Cuba: “Damas” March Tomorrow
Uncommon Sense will have his eye on Cuba tomorrow as “the Damas De Blanco (‘Ladies In White)…participate in a march and other ceremonies commemorating Our Lady of Mercy, the patroness of prisoners, a fitting celebration for a group committed to advocating for the release of Cuban political prisoners.”
Russia: Controlled Media Support Party Hijacking
With Russia’s parliamentary and presidential elections quickly approaching, political battles are becoming an almost daily occurrence. The latest scandal has reminded many bloggers that political celebrities can be discredited as fast as they're pushed into the spotlight.
Russia: Cyber Security Code of Conduct?
The Russian government is attempting to spread the system of Internet controls abroad. Russian bloggers are interpreting these attempts as either the current regime's basic self-preservation instinct, or, even more troublesome, as inadequate thinking about the Internet.
Puerto Rico: Photojournalists on the Web
The websites of photojournalists Luis Alcalá del Olmo, Xavier Araújo, Andre Kang and Tonito Zayas showcase their beautiful and intense photographs from Puerto Rico and around the world.
India: Paparazzis And Sonia Gandhi's Health
Sans Serif wonders why there are so many reporters tracking Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's recent illness, and yet so little published info on her.
Ukraine: Vitaly Portnikov's “Winter Time”
Foreign Notes posts a loose translation of Vitaly Portnikov's latest analytical piece [ru] on the political situation in Ukraine.
Latvia: Talk Show Host Fired for “Breach of Good Taste”
Free Speech Emergency in Latvia reports that a Latvian-American talk show host has been fired from LTV for calling certain politicians “whores.”
Armenia: Punishing homophobia
Unzipped: Gay Armenia reports that a regional tour company has announced that it will not be sponsoring or advertising on Radio Van, a local radio station accused of spreading hate-speech and homophobia in the country.
Cuba: Image of a Free Woman
Rebeca Monzo examines the new image of the Cuban woman, saying: “In official spheres they speak of the revolutionary woman, mother, comrade, worker, housewife. But what’s certain is that, more and more, our women suffer transformations that are detrimental to their appearance and self-esteem.”
Hungary: Photojournalists Banned From Parliament
The Contrarian Hungarian reports that photojournalists working for two Hungarian online news portals have been banned from entering the Parliament building following the publication of photos of PM Orbán's handwritten notes on the speech he was delivering on the country's defense plan.
Sri Lanka: Yellow Journalism Threatens LGBT Community
Hans Billmoria reports how a local newspaper published their alleged exposé on “condoms and lubricating gels being distributed to men who have sex with men”, and published the addresses of the community based organizations involved in the process. This has put the gay community in the country in fear and...
Trinidad & Tobago: Non-Communicable Diseases
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar recently brought the issue of non-communicable diseases to the attention of the United Nations; aka_lol agrees: “It will be no point taking guns and drugs of the streets while letting killer foods roam the country like an honorary citizen with diplomatic immunity.”
Qatar: Wadah Khanfar Resigns as Al Jazeera Head
Al Jazeera Network director general Wadah Khanfar announced his resignation today, creating a stir on social networking site Twitter. The Palestinian-born journalist, who was at the helm of the network for eight years, is being replaced by a member of the Qatar royal family Shaikh Ahmed bin Jassim Al Thani.
Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago: Bocas 2012 Literature Prize
Jamaican litblogger Geoffrey Philp is excited about “the second OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, which will reward the best Caribbean book published this year with a US$10,000 prize.”
Trinidad & Tobago: Chicken Weed
Bloggers have a field day with news that 31 million dollars worth of marijuana was found in a container “that was supposed to contain only chicken parts.”
Kazakhstan: Forbes magazine franchise launched
Tomyris informs that Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s wealthiest country, welcomes the prominent business Forbes magazine to its list of available medias.
