Stories about Media & Journalism from December, 2011
Responses to the Death of North Korean Dictator, Kim Jong-il
Since North Korean dictator, Kim Jong-il's death on December 17 from a heart attack, the South Korean Twittersphere has lit up with numerous responses to the news. Lee Yoo Eun reports.
Barbados: debating “the letter”
Barbados Underground and Barbados Free Press comment on a controversial letter allegedly written to Prime Minister Freundel Stuart by members of his party, expressing a lack of confidence in his leadership, and subsequently leaked to the media.
Kazakhstan: Longtime Strike Bursts into Violence; State of Emergency Declared
As Kazakhstan was preparing for the pompous celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the country's independence, the seven month-long strike of employees sacked from the national oil company's subsidiary in West Kazakhstan was evolving into brutal clashes with police forces, apparently, with the help of unidentified provocateurs.
South Korea: North Korean Dictator, Kim Jong Il Is Dead
Kim Jong Il, the North Korean dictator has died. Although the death of the world's one of the notorious dictator is something what people should welcome, most South Koreans have expressed worries on the instability his sudden death might bring to the Korean peninsula.
Sidi Bouzid's Anniversary: Celebrating One Year of Arab Awakening
If you had to describe this year in one word what would it be? Leila Nachwati, who was in Tunisia two months ago to attend the Third Arab Bloggers Meeting, shares her experience in Free Tunisia and polls netizens' opinions on what word best describes the year that was since Tunisian Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in protest against tyranny a year ago.
Vietnam: What’s New at Barcamp Saigon?
More than 550 people registered and participated in the fifth Barcamp Saigon last week in RMIT International University, Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. The attendance surpassed the record number of participants in the last Barcamp Saigon which was held just five months ago.
Trinidad & Tobago: Online Petition Against Offensive Ad
Globewriter is heartened that Project Runway winner, Anya Ayoung-Chee, has “[thrown]her weight against hate” by signing a petition “to demand the Trinidad Express apologize for running an offensive advert that, among other things, described LGBT people as ‘broken’”, and urges you to do the same.
Live Stream of North Korean State TV is Down
The North Korea Tech blog reports the live stream of KCTV, North Korea's state television, has halted due to heavy web traffic.The blogger adds that his last week’s report on the live streaming service has brought the issue to the attention of the media.
Kyrgyzstan: “There Will Be No Winter”
Governments fall, parliamentary speakers come and go, and as one season fades another always begins. That, at least, was what Kyrgyz Internet users thought prior to former presidential candidate Arstanbek Abdylayev’s startling announcement that “there will be no winter”.
Haiti: Housing Still a Problem
“While over one million refugees suffered under tents following the January 12, 2010, earthquake, 128 newly constructed homes, finished in May, 2010, sat empty for 15 months,” reports Haiti Grassroots Watch, adding: “Today, the majority of these ‘social housing’ units are occupied, but mostly by illegal squatters…”
Trinidad & Tobago, Belize: Gay Rights
Globewriter notes that some of the more homophobic nations are getting “their knickers in a twist” over the Obama administration's statement at the UN “that it is standing up for the rights of LGBT people worldwide”, calling the Belizean Prime Minister “about as enlightened to human rights as a lamppost…so...
Trinidad & Tobago: Dangerous Ad
Bloggers from Trinidad and Tobago voice their outrage at a newspaper ad that claims to educate people about homosexuality, calling it “a vile advertisement that can only be described as hateful, mean spirited and a pack of lies.”
Brazil: “A new era of political activism?”
Global Voices author from Brazil, Raphael Tsavkko writes about A new era of political activism for the ESPAS Conference on ‘Global Trends 2030′, organized by the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS).
Honduras: Journalists and Police Clash During Protest
As we reported earlier, Honduran journalists protested against violence in front of the presidential palace this week. Bloggings by boz adds that “protesters ended up clashing with police and military forces guarding the palace and were eventually dispersed with tear gas. President Lobo defended the actions of the security forces,...
Brazil: Blogger Found Dead, Hanged: Suicide or Assassination?
Brazilian blogger Altamiro Borges announces [pt] on his blog, the death of blogger Hamilton Alexander, the “Mosquito”, found dead, hanged, at his home. He adds that friends and family are not convinced of this version, because the blogger was famous for attacking politicians in his state, Santa Catarina, south of...
Jamaica: So What About the Spy Plane?
After reading a newspaper editorial which was nonchalant over the presence of a spy plane during the country's state of emergency, Active Voice says: “The big deal…is that 73 people were killed under unexplained circumstances during that Tivoli Gardens operation. This spy plane has video footage of what happened…and the...
Mexico: Applications Open for The School of Authentic Journalism 2012
Narco News are accepting applications in English and Spanish until December 28, 2011 from media makers, journalists, bloggers, and activists from any country for The School of Authentic Journalism. This is an annual workshop on journalism, media and civil resistance movements. The 2012 session will be taking place in Mexico...
Honduran Journalist Protest Against Violence
Honduras Daily reports on a protest held by journalists in Tegucigalpa on December 13: “The media personnel demanded a cease to the violence, and respect for the freedom of expression. ‘Justice! Justice! Justice!’ journalists shouted as they marched toward the President’s home.”
Brazil: A Book on Fraudulent Privatizations
Brazilian filmmaker Jorge Furtado comments on [pt] a book that he considers to be the best of 2011: “Privataria Tucana”. The title is a play with words that links piracy, privatization and toucans, the symbol of the Social Democrat Party (PSDB). The book exposes policies of privatization carried out during...
Hungary: Public Media Trade Union Leaders on Hunger Strike
Redjade, a Hungary-based activist, published a video interview [en] with Balázs Nagy-Navarro, the leader of the public media trade union. Nagy-Navarro went on hunger strike with two of his colleagues after the Hungarian public television MTV broadcast a report in which chief judge Zoltán Lomnici was blurred from the background...
Brazil: Journalist Threatened at Belo Monte Dam Construction Site
Brazilian journalist Ruy Sposati, in Altamira, Pará, denounces the death of yet another worker at the Belo Monte Dam construction site, another round of mass layoffs of workers on strike and a death threat against him for covering the stories in a series of tweets [all links in pt].
