Stories about Media & Journalism from March, 2012
Mozambique: The People's Wall of Maputo
At the same time that we increasingly see the advance of new technologies which facilitate communication and information, in Maputo the People's Wall has emerged; a large wall in a public place where the population can write letters and direct reflections to the governing leaders.
Tunisia: Paying Tribute to Cyber Dissident Zouhair Yahyaoui
Today marks the 7th death anniversary of Zouhair Yahyaoui, an award winning Tunisian cyber activist who was detained during the regime of Zeine El Abidin Ben Ali. He passed away after facing serious health issues due to torture, and police abuse while he was in prison. In tribute to his sacrifice, March 13 is being celebrated as the National Day for Internet Freedom in Tunisia, starting this year.
Armenia: Homophobic Online Media
Unzipped: Gay Armenia adds another Armenian media outlet to its Homophobia Hall of Fame. This time it's the turn of Internet TV Slaq.am. The blog that reports on LGBT and related issues in the South Caucasus explains why.
Video: 10 tips to make your videos better
Adam Westbrook shares 10 tips to make your online videos look better. Paired up with good storytelling, things like tripod use, closeups, controlling thumbnails, sound, bitrates, color correction, compression and meta data can help your video make its mark.
Lebanon: Proposed Law to Regulate the Internet
“I’ve previously called bullshit on the claims that the government wants to protect us. Oops, I just wrote “bullshit” and broke clause #1 of the proposed law,” blogs Mustapha in his post lambasting the Lebanese Ministry of Information's plan to discuss a draft law which aims at “regulating websites and protecting their owners”.
Poland: Szczekociny Train Crash, Yet Another Tragedy
Polandian writes about the reactions to the March 3 deadly train crash in Szczekociny, Poland: “When the comments were gathered from the prominent politicians, one that stood out was [PM] Donald Tusk saying something like ‘…This is the worst disaster since… the last such tragedy’.”
Uzbekistan: Government's Media Friend in Seoul
Nathan Hamm says the Seoul-based publication Korea Times has had a long history of praiseful coverage of Uzbekistan, and wonders why.
Haiti: Nowhere to “Go”?
“The draw-down of hundreds of non-governmental organizations which have been in Haiti since the disastrous 2010 earthquake was inevitable. But with their departure, so, too goes their purse and the millions earmarked for cleaning latrines”: Haiti Grassroots Watch examines “what…that mean[s] for the half a million displaced still living in...
Russia: “The Way Forward”
OpenDemocracy.net posts an English translation of Yuri Saprykin's Lenta.ru text [ru] on the new, post-election goals of Russia's protest movement. (More insight into the March 4 presidential election and the opposition in Russia – from journalist Tikhon Dzyadko and an independent election observer Julia Chegodaikina.)
South Korea: Journalists Stage Mass Walkout from National Broadcaster
Journalists of one of South Korea's biggest commercial television networks, the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), have been on indefinite strike since January 2012 demanding fair journalism free of political interference. On March 4, 2012, 166 journalists announced they would quit their jobs in protest.
South Korea : Crisis Map on Clashes over Naval Base Construction in Jeju Island
South Korean net users have created a crisis map on clashes between the government and activists over a naval base construction in the Jeju island. The construction plan has been accused of destroying the environment and the villagers’ way of life.
Azerbaijan: Journalist responds to threats
Writing on Facebook, journalist Khadija Ismayil responds to threats warning her to stop her investigative reporting. Noting that this is not the first time journalists in Azerbaijan have found themselves the victim of intimidation, beating, and worse, Ismayil calls on the country's government to investigate the matter and for the...
Haiti, U.S.A.: Clean Your Own House First
“The renewed investigation against Aristide also occurs at a time when one of Haiti's most brutal dictators, Jean-Claude Duvalier, is being let off the hook”: Wadner Pierre suggests that “the U.S. government needs to focus more on what is happening in its backyard.”
Bangladesh: Journalist Couple's Murder Case Still Unresolved
Recently a brutal murder in Bangladesh has shocked the nation and everyone is talking about it. Almost one month has gone after journalist couple Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi had been killed in their own apartment but the police are yet to arrest the killers. Netizens, journalists and civic society have condemned the delay in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Colombia: Celebrating Gabriel García Márquez's 85th Birthday on Facebook
Renowned Colombian author Gabriel García Márquez turns 85 today, March 6, 2012. Fundación Nuevo Periodismo Iberoamericano (“New Iberoamerican Journalism Foundation”, FNPI for its initials in Spanish, founded by García Márquez) has created a Facebook page dedicated to the author's 85th birthday, as the blog 233 Grados [es] reports. The Facebook...
Brazil: Pay TV Giant Campaigns Against New Act
Act 12.485/1, approved by Brazilian president Dilma Rousseff on September 2011, establishing new rules for pay television, has already created controversy among satellite television providers, subscribers and independent producers. Satellite TV provider, SKY, created a campaign to end the act, and several people in the industry have not been pleased with it.
Mauritania: “Facebook is at the Center of the New E-Dissent”
In the wake of the Arab uprisings, the media often overlook Mauritania and its 3 million inhabitants - another country where dissent and social discontent are on the rise. Here is an interview with well-known Mauritanian Internet activist Nasser Weddady on the country's social media scene.
Cuba: Freedom of Faith?
“The pope can go to Cuba, but that doesn't mean Cubans on the island are free to exercise their faith…”: Uncommon Sense blogs about the persecution of a Catholic activist.
Macedonia: ‘Be a News Blogger’ Awards Announced
Diversity Media Production, a non-profit organization whose goal is to advance journalism, freedom of speech and democracy in Macedonia, has announced [en, mk, sq] the winners of the competition for young news bloggers: Novica Nakov, Fatlume Dervishi, and the authors of MK Demokratija blog – Monika Petrovska and Maja Peroska.
Puerto Rico: “Why So Much Fear of an Image?”
Photojournalist Ricardo Alcaraz publicly denounced that the University of Puerto Rico censored one of his photos from a photo essay he was preparing for the 25th anniversary edition of the University's monthly newspaper Diálogo, where he has worked since its foundation. Dozens of people have republished the censored photo on their walls on Facebook and distributed the link to the 80grados story on Twitter. There has been an outpouring of solidarity and outrage.
India: Rs. 300 Million Of Praise
Sneha finds out that Indian Rs. 300 Million were spent between 2009 to 2011 on advertisements on the birth and death anniversaries of Rajiv and Indira Gandhi, two assassinated leaders of the ruling congress party. Her concern is that these expenses were paid from the taxpayers’ money — without his...
