Stories about Media & Journalism from January, 2013
North Korea Broadcasts Google Exec Schmidt's Visit
North Korea Leadership Watch wrote a post (with several screengrabs) on how North Korean state media covered Google’s executive chairman, Eric Schmidt's visit to the country. Members of delegations toured the Korea Computer...
Jamaica: Debt Storm Coming?
The Jamaican blogosphere has been a bit prickly ever since the Chicago Tribune, in an editorial on January 8, 2013, compared Jamaica’s financial condition to that of Greece, considered by some to be the most precariously perched country in the global economy.
2012: A Year of Revolt and Social Change in Francophone Countries: Part 1 of 2
The year 2012 was marked by armed conflicts in Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. There were elections in Senegal, Quebec and France, while demonstrations for change took place in Chad, Madagascar and Togo. Debates raged on issues such as immigration, the economic crisis and equality in marriage laws. This is the first part of a review of the year 2012 in Francophone countries.
Discussing the Caribbean's Rape Culture
The disturbing gang-rape - and subsequent death - of a young woman in Delhi, India, has elicited global outrage and discussion about gender-based violence. A handful of Caribbean-based bloggers have been sharing their thoughts, not the least of which is that rape is a men's issue.
Free Online Course on Media and Information Literacy by UNESCO
UNESCO has launched a free online course on Media and Information Literacy and Intercultural Dialogue. The course is designed for teachers, policy makers and professionals, and will be offered from...
Journalist Killed During Ceasefire Talks in Central African Republic
The network of Human Rights Reporters in Central African Republic reports that journalist for the Radio Bé-oko Elisabeth Olofio was killed [fr] when Sékéla rebels entered the town of Bambari,...
Internet Boycott Leads to Resignation of “La Comay” in Puerto Rico
On 8 January, social networks were flooded with reports of the resignation of producer Antulio "Kobbo" Santarrosa, the man behind the puppet personality La Comay, probably the most controversial show in Puerto Rican television. His resignation was caused by pressure from social network users.
China: Significance of the Southern Weekend Incident
Sino Stand analyzes the social and political implications of Southern Weekend incident in China. Indeed it is a surprising signal that many of China’s youth are primed to push for...
China's Propaganda Department Threatens to Dissolve Beijing News
The impact of the Southern Weekend censorship scandal has spread from Guangdong to Beijing - the capital of China. After the publisher of Beijing News, a sister publication of Southern Weekend, refused to reprint an editorial that accuses "foreign forces" for being behind the Southern Weekend incident, the Beijing Propaganda Department threatened to dissolve the paper.
China Blames “Foreign Forces” for Press Freedom Protests
Following protests on press freedom in China triggered by the Southern Weekend censorship incident, China's Central Propaganda Department has issued an urgent notice, blaming the incident on meddling by foreign forces. The word "foreign forces" has triggered a lot of discussion on Sina Weibo.
Ivorian Blogger Questions Government's Response to Abidjan Stampede
Ivorian bloggers Mohamed Diaby and Cyriac Gbogou have been released from police custody. Both citizens, helped create a humanitarian platform to assist victims of the January 1, 2013 stampede in Abidjan. But on January 4, 2013, they were arrested after being accused of interfering with official disaster assistance efforts. Mohamed Diaby explains about the events that led to their arrests on his personal blog.
Support Southern Weekend Against Censorship in China
Around 1000 Guangzhou citizens gathered outside Southern Weekend office building to express their support for the newspaper against the Propaganda Department's brutal censorship of the New Year Greeting editorial. Below...
Censorship Meets Rare Defiance as Journalists Strike in China
Southern Weekend, a highly acclaimed newspaper that once lead the wave of media reform in China, has fallen from grace. Soon after the newspaper's official Sina Weibo microblog account issued a statement, which denied the provincial propaganda department's role in the recent censorship and rewriting of its New Year editorial, a legion from the current editorial staff announced a strike, declaring that the official microblog account had been forcefully taken over.
Japan: Digital Backyard in Sapporo
The three-day conference “Digital Backyards” initiated by smal.jp and berlinergazette.de will take place in Sapporo on January 10-12, 2013. There will be a barcamp-style networking event on January 10 and 11 for journalists,...
Unaware, China's Handan City Consumed Toxic Water for Days
The people of China's Handan city have been drinking, bathing and washing in toxic water for five days. The city's main water resource - the Zhanghe river - was contaminated by industrial pollutants from neighboring Shanxi Province on December 31, 2012. The local government’s suppression of the news and ignorance of their serious environmental violation has triggered widespread condemnation.
Vietnam Tech News Websites Need to Cover Local Updates
It’s not easy for the layman to get news about new technology companies, new products, or cutting edge trends in Vietnam… Everybody knows about the latest iPhone, nobody knows about...
Italy: #iostoconmarco, hunger strike against inhuman jail conditions
Marco Pannella, long-standing Radical Party leader, went on hunger-and-thirst strike demanding better living conditions in Italian jails -- with great support and lively discussion on social media. Now the hope is to see these topics included in political parties' programs leading up to February 2013 general elections.
Chinese Journalists Demand Resignation of Provincial Propaganda Chief
In reaction to the brutal censorship of a new year editorial greeting by the newspaper Southern Weekly, a group of journalists issued an open letter demanding that the chief of the Guangdong propaganda department resign.
Vladimir Pozner & Russia's Own Political Correctness
Late last month, Vladimir Pozner—one of Russia's best known journalists—spoke out on his television show against the “Dima Yakovlev” law. He criticized the need for such legislation, condemning it as an unnecessary and improper retaliation against the American “Magnitsky Act.” In what caught Russian headlines and sent the RuNet buzzing, Pozner also took an uncharacteristically harsh shot at the federal parliament, quipping that it is a house of fools
