Marta Cooper · October, 2010

Latest posts by Marta Cooper from October, 2010

Brazil: Dilma Rousseff elected president

  31 October 2010

Winning 55.7% of the total votes, Dilma Rousseff today became Brazil's first female president [pt]. Voter turnout was also high, with estimates lying between 92 and 96%. We will bring you views from the Brazilian blogosphere as they come in.

Brazil: citizen coverage of election runoff

  29 October 2010

As Brazil gears up for the second round of presidential elections, 48 Horas Democracia [pt] will again provide citizen-produced videos, news reports and bulletins of the event to offer non-mainstream coverage.

Brazil: Dilma, Cristina and machismo in the media

  28 October 2010

Rodrigo Vianna at Escrevinhador [pt] draws parallels between the rise and leadership of Argentinian president Cristina Fernandez and Brazilian presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff, and slams the often sexist media both women face.

Cape Verde: draft law passed to regulate Council of Communities

  28 October 2010

Olhofuturo [pt] reports that a draft law regulating the Council of Communities has been approved by Cape Verde's national assembly, with the aim [pt] of better tackling issues of migration and diaspora. One result looks to be improved efficiency of administrative consular tasks for Cape Verde citizens living abroad, according...

Brazil: satirical voting campaign goes viral

  28 October 2010

A topic that has been making waves throughout the Brazilian Internet is the satirical campanha #votoserrapq (why I will vote for Serra campaign) [pt]. Organised by the blog Grupo Brasil e Desenvolvimento (Brasil & Development Group) [pt], the campaign consists of video footage [pt] of citizens sarcastically explaining why they will vote...

Brazil: activists, bloggers defend freedom of expression

  28 October 2010

In an act of solidarity [pt] in response to the censoring of Revista do Brasil magazine, a host of Brazilian activists, bloggers and other independent media joined yesterday in collectively criticising the country's mainstream media and lack of freedom of speech.

Brazil: changes made to digital crimes bill

  25 October 2010

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...

Brazil: Jose Serra ‘struck’ by paper ball

  22 October 2010

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...

Brazil: ten days of media fury

  21 October 2010

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.

Brazil: gathering outside printers to stop spread of anti-Dilma pamphlets

  17 October 2010

Rodrigo Vianna at Escrevinhador [pt] writes that around 60 people gathered in front of a São Paulo graphic printers in the early hours of this morning to prevent the distribution of pamphlets allegedly commissioned by a Catholic Bishop attacking presidential candidate Dilma Rousseff. Soon after news of the gathering spread, it...

China: netizens find humour in Nobel Peace Prize

  16 October 2010

China Digital Times has collected and translated a selection of Chinese Internet users’ jokes about dissident Liu Xiaobo's Nobel Peace Prize win. One netizen wrote, “News flash: At 5:00 PM, Beijing time, the phrase “2010 Nobel Peace Prize” was gloriously inducted into the list of ‘sensitive words’.” The original version is...

Brazil: social networking world champions

  15 October 2010

Comunica Geral [pt] reports that a Unisys-led study has shown Brazilians beat the rest of the world in social networking. 19% of Brazilians said they access social networking websites at least once a day for work-related reasons, compared to 3% of Americans, 7% of Europeans and 5% of respondents from...

Brazil: media silent on handouts from state education departments

  15 October 2010

Conceição Lemes at Vi O Mundo [pt] has posted a lengthy interview with web researcher NaMaria News [pt], in which it has been claimed that some of Brazil's major media groups have received substantial funding from São Paulo state's Education Department and the country's Education Development Foundation.

Brazil: Twitter raises awareness of plight of São Paulo squatters

  6 October 2010

Around two thousand people, many of whom are slum dwellers who face the threat of eviction, occupied four abandoned buildings in central São Paulo early Monday morning, calling for improved housing projects. The organisers, Frente de Luta por Moradia (Front for the Struggle for Housing, FLM), have been using Twitter to cover...