ROBERT DYLAN FIELDS WRITES – Globalization is a heated issue in China. Even as the country has synced with the rest of the world economically — lifting millions out of poverty in the process — some Chinese fear too much integration threatens the very foundation Chinese culture. As a populace…
Month: October 2013
BAHRAIN: The Pen Is Mightier than a Kalashnikov
AHMAD ALKHUZAM WRITES – Justice may be served, but at a smaller price to the criminals than anticipated. The Associated Press reported October 27 that a Bahraini court had cut the sentences — from seven years down to three — of two police officers convicted of killing journalist Abdul Karim…
PHILIPPINES: Pacquiao Looking to Punch His Career Back on Track
TREVOR ISBELL WRITES – A palpable hue of anticipation seizes the Philippine Islands as the Filipino professional boxer, Manny Pacquiao, gears up for his bout against what some are calling his next victim, American boxer, Brandon Rios. Filipino boxing fans are brimming with expectation as Pacquiao seems hungrier than ever…
INDIA: The Media’s Whitewashing of Beauty
Want to be happy with your life? Then according to Indian media, make sure to have fair skin. A legacy from India’s caste system, fair skin is still considered essential for success in business and love, and Indian media still spreads this message. Controversial products such as whitening creams are…
CHINA: Journalist Fesses Up
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – How far would you go to make some extra money? Would you forsake your vow to report the truth and nothing but the truth? Chen Yongzhou, a Chinese writer for the New Express, has admitted to continuously fabricating reports that were unsubstantiated and false against Zoomlion,…
The ‘Big Guns’ of Journalism Show More Than Just Courage
ELODIE INTROIA WRITES – On October 23, three Asian and Middle-Eastern women were recognized for their journalistic bravery. It is well known that being a reporter is one of the most dangerous professions. But for women, the risks are even greater. The women who were honored with the Courage in…
THAILAND: Political Trend Alert – Red is Out
ELIZABETH NAAI WRITES – Donning a “Red shirt” may soon be a political faux pas due to the highly contested Amnesty bill before Parliament. After 2010’s violent political strife, Thailand finds itself navigating the retributive versus restorative justice debate. Deep political rifts between the Red and Yellow shirts have done…
MALAYSIA: Government says NO to Ke$ha
MARLENA NIP WRITES — Tick Tok. At the eleventh hour, the Malaysian government closed its gates to American pop star, Ke$ha. The risqué pop star was scheduled to play a concert in Kuala Lumpur, the nation’s capital. Livescape, the promotion group holding the event, was notified the night before that Malaysian…
HONG KONG: Media Freedom Denied, Decision Unexplained
LAUREN CHEN WRITES – “Must we all buy the type of toilet paper designed by the government?” Disgruntled Hong Kong Television Network’s (HKTV) chairman, Ricky Wong Wai-kay asked this very question after his network was denied a free-to-air TV license. The unexplained denial has created backlash among many who feel as…
PAKISTAN: Action Movie Paints India as the Bad Guy
AUSTIN SZABO WRITES – With explosions and non-stop action, Pakistan’s first action blockbuster, Waar, is making waves. Indians are less excited: they are the bad guys. Reuters offered a summary of the movie: “Indian villains team up with Islamist militants to plot spectacular attacks across Pakistan. Pakistani security forces jump in…
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Annual Media Summit Discusses Promising Digital Era
AMBER VERNETTI WRITES – The 2013 Abu Dhabi Media Summit was conducted in the United Arab Emirates’ capital last week to discuss the world’s ongoing digital revolution. With Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) as an event partner, this three-day occasion focused on advancing the digital proficiency of the Middle East, the…
BANGLADESH: Tweets for Change
KIARA BRAMASCO WRITES – Internet technology and Twitter join forces to spread awareness of the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. The Accord is an independent, legally-binging agreement signed by over 100 apparel corporations, several Bangladeshi Unions, two global trade unions, and nineteen countries from Europe, North America,…
TAIWAN: Local Media Enthralled by Film Shoot in Taipei
BRIAN CANAVE WRITES — CUT! It out local Taiwnese news media! French director Luc Besson has had enough and wrapped up location shooting in Taipei ahead of schedule. This is due to the intrusion of local media on the sets of Besson’s upcoming film, Lucy. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Scarlet Johansson…
VIETNAM: The Article 258 and Human Rights War
YVONNE EPPS WRITES- It’s Throwback Thursday and, while other people are throwing back to their embarrassing baby pictures, one mother throws back to the summer where she lost her two sons to Article 258. The mother of arrested blogger, Dinh Nhat Uy, is urging several media outlets, including Voice of…
SINGAPORE: Anonymous Hacktivists Strike
STEPHANIE GARCIA WRITES – The online vigilante group Anonymous is at it again, with media giant Straits Times as its newest victim. After threatening to wage cyber warfare with the Singapore government in a YouTube video on October 30, the international hacking organization executed attacks, not on the government, but…
JAPAN: THE CAREERING OF A GREAT ARTIST
Japan continues to dazzle on the international art scene. The latest splash of intelligent innovation arrives courtesy of a stunning, splashy exhibition at the Japan Society on east 47th in Manhattan (japansociety.org). The Japanese star this time is Mariko Mori, who a decade ago was showcasing (almost Asian Warhol-like) the…