AUSTIN SZABO WRITES – The front page of Pakistan’s only LGBT support website, Queer Pakistan, reads “Don’t Hate Us, Know Us!” The Pakistani government said no. In another attempt to impede social progress in Pakistan, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (the PTA) censored the website, saying “Surf Safely! This website is…
Author: Asia Media Staff
LAOS: Crusade Against Christians, but Only a Concern in the US?
E.J. DE LARA WRITES – This past September, several villages in Laos have gained media attention from Catholic and Christian outlets for isolating and evicting Laotian Christians. Laos, known for being predominantly Buddhist, has avoided religious conflict until recently. Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom reported that several villages…
LEBANON: Apt Apps For Safety?
NICOLE SABA WRITES – What is the easiest way to stay safe? For Lebanese, the answer has just become clear: mobile app warnings. Lebanese people have been encompassed by instability for decades. Now, with war across the border in Syria, it has become even harder to envision what obstacles people…
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: ADU ‘Likes’ Its Status As Leader in Social Media Usage
AMBER VERNETTI WRITES – Abu Dhabi University’s status was updated to “feeling social” last week after Facebook data revealed that the institution accounts for 80% of all social media involvement among other universities in the surrounding area. In respect to this extensive usage, the 2013 Arab Social Media Report recognized Arabic as social…
TAIWAN: Plurk – or Tweet?!
BRIAN CANAVE WRITES — Taiwanese netizens are obsessed with social media and social media giants, Facebook and Twitter, do not fail to recognize this. This is in lieu to Facebook and Twitters announcements to further tap into the potential of Taiwanese markets. But why are these companies so eager to have…
IRAN: President Rouhani’s Public ‘Charm Offensive’
ELODIE INTROIA WRITES – Whether or not the Movement succeeded, it looks like the climate is finally turning green in Iran. According to Thomas Erdbrink of The New York Times, the phone call between President Obama and Hassan Rouhani established the first official diplomatic relation between the US and Iran…
HONG KONG: Elephant Alibaba Roars at Hong Kong Exchange
LAUREN CHEN WRITES – A co-founder of Chinese Internet giant Alibaba took to the blogosphere September 26 to criticize Hong Kong regulators. His complaint? The region’s market regulations are too restricting for the biggest IPO since Facebook. At issue are complex rules about the corporate ownership structure of a firm…
SINGAPORE: Un-Neighborly Brawl Goes Facebook Viral
STEPHANIE GARCIA WRITES – There are all types of neighbors, ones that lend a cup of sugar, ones whose names we never learn, and ones who play their music loudly. Of course, the worst of all are the ones who play their music loudly and then physically abuse their elderly…
PHILIPPINES: Pageant Goes Swimmingly on Hindu Bali
TREVOR ISBELL WRITES – In the thick of all the chaos of governmental corruption and religious rebellion surrounding the Philippines lately, the nation still stands proudly, accepting recognition as the homeland of the new Miss World. Twenty-three year old world beauty pageant contestant Megan Young gives this breath of life…
INDIA: Elections Go Online, But Will It Matter?
AUSTIN SZABO WRITES – If you live in India, expect a “friend request” from your local representative. The upcoming 2014 election will see an explosion of social media campaigning, according to The Times of India. India’s Bharatiya Janata and Congress parties are scrambling to woo internet users. From local politicians getting in touch directly…
MYANMAR: A News Revolution but Social Media Takes the Lead
ALEXANDRE GUIRAUD-CONTREAU WRITES – It was less than a year ago that Myanmar was celebrating the return of print media, but is seems that social media has already made these sources obsolete. With an increase in freedom and an opening of the trade market, the population in Myanmar has been…
BANGLADESH: Televised Nationwide Quiz – No Cheating!
KIARA BRAMASCO WRITES – In the hopes of promoting a well rounded education, Bangladesh is turning to the media to showcase its first ever, nation wide quiz. Launched by the leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star and the e-learning portal champs21.com, the quiz tested kids from classes VI to X…
CHINA: Media Coverage Hypes Rabies Awareness
LEXIE TUCKER WRITES – Were you even aware that World Rabies Day existed? Probably not. According to the National Health and Family Planning Commission, rabies kill more than 2,400 people a year in China – that’s the most in the world after India. That is quite depressing considering one can…
VIETNAM: Like a Virgin (Insured)?!
YVONNE EPPS WRITES – Cultural icons can get away with insuring the body parts that made them famous, but when someone starts insuring their virginity, things can get dicey. The king of nhac vang, a genre of music, Ngoc Son, is reported to tell the media that he’s insuring his virginity for…
NEW ZEALAND: Diving into an Ocean of Telecommunication
EJ DE LARA WRITES – New Zealand is taking the plunge into a deep sea of possibilities for research and telecommunication development with its new submarine cable plans. On October 26, the New Zealand Government signed a deal with Hawaiki submarine cable for 15 million. With this plan, Hawaiki plans…
INDIA: Sexy Commercials Keep Women Vulnerable
AUSTIN SZABO WRITES – The hanging of four men convicted of rape and murder will do little to stem misogyny in India. The solution lies with the media and how it represents women. From 1990 to 2008, the number of reported rapes in India more than doubled, according to official…