Andrew MacGregor Marshall- author of the Zenjournalist blog, former Reuter’s staffer and an internationally respected journalist – has never been one to jeopardize his integrity to appease the status quo. And so we have the case with his quarrel with the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT). This club has…
Author: Asia Media Staff
LEBANON: A Failure?
Freedom of the press seems to be growing across the Middle East, as the SHSU Global Center for Journalism and Democracy co-hosted the “Media Coverage of International Justice” conference in Lebanon this past week. The conference welcomed journalists and non-governmental organizations from across the world. While revolutions have been on…
MYANMAR: True or False? But Who’s Behind the Game?
False news made its way across Myanmar recently, as the state-owned newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar, was forced to issue an official and public apology for misleading its many readers by using a picture of a motorcycle crash and claiming it to be the result of mines. The picture…
LAOS: When the Governments Says It Knows Nothing …
In the past two months, the disappearance of Sombath Somphone, a well-known activist and NGO leader, has garnered international media attention. The Laos government is being urged to do a more extensive search on the whereabouts of the missing activist. It’s a very good thing the world media is so…
CHINA: Always a Villain, Never the Hero
Chinese authorities once praised him; now he’s being condemned. Back in November, Zhu Ruifeng, a blogger from Beijing, released image stills of a tape exposing a sex scandal featuring Chongqing district party chief Lei Zhengfu. At first, China Daily newspaper received independent bloggers who used the Internet as a “tool…
JAPAN: Japanese Politics Welcomes Modernity …. a Little, Bit, Anyway
After years of restrictions, the use of the Internet will likely be liberalized for use in election campaigns. According to the Daily Yomiuri, one of Japan’s leading dailies, the nation’s major political parties have jointly agreed to allow the use of services, like Twitter, during future campaigns. Drafted by the…
BANGLADESH: Money On The Go
Mobile Money has been making its way through Bangladesh. bKash Limited company is a subsidiary of BRAC Bank (a private commercial bank in Bangladesh) that has helped launch a new service that allows Bangladeshis to transfer money through their mobile phones. According to a report in The Economist,…
TAIWAN: Barbie Gets Sweeter
Elementary school teacher. Nurse. Lifeguard. Since her 1959 introduction, Barbie has served many roles. The Barbie that was both a bakery chef and a regular chef, has come to life in Taiwan. Barbie’s Cafe in Taiwan caused a media frenzy last week when it opened in Taipei. Media sources from…
VIETNAM: Bloggers Equal Terrorists … Again?
With the drop of a dime (or with a simple substitution) bloggers can become terrorists! Wait, really? They’ve done it again- the rights of anti-corruption Vietnamese netizens have been violated. Earlier this month, 14 democracy activists and bloggers were arrested and given long jail sentences because they were trying to…
SINGAPORE: Social Media Mourns As Well
It is no exaggeration to say that all of Singapore is mourning the death of two brothers who collided into a cement-mixing truck. The city-state’s media is all over the story, and its social media is humming overtime. Recently, Nigel Yap, 13, offered to pick up his younger brother Donavan,…
MALAYSIA: ‘Dakar Rally’ of the Gaza Strip
The Palestinian people welcomed Malaysia’s Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib Razak last week on a “Dakar Rally” type visit to the Gaza Strip. Najin Razak got a real feel for life on the Gaza Strip with a tour that consisted of zipping through the narrow streets in a 30-car…
KISHORE MAHBUBANI: A VISION OF REALISTIC OPTIMISM
JAPAN: New Year, New Government, Same Issues
Both the passage of time and the ushering in of new leaders have proven to be fruitless in the alleviation of the tension felt in East Asia. It may be well into the new year, but the ties between Japan and China continue to exhibit signs of deterioration thanks to…
SINGAPORE: Let’s Make Babies
Singapore’s biological clock is ticking, and she will do whatever it takes to have more babies. The young nation is encouraging couples to marry and have babies to increase the Singaporean population. The government has increased its Marriage and Parenthood budget from $1.6 billion to $2 billion. Some benefits include…
INDONESIA: Indonesians Take A Stand
Selina Swatek writes – In a storyline that is all too reminiscent of last year’s US elections, a candidate for the Indonesian Supreme Court, Daming Sanusi, has fueled media outrage after making an offensive comment regarding rape. During a parliamentary commission hearing to determine if he was a fit for…
MYANMAR: A New Era
Myanmar, previously known as Burma, has seen its media arena evolve in the past six months. After decades of political unrest, the country is seeing some promising reforms. Contrary to the present law, the government has announced that on April 1, privately owned newspapers will formally be allowed to issue…