THE DEATH OF A GREAT JOURNALIST
Anthony Shadid, plagued much of his life by asthma, fell to a fatal asthma attack Feb 16 while on dangerous assignment in Syria. This acclaimed New York Times correspondent, who had previously worked at The Associated Press and The Boston Globe, had garnered many journalistic awards, including a Pulitzer Prize…
Full Article THE DEATH OF A GREAT JOURNALISTINDIA: Ministers Involved in Porn Scandal to Resign
Three ministers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are being forced to resign by BJP president Nitin Gadkari due to the recent porn scandal that blew up in the Indian media on February 7th.
Full Article INDIA: Ministers Involved in Porn Scandal to ResignBANGLADESH: Frightened Journalists Threaten Retaliation
On Sunday, February 12th, the Daily Star, which is the first Bangladeshi Internet daily, reported that a journalist couple was murdered in their residency building in Dhaka. The couple’s five year old son found Sagar Sarowar and his wife, Meherun Runi, stabbed to death in their bedroom early Saturday morning.
Full Article BANGLADESH: Frightened Journalists Threaten RetaliationSRI LANKA: Government Periodical Endorses the State’s Documentary “Ruthless”
Although the exceptionally long and bloody civil war in Sri Lanka has ended, an extension of the conflict is playing out in the world media. Until recently, world opinion seemed considerably anti-government. But Colombo is mounting a media counter-attack.
Full Article SRI LANKA: Government Periodical Endorses the State’s Documentary “Ruthless”HONG KONG: Government Accused of Playing Favorites in Election
With the high-profile territory’s fiercely fought election only a month away, the Hong Kong government denies trying to damage the chances of Leung Chun-ying to be elected chief executive, the top governmental job. The South China Morning Post, the influential and delightfully aggressive English-language Hong Kong newspaper, has been all…
Full Article HONG KONG: Government Accused of Playing Favorites in ElectionPAKISTAN: Trying to Get Its Political Act Together
On February 14, 2012 – however fleetingly — love was truly in the air in politically torn-Pakistan, although, it had nothing to do with Valentines Day. Pakistanis of all partisan stripes appeared to agree that the action of the National Assembly to make future elections as free and fair as possible was a critical step in the right direction.
Full Article PAKISTAN: Trying to Get Its Political Act TogetherKUWAIT: From Twitter Comment to Civil Unrest?
Behold the stinging power of the “pen,” even via Twitter: Kuwait is apparently in a national uproar over a Twitter comment by writer Mohamed Al-Mulaifi regarding Islamic religious icon Awaited Mahdi, Islam’s End Time prophet.
Full Article KUWAIT: From Twitter Comment to Civil Unrest?CHINA: Micro Blogs – Consumer’s Voice in the Free Market
From every indication, should present trends continue, some wags predict that China is destined to become little more than one big blog. Everyone knows the political impact of micro-blogs on mainland China. Now they appear to have become the Chinese people’s greatest weapon in fighting corporate injustice. Such blogs ensure…
Full Article CHINA: Micro Blogs – Consumer’s Voice in the Free MarketTHAILAND: Military Puts TV Emphasis on ‘National Security’
In an interview, Lt.-General Chatchai Sarikulya, president of the military owned Royal Thai Army Radio and Television Channel 5, discusses changes facing the media network in the coming months. These changes are part of a broader transformation of the Thai media mandated by the government’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission.…
Full Article THAILAND: Military Puts TV Emphasis on ‘National Security’MALAYSIA: Saudi Arabian Columnist Repatriated
Malaysian Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein announced that columnist Mohammad Najeeb A. Kashgari is to be repatriated to his home country, Saudi Arabia. Kashgari, a 23 year old journalist, posted several tweets insulting Islam on the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday. At the request of the Saudi Arabian government, the columnist had been…
Full Article MALAYSIA: Saudi Arabian Columnist RepatriatedSOUTH KOREA: No End to the Media Advertising Controversy
It took years of contentious debate, but the oft-fractious National Assembly passed the long disputed and controversial Media Representative Bill by a large majority. According to the Korea Herald, a leading English language daily, “The bill calls for designating a single advertising broker for public stations” in response to the…
Full Article SOUTH KOREA: No End to the Media Advertising ControversyPHILIPPINES: Tittering About General’s Twitter
Amidst raging pop stars and celebrity gossip queens, Armed Forces Chief Lieutenant General Jessie Dellosa jumped on the Twitter bandwagon after encouragement from his children. His account @CSAFP gained over 60 followers within hours. Dellosa’s first tweet reads, “This is the official twitter account of the Chief of Staff, AFP.…
Full Article PHILIPPINES: Tittering About General’s TwitterCHINA BLOG BLOTTER: Netizens Parody Hong Kong’s Anti-Mainlander Ad
The mutual dislike between Hong Kong-ers and Chinese mainlanders is nothing new. Although Hong Kong is part of China, it runs as a special administrative region and a half autonomous economy. Unlike the motherland, Hong Kong has a historical advantage as an ex-British colony,…
Full Article CHINA BLOG BLOTTER: Netizens Parody Hong Kong’s Anti-Mainlander Ad
SOUTH KOREA: Jiha Moon’s “Springfield”
Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody’s Fool
