EXECUTIVE EDITOR ZHI JIAO DANIELLE GOH WRITES — Legend has it that an apple a day keeps the lie away. That was the slogan of Apple Daily, the most vocal pro-democracy newspaper in Hong Kong. But what happens when the apple tree falls? On Thursday, Apple Daily printed its last…
Full Article HONG KONG: UPROOTING THE APPLE TREE
MARY GRACE COSTA WRITES– Is killing journalists an act of war? Associated Press president Gary Pruitt believes it is. Last week at the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents Club, Pruitt suggested changes to international laws that would make killing journalists or taking them hostage a war crime, punishable under the 1948…
Full Article PHILIPPINES: Justice for Journalists?
PEYTON CROSS WRITES- With a world press freedom index rating of 165, it is no surprise that the Sri Lankan media is corrupt. Thanks to a recent election, however, it may only be a matter of time before this score improves. On January 24, the Colombo Telegraph called into question…
Full Article Sri Lanka: Sirisena, White Knight of the Free PressELIZABETH NAAI WRITES – Thai politicians are considering an amendment to the Computer Crimes Act that would essentially isolate the country in cyberspace. Already in the tight grasp of bill’s current form and lèse majesté, the proposed amendment would erode what little rights the media has in the nation. Thailand ranks…
Full Article THAILAND: Press, a Watchdog of the People?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…
Full Article The ‘Big Guns’ of Journalism Show More Than Just CourageALEXANDRE GUIRAUD WRITES- In this time of drastic change in Myanmar’s media structure, many companies are trying to help the development of the country by gaining a new market. One of the most recent people to do so was Google’s Executive Chairman, Eric Schmidt, who traveled to Myanmar to promote…
Full Article MYANMAR: Entering a Dangerous Period?ALEXANDRE GUIRAUD-COINTREAU WRITES – In Myanmar, laws are changing, media companies are moving back to the country, and daily private newspapers are being published. But there is still a long way to go before this country can achieve a truly Western style press. Publishers are faced with new issues every…
Full Article MYANMAR: Friend or Foe?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…
Full Article MYANMAR: True or False? But Who’s Behind the Game?The Freedom of Information Bill (FOI) has sparked much controversy in the past few weeks. The bill was originally introduced in 2010, but due to lack of quorum, was not passed. Recently, the FOI bill has incited debate between legislators and members of the press regarding whether or not it…
Full Article PHILIPPINES: The Time Is NowThe Philippines has introduced yet another law restricting freedom of speech, causing the Human Right Watch (HRW) to call for an appeal. The Cybercrime Prevention Act, which was signed into law by President Aquino earlier this September, drastically increases punishment for criminal libel, raising the minimum sentence twelve-fold, from six…
Full Article PHILIPPINES: Freedom of Speech Gets a Criminal Record