tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17406358823250564092024-02-20T09:17:19.873-08:00Media seen by BjørklundOn journalism, globalization and development. Particularly interested in Africa.Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-37967394875242932652009-05-31T15:32:00.000-07:002009-05-31T16:34:51.827-07:00Text-messages as a journalistic tool<span style="font-weight: bold;">Africa`s very </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.ojr.org/ojr/workplace/1079109268.php">limited internet access</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> have forced reporters to make use of other technology, with text messaging being widely used to reach an audience. </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">This new technology comes with a price, as poor journalistic practice spreads and journalists are targeted.</span><br /><br />For all the obvious advantages of making use of this technology, there is a price to be paid - as Tom Rhodes writes in an article submitted at the Committee to Protect Journalists (<a href="http://www.cpj.org/">CTJ</a>).<br /><br />In his <a href="http://cpj.org/2009/02/text-messaging-africa.php">article</a>, Rhodes points to the Kenyan presidential election in 2007, where text messages from reporters witnessing the counts in precincts nationwide reported back to newsrooms in Nairobi that opposition candidate Raila Odinga was pulling away to a historic victory.<br /><br />But when the official results were announced two days later, on December 29, 2007, the verdict was very different: Mwai Kibaki was the winner. <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2007/dec/30/world/fg-kenya30">International election monitors would later find fraud in the national vote counting</a>, something Kenyans had sensed, thanks to the early poll reports from journalists using text messages to get the information out. Violence erupted as a result.<br /><br />Text-message reporting in Kenya would later help circumvent government censorship and cast an important spotlight on the violence, even as many SMS users would spread hate and threats across the landscape, still according to mr Rhodes` article.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">This new technology obviously isn`t solely a positive move forward:</span><br /><br />"New information technology is a mixed bag of blessings," said Catherine Gicheru, editor of the daily <a href="http://www.nairobistar.com/">Nairobi Star</a>, according to Rhodes` article. "It definitely helped in the election coverage: You could be told in real time election results in far-off, remote constituencies. But the fact that anyone can send information to millions of people can also be dangerous, such as the mass hate messages sent by mobile phones."<br /><br />Even though <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7063682.stm">internet access is improving in Africa</a>, the day when a majority of Africans can access the internet is still very much in the future, text messages and radio will still play a very significant tool in terms of reporting.<br /><br />"The mobile phone in Africa represents the opportunity for ordinary people to have a voice, and it adds a level of transparency to issues that was simply not available to everyday Africans in the past," said Erik Hersman, a Kenya-based Web developer and technology blogger, according to Tom Rhodes` article.<br /><br />Rhodes continues: "Cell phones have been used in reporting all over the world for many years, but in Africa they have particular importance. African journalists use texting to overcome significant obstacles--including poor or nonexistent land lines, roads, and computer access that would prevent them from interviewing people, collecting information, filing stories, or just passing along notes to colleagues".<br /><br />"But the same technology that benefits journalists can undermine the profession. Text messaging can be used easily to threaten and intimidate reporters, as happened time and again after the Kenyan election. Because technology allows everyone to spread information easily and quickly, it has opened the door to unprofessional and unethical practices. The mere issemination of information and opinion is not in itself journalism".<br /><br />- This problem is obviously not unique to Kenya.<br /><br />According to another <a href="http://www.cpj.org/2008/02/attacks-on-the-press-2007-somalia.php">article</a> at CPJ, dozens of text-message threats are made against journalists across the continent. Some of the worst cases have been reported in Somalia: "When the phone screen says 'private number,' I don't answer," said Mustapha Haji, a veteran Mogadishu journalist and director of Radio Simba. "It means someone is calling to say they will assassinate you."<br /><br />- The lesson to be learned?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />Bad journalistic practice due to new media technologies is a global issue and not a problem Africa struggles with by themselves. The fact that anybody can report on anything and instantly publish it on internet platforms is a major challenge to the global mainstream media. Accountability, transparency and other well-established western journalistic deeds are very much under threat. </span>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-17365476659994902502009-05-18T06:45:00.000-07:002009-05-27T16:50:19.424-07:00- Africa need modernisation to feed it`s people<span style="font-weight: bold;">Economic mismanagement by African leaders poses a greater threat to the Millennium Development Goals (<a href="http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">MDGs</a>) than the current global financial crisis, according to the Vice President of The Hunger Project (<a href="http://www.thp.org/who_we_are/leadership_team/fitigu_tadesse">THP</a>). </span><br /><br />In an interview with <a href="http://www.graphicghana.com/"></a><a href="http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/index.shtml">Daily Graphic</a>, Dr. Tadesse said that with proper management of the economy and adherence to good governance and good democratic practices, Africa could produce enough food to feed its people and even export some to other parts of the world.<br /><br />Dr. Tadesse is assured that in spite of the effects of the financial crunch, it us still possible for Africa to eradicate hunger and poverty, as well as achieve the other targets of the MDGs by their first and second time lines in 2015 and 2025 respectively.<br /><br />"Africa has enormous natural resources such as oil, gold, cocoa and coffee. If African governments use these resources judiciously and they focus on more trade and less aid, and if the international community fulfill their promise to give financial support to Africa, it is possible to achieve the MDGs", he said.<br /><br />Dr Tadesse pointed out that achieving the targets of the MDGs required African Governments to be committed to good governance, good journalism and democratic practices, political stability and respect for the will of the People.<br /><br />Dr Tadesse said agriculture was crucial for Africa's development and stressed the need for African governments to promote the modernisation of agriculture, while projecting it as a lucrative sector and not just one meant for the less educated.<br /><br />"Agriculture in Africa must be modernised; it must have its value. It's not only for people who are not educated," he emphasised.<br /><br />It would seem like this is another cry towards modernisation development. Development through religious imitation of more "developed" societies, no matter cultural differences.<br /><br />I`ve <a href="http://vraslosk.blogspot.com/2009/04/modernization-theory-alive-and-well-in.html">blogged about this earlier</a>, outlining the historical context of the modernisation paradigm using a project in Ghana as example. A lot more about the modernisation paradigm in development theory could be read through <a href="http://www.righttocommunicate.org/viewMemberBio.atm?id=12">Jan Servaes</a> and his book <a href="http://www.countrybookstore.co.uk/books/?whatfor=9781572731981">Communication for Development: One World, Multiple Culures</a>, where he scrutinises the different historical approaches to development theory.<br /><br />A significant criticism of modernisation theory and the development of so-called Third World countries through the use of media technologies is that it threatens local culture established within a developing nation.<br /><br />The criticism goes further, claiming Western models of journalism are imposed upon a developing country with the notion that “this is how development should be in the Third World and this is how it should be done.”, quoting Melkote & Steeves in their book <a href="http://www.eruditor.com/item/9780761994763.html.en">Communication for Development in the Third World: Theory and Practice for Empowerment</a>.<br /><br />This impedes the survival of local culture and stops natural progression and development, forcing the country to move towards westernised ways of living which may be unsuitable for it.Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-8993215024887467492009-05-08T05:33:00.000-07:002009-05-13T03:32:12.198-07:00Does print journalism have a future in Africa?<p style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">- The poor broadband access in Africa is good news for the print newspaper industry, according to the print newspaper industry: (...)</span><br /></p><p style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The global economic meltdown and new media technology may be killing off traditional newspapers in the developed world, but rising literacy levels in the developing world mean they will not disappear any time soon, according to</span> <a href="http://www.printmedia.org.za/">Print Media South Africa</a> <span style="font-weight: normal;">chair Prakash Desai.</span><!--blurb0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1-->Speaking at <a href="http://www.un.org/events/pressday/2008/">World Press Freedom Day</a> in Grahamstown, South Africa, mr Desai said he was confident the growing popularity of online media would not sound the “death knell” of newspapers – especially in the developing world, according to <a href="http://www.dispatch.co.za/article.aspx?id=313095">Dispatch Online</a>.</p><p>"The fact that online newspapers are still running at a loss leads me to believe that big changes will only happen in the distant future. Only three million people out of 48 million in South Africa have access to new technology, and there are billions of people around the world in a similar position", said mr Desai.<!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1-->Speaking with other local and international media experts on the theme that “Print is Eternal”, mr Desai said the financial problems of many international newspapers have more to do with “bad debt” than media issues.<!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0-->"Research over the past year reveales that newspapers that stopped their print versions to go solely online are now suffering more than those that embraced both versions. They had a 75% decrease in revenue and lost 50% of their readers", said the deputy director of Press Freedom and Development Programmes from <a href="http://www.wan-press.org/">World Association of Newspapers</a>, mrs Mirjana Milosevic.<!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--><!--par0-->"The problem will only become really apparent in South Africa when more people can access the Internet. Media are blossoming in some parts and in a maelstrom in others, the industry varies greatly around the world. In some countries print is eternal, in others it is not. The challenge for newspapers is to hold communities together when people have access to 250 million websites”, said the “problem” would only become really apparent in South Africa “when more people can access the Internet”, said <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_XMLEmitter1">US media consultant Vin Crosby.</span><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1-->Louise Vale, general manager of <a href="http://www.grocotts.co.za/">Grocott’s Mail</a> and <span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder1_XMLEmitter1">the David Rabkin Project for Experiential Journalism</span>, said producing a newspaper that was seen as the voice of the community ensured that “print is eternal”.<!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p> <p><!--par1--><!--par0-->"Although high unemployment capped newspaper sales at 4000 per edition in the Grahamstown area, very limited access to the Internet in the broader community means this is no major threat to the newspaper’s survival – as long as they tackle relevant community issues. The smell and aura of printed news will always beat the buzz and interference of computers", said mrs Vale.<br /></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Sure. Keep teling yourselves that. </span><br /></p><p><!--par1--><!--par0--></p>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-9126136722844140292009-05-07T05:24:00.000-07:002009-05-31T16:31:54.299-07:00Ugandan journalists to receive governmental funding<p><span style="font-weight: bold;">The President of Uganda have said that he "believes in and supports freedom of the media, but that the freedom comes with the responsibility to tell the truth" as he is prepared to fund journalism, according to </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Museveni_lecturers_journalists_on_Press_Freedom_84369.shtml">Daily Monitor</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /></p><p>Speaking to journalists at a dinner organised by the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA) to mark The <a href="http://www.un.org/events/pressday/2008/">World Press Freedom</a> day, mr Museveni said that he “totally supports” media freedom and independence, but accused journalists of "not always getting it right" and not reporting on critical issues of development.</p><p>"To guarantee and safeguard that future, reporting should concentrate on issues such as a common market for Africa, political integration, infrastructure development and social transformation", mr Museveni said according to Daily Monitor.<br /></p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Play along, in other words. And it would seem that the majority does: </span> </p><p>According to the article, UJA chairman Joshua Kyalimpa identified the “exodus” of trained journalists to more lucrative sectors and the invasion of "quacks" who bring the profession into disrepute, commercialisation of journalism at the expense of content and programming, as well as laws that stifle media freedom as the biggest challenges Ugandan media is facing. </p><p>More importantly, "mr Kyalimpa reminded the President of a Shs100 million pledge to the association, which Mr Museveni increased to Shs150million – at Mr Kyalimpa’s urging – and promised to honour soon", still according to the article in Daily Monitor.<br /></p><p>This opened debate over the issue of the media’s financial independence and whether the association should ask for money from the government. The Monitor Publications’ Managing Editor, Mr Daniel Kalinaki, opposed the handout.<br /></p><p>President Museveni defended the offer and said he was only honouring a request from the journalists. He added that it was "sacrilegious in African culture to reject an offer" and that "if journalists reject money from the government then they must also reject funding from any foreign groups or governments".</p><p class="MsoNormal">Miss <a href="http://ugandanjournalist.vox.com/profile/">Rosebell Kagumire</a>, a Ugandan journalist, comments on the meeting in her <a href="http://ugandanjournalist.vox.com/library/post/ugandan-journalists-to-get-handouts-from-president-1.html">blog</a>:<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">"How on earth can a media that wants handouts from the president at the same time expect to be treated fairly. How embarrassing can the Ugandan journalists in this organisation be? I have never been part of this association and most Journalist friends and I mean respectable journalists have never been involved in it. I don't understand who is behind this association and what the heck they need all that money for.<br /></p>This is the problem of media in Africa that they become mouth pieces of government and NGO and anybody who can pay their poor -both ethically and financially-reporter. So what do they call that money from the president- a gift or bribe? If you happen to be a journalist that picks this money on 'our' behalf I wonder if you will ever have the audacity to put a tough question to the president when need arises. I now believe more than ever that the biggest threat to media freedom is not the state but the media itself on many occassions in this country."<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Very encouraging words from miss Kagumire this. With this sort of sentiment, I can see Ugandan media face a brighter and more independent future. </span>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-59497550517125530522009-05-06T04:08:00.000-07:002009-05-06T05:26:44.321-07:00Freedom of the Press 2009<span style="font-weight: bold;">Global press freedom declined for a seventh straight year in 2008, with journalists subject to an increase in violence and punitive laws, according to <a href="http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=1">Freedom House</a>. </span><br /><br />The US-based non-profit organisation, describing itself as “clear voice for democracy and freedom around the world”, published its findings in the report <a href="http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=470">Freedom of the Press 2009</a> in time for the <a href="http://www.un.org/events/pressday/2008/">World Press Freedom Day</a> on May 3rd - by doing so “identifying the greatest threats to independent media in 195 countries and territories”.<br /><br />Unsurprisingly, as with the findings of other <a href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29031">indexes on press freedom</a>, the report points to “particularly worrisome trends in East Asia, the former Soviet Union and the Middle East and North Africa”.<br /><br />Having said that, the report points towards a decline in press freedom worldwide and not only in the developing world, citing the financial crisis as the locomotive:<br /><br />"The journalism profession today is up against the ropes and fighting to stay alive, as pressures from governments, other powerful actors and the global economic crisis take an enormous toll," said Jennifer Windsor, Freedom House executive director in a <a href="http://freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=70&release=811">press release</a>.<br /><br />She continued: "The press is democracy's first defense and its vulnerability has enormous implications for democracy if journalists are not able to carry out their traditional watchdog role."<br /><br />Freedom House also recently published a report on Freedom of the internet - a global assessment of internet and digital media - which further points towards this trend. The full report can be read in PDF-format <a href="http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/specialreports/NetFreedom2009/FreedomOnTheNet_FullReport.pdf">here</a>.Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-87049067791825132022009-05-03T08:33:00.000-07:002009-05-06T06:13:24.530-07:00Guardian International Development Competition<span style="font-weight: bold;">- What part should international development organisations play in strengthening developing-country media outlets to hold power-holders to account?</span><br /><br />The question is raised by <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/journalismcompetition/theme-role-media">The Guardian</a> as they invite citizen journalists to write articles about the issue through the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/journalismcompetition/what-is-competition">Guardian International Development Competition.</a><br /><br />The competition is in partnership with a host of NGOs: <a href="http://www.mariestopes.org.uk/Home.aspx">Marie Stopes International</a>, <a href="http://www.redcross.org.uk/index.asp?id=39992">British Red Cross</a>, African Medical and Research Foundation (<a href="http://www.amref.org/">AMREF</a>), <a href="http://www.farmafrica.org.uk/">Farm Africa</a>, <a href="http://www.fyf.org.uk/">Find Your Feet</a>, <a href="http://www.ict-uk.org/">International Childcare Trust</a>, <a href="http://www.oneworldaction.org/">One World Action</a> and <a href="http://www.panos.org.uk/">Panos London</a>.<br /><br />The competition aims to explore a range of questions and dilemmas:<br /><br />Media liberalisation has meant less state control and more media outlets, but these have been concentrated in cities, resulting in that the quality and diversity of what has been published or broadcast has not been improved. Rural reporting is still neglected.<br /><br />The Guardian states: "A 'free' media is seen an essential component of accountability by exposing corruption and providing a space for issues to be debated and agendas developed. In some developing countries it may be the only vehicle that can take this role".<br /><br />Further: "Along with liberalisation and cheaper technology, any individual or group can produce its own media output, as a website, blog or through citizen journalism".<br /><br />Apart from the obvious advantages that comes with technology and liberalistation, you also come across some problems. Local radio stations in Kenya in early 2008 were both blamed for <a href="http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-01/2008-01-30-voa38.cfm?CFID=188428809&CFTOKEN=25166898&jsessionid=de3077d1c48ab05772a938691d35593cc447">inciting violence</a> and praised for <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0111/p01s02-woaf.html">calming tensions</a>. Given the illiteracy rate, it would seem radio remains by far the most important medium in Africa.<br /><br />Summing up:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Can citizen journalism strengthen information flow about development between and within countries? Does it matter that the content has not been filtered by professional journalistic standards? Does it matter that it often makes no claims to being objective or authoritative?</span>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-88609920181012153672009-04-23T16:19:00.002-07:002009-04-27T04:38:45.551-07:00Whistleblowers called for in Zimbabwe<span>- There is a lot of bad news coming out of Zimbabwe, and the state of the media in the country is <a href="http://www.indypendent.org/2009/04/16/reporting-dangerously/">widely criticised</a>. But here is an interesting one:</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />A Zimbabwean newspaper have asked the public to submit incriminating documents that could unravel "wrongdoing to the economic well-being in Zimbabwe." </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?p=15531">The Zimbabwe Times</a> states: "We have created the forum as a facility for responsible and patriotic citizens to place such information in the public domain in the national interest. This forum is an avenue for civic engagement by Zimbabwean citizens in the rehabilitation of our battered nation’s economy through public accountability and transparency."<br /><br />The statement goes on: "We hope to keep our elected officials accountable to us, the electorate they serve. Through the X-Files (the forum) we hope to create and maintain transparency, where there may be deliberate attempts to cover up the truth for illicit personal gain."<br /><br />The newspaper insist that they consider qheque-book journalism (to pay sources for information) as a form of corruption, and state they won`t pay whistleblowers for any information: "Contributions shall be entirely voluntary and no payment shall be disbursed either for documents or for any tips for investigation into corruption." The uploaded files can be seen <a href="http://www.thezimbabwetimes.com/?page_id=12398">here</a>.<br /><br />- Zimbabwe obviously need more transparency in media and political processes, but I`m still not sure what to make of this.Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-61300710351037876062009-04-20T07:22:00.001-07:002009-04-20T08:28:31.380-07:00Business-reporting training in Africa<span style="font-weight: bold;">An African body out to strenghten the investment climate on the continent have set up a journalism training programme in order to improve business, investment and financial journalism standards across Africa, according to</span> <a href="http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/business_power/Pan_African_body_out_to_bolster_investment_climate_on_continent_82781.shtml">Daily Monitor</a>.<br /><br />The scheme is a product of The Investment Climate Facility (<a href="http://www.investmentclimatefacility.org/">ICF</a>), a body focusing on removing business constraints across the continent. The reporting training programme is in partnership with the <a href="http://www.foundation.reuters.com/index.asp">Thomson Reuters Foundation</a>.<br /><br />A group of 20 successful applicants will be invited to join the programme and undertake training in either London, Paris or Lisbon.<br /><br />"This is an important project as it will not only increase domestic and foreign confidence in regional reporting but will also increase awareness of the importance of the investment climates for the future of Africa. We truly believe that financial and business reporting should be 'by Africa for Africa'," said Mr Omari Issa, Chief Executive Officer of ICF, according to <a href="http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/410/98/32179.html">Bizcommunity.com</a>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-69922577075310861812009-04-16T05:21:00.000-07:002009-04-20T05:19:43.953-07:00China: a threat to African development?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/17/xin_19203061720002342530921.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 450px; height: 296px;" src="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-03/17/xin_19203061720002342530921.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Above: Mr. Chen Yuan (right), chairman of the board of the <a href="http://www.cdb.com.cn/English/index.asp">Chinese Development Bank</a> and Mr. Matthews Prosa (left), South African governmental official, attending the opening ceremony of the first representative office of the <a href="http://www.cadfund.com/en/index.asp">China-Africa Development Fund</a> in Johannesburg, South Africa, March 16, 2009 (photo: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.chinaview.cn">China View</a>)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">As trade between China and African countries have risen from US$ ten billion in 2000 to US$ 107 billion in 2008 and Africa supplies China with one-third of its oil imports, voices have been raised claiming China is a threat to African development.<br /><br /></span>This claim was challenged during a seminar on "Governance for African development" in Dekar, Senegal, earlier this month. The seminar was organised by the Research Centre on Social Policies (<a href="http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&u=http://www.h-net.org/%7Ewarc/Atelier%2520du%2520CREPOS.htm&ei=i2DsScm_PJrLjAeI1NGbCg&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=5&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DResearch%2BCentre%2Bon%2BSocial%2BPolicies%2B%28CREPOS%29%2Bof%2Bthe%2BUniversity%2Bof%2BDakar%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG">CREPOS</a>) of the University of Dakar and the School of Oriental and African Studies (<a href="http://www.soas.ac.uk/">SOAS</a>) of London University, in partnership with the <a href="http://www.moibrahimfoundation.org/">Mo Ibrahim foundation</a>.<br /><br />"There is a manipulation effect through the media which describes China's presence in Africa as a threat to good economical governance. It is wrong to present China as a threat," said Mr. Carlos Oya, lecturer in economic development policies at SOAS, according to <a href="http://www.afriquejet.com/news/africa-news/%27china-no-threat-to-good-governance-in-africa%27-2009040124733.html">afriquejet.com</a>.<br /><br />"China is not a big donor agency. It gives about US$ 500 million to developing countries, as against US$ 30 billion for the countries of the Economic Cooperation and Development Organization (<a href="http://www.oecd.org/home/0,2987,en_2649_201185_1_1_1_1_1,00.html">OECD</a>)," he added.<br /><br />Other speakers at the seminar said that the link between governance and development is an issue all Africans should concern themselves with:<br /><br />"We organised this seminar to discuss 16 themes on good governance and development," said Senegalese scholar Alfred Ndiaye, referring to the question of mobilisation of financial resources in African countries, local governance, modernisation and corruption.Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-82863551665141001102009-04-15T07:49:00.000-07:002009-04-20T05:05:42.080-07:00More robust press freedom in Zambia?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44580000/jpg/_44580802_01journos_afp.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 466px; height: 300px;" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44580000/jpg/_44580802_01journos_afp.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> Above: Journalists in Zambia reading a newspaper (Photo: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/">BBC</a>)</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />A new draft constitution in Zambia prohibits legislation undermining media freedom and administrative behavour threatening media development, according to</span> <a href="http://www.ipsnews.net/africa/nota.asp?idnews=46322">IPS</a><br /><br />The National Constitutional Conference (<a href="http://www.ncczambia.org/index.php">NCC</a>), consisting of some five hundred representatives "from all sectors of the Zambian population", is set to have a plenary discussion on its proposals in May. A referendum on a the final draft is expected to be held by December.<br /><br />"Separate provision is made that categorically safeguards the freedom of the media while clauses in the current constitution on freedom of expression are also retained", said Mr. Amos Chanda, Vice President of <a href="http://www.afdevinfo.com/htmlreports/org/org_41492.html">The Press Association of Zambia</a>.<br /><br />Other constitutional changes being considered includes a new electoral system, an independent electoral council and greater control by parliament over the government, according to <a href="http://www.journalism.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2169&Itemid=51">journalism.co.za</a>.<br /><br />"The NCC is to date the greatest window of opportunity for the country to begin repealing, amending and enacting progressive legislation in tune with credentials of a rather robust democracy that Zambia has become in the last 18 years of plural politics," Mr. Chanda said.<br /><br />Mr. Webster Malido, chairman of the national <a href="http://www.afdevinfo.com/htmlreports/org/org_66529.html">Press Freedom Committee</a>, said that if this legislature goes through, Zambians will be able to get all the information they are currently denied, according to <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/200704301076.html">allAfrica.net</a><br /><br />"Journalists are currently working under difficult conditions as they do not have access to important information", Mr. Malido said.Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-63760211721739487972009-04-13T14:42:00.000-07:002009-05-27T16:38:22.650-07:00Participatory development in Ghana?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://pernille.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834522fa869e20105361b74b7970b-500wi"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 500px; height: 334px;" src="http://pernille.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834522fa869e20105361b74b7970b-500wi" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> (Photo: Pernille Bærendtsen / <a href="http://pernille.typepad.com/">Louder Than Swahili</a>)</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />The President of the</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Ghana Journalist Association</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">(<a href="http://www.mmc2000.net/docs/leggi/GHANA.pdf">GJA</a>) have spoken of the need of a more participatory model as to development and journalism in the country.</span><br /><br />Mr. Ransford Tetteh, also the editor of the national daily newspaper <a href="http://www.graphicghana.com/">Daily Graphic</a>, spoke at a two-day workshop in Accra on post election conflicts in Africa, according to the national news site <a href="http://news.myjoyonline.com/news/200903/28061.asp">myjoyonline.com.</a><br /><br />"Development is about people, so the people must be free to discuss and decide what kind of development they want. The new approach to development is information distribution, -sharing and -participation, media can only promote development if it offers the platform for two-way communication", Mr. Tetteh is quoted.<br /><br />This is a different voice to the one expressed by state officials, <a href="http://vraslosk.blogspot.com/2009/04/modernization-theory-alive-and-well-in.html">blogged about in my last post on Ghana</a>, a voice and policy which points towards more of a pure, old-fashioned modernisation approach to development and journalism.<br /><br />Not that the idea of modernisation is gone alltogether in Mr. Tetteh`s arguement: "Every development activity is information-based or information related. People must be exposed to new ideas and new concepts and the opportunities provided for adopting the necessary measures towards development or modernisation", he said.<br /><br />On democracy, Mr. Tetteh said: "the media keeps democracies viable by giving a voice to the voiceless, ensuring that a ruling majority can not trample on the rights of a minority, promoting press freedom is really about promoting human freedom".<span style="line-height: 115%;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /></span>There is a lot to be read about participatory development theory - an idea that points towards greater participation from the "subjects" of development - as opposed to the "imitation" seen in modernisation theory. <a href="http://www.righttocommunicate.org/viewMemberBio.atm?id=12">Jan Servaes</a> write about it in his book <a href="http://vraslosk.blogspot.com/2009/04/modernization-theory-alive-and-well-in.html">Communication for Development: One World, Multiple Cultures</a>, where he scrutinises the different perspectives towards development theory in a historical context.Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-39871755040303937412009-04-11T14:36:00.000-07:002009-05-27T16:14:46.498-07:00Media freedom in Zimbabwe?<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zo1BfLNHZWQ&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zo1BfLNHZWQ&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Above: Alleged footage from a Zimabwean prison. (<a href="http://www.ap.org/">AP</a> / <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">Youtube</a>) </span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A recent documentary by the state-owned broadcaster in South Africa, The South African Broadcasting Corporation</span> (<a href="http://www.sabcnews.com/portal/site/SABCNews/">SABC</a>), <span style="font-weight: bold;">reveals harrowing conditions in what it claims is a Zimbabwean prison.</span><br /><br />The SABC claims the footage was shot over four months by prisoners with cameras smuggled into a prison at Beitbridge, close to the South African border.<br /><br />Unsurprinsingly, Zimbabwe’s Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa has dismissed the documentary as fabricated: “What was shown by the SABC3 is not true. The SABC is lying. We do not allow cameras into our prisons. We have made investigations and found out that the footage is not from Zimbabwe but other countries,” he told <a href="http://www.zimondi.com/2009/04/02/minister-calls-sabc3-tv-crew-liars/">www.radiovop.com</a>.<br /><br />Roy Bennett, the deputy agriculture minister-designate from the <a href="http://www.mdczimbabwe.org/">MDC</a>, the opposition party in Zimbabwe, who spent a month in prison on sabotage charges before being released last month, called his experience harrowing:<span class="DetaildSuammary" id="Span1"> <p>"Those pictures (shown by SABC) are real, if not rather conservative pictures. The conditions in the prison I was in in Mutare were far worse images than that," he told <a href="http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/04/2009411994118412.html">Al Jazeera</a>.</p></span>Having seen the documentary, a student based in South Africa <a href="http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/prisoners11.19657.html">posted a blog post on Newzimbabwe.com</a>, raising questions around the ethics and law concerning the documentary, calling the actions of the broadcaster neo-imperialistic:<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">“Is it the prerogative of a television station, its editor, his reporters, and the directors to decide what is and what should or shouldn’t be the national agenda in a country of millions of citizens, all with different professions, some even more challenging than journalism which can be practiced by anyone even with just a three or six month diploma or certificate training?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Not in South Africa, not in England, not in Australia and certainly not in America will they tolerate anyone sneaking a camera into their jails without clearance from the correctional services department. Wouldn’t we all be rich if we could bug cabinet meetings; commit other national security breaches and sell the tapes, all in the name of freedom of information?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">This is clearly an act of neo-imperialism through the media which has been used corruptly by the West to contain Third World sovereignty by disrespecting state institutions through criminal acts. In the interest of justice, and the rule of law, SABC, which generally is a good television station, should offer the world and the Zimbabwe government an explanation and a legal one for that matter, why it broke the law in a foreign country in the process of news gathering.”</span><br /><br /><span>I can`t say I agree with this "clearly being an act of neo-imperialism used by the West to contain Third World sovereignty". The blogger does however raise an important question, that of imperialism in media, but in this case I would happily leave all such notions aside. As long as the documentary is genuine, I`m not too bothered about any underlying motives.<br /><br />It would seem that in the interest of justice, and indeed the inmates in these prisons, some of which is probably sat there in the interest of the idea of the same democracy the blogger above so defiantly is defending, SABC have done the world and Zimbabweans a service by revealing the state of Zimbabwean prisons. And you can`t unveil a wrongdoing by asking the wrongdoer for permission, can you?</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span>As to the criticism raised by the student blogger, there is a lot to be read about what he seems to be pointing at, the imperialism paradigm in development theory. <a href="http://www.wmin.ac.uk/mad/page-1613">Colin Sparks</a> writes about it in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Globalization-Development-Media-Culture-Society/dp/0761961623">Globalization, Development and the Mass Media</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">, </span></span></span><span>where he scrutinises the different paradigms of development theory.<br /><br />Srinivas Melkote and Leslie Steeves also write about it in <a href="https://www.vedamsbooks.com/no20383.htm">Communication for Development in the Third World: Theory and Practice for Empowerment</a>, abother text on the different paradigms of development theory.<br /></span>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-40093111068359088372009-04-08T10:55:00.000-07:002009-05-27T15:48:47.099-07:00Participatory journalism in Katine<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bbkmsk06q4A&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bbkmsk06q4A&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Above: Alan Rusbridger, editor of the Guardian, explains his motivation behind the Katine project. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/">Youtube</a>)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A lot have been said and written about the Guardian Media group`s</span> <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine">Katine </a><span style="font-weight: bold;">project.</span><br /><br />The £2.5 million project is aimed at supporting development work in Katine, a rural sub-county of north-east Uganda. The work is carried out by the African Medical and Research Foundation <a href="http://www.amref.org/">(Amref)</a> and <a href="http://www.farmafrica.org.uk/">Farm-Africa</a>, and is funded by donations from Guardian and Observer readers as well as Barclays bank.<br /><br />In an exciting new development of the three-year project, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2009/mar/20/video-training-for-villagers">Guardian have given training to villagers in shooting video</a>. By doing so, the villagers are able to report on their lives and challenges themselves.<br /><br />According to <a href="http://blogs.journalism.co.uk/editors/2009/01/14/the-guardians-katine-project-development-journalism-and-uganda/">Journalism.co.uk</a>, Richard Kavuma, a Ugandan journalist working for the Guardian on the project and who was <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/africa/africanawards/press.july07.html" target="_blank">named CNN Multichoice African journalist of the year in 2007</a>, stated:<br /><br />“My own understanding of the media from the elementary classroom is that we are supposed to be the voice of the people. Especially those who do not have the voice to be heard. I see it (Katine) as an extension of what I was meant to be doing as the media.<br /><br />“This project is bringing the voice of Katine to a wider interational audience - what they perceive as their problems and how they think the project is helping or not helping them.”<br /><br />A similar participatory journalism project runs in Sierra Leone, through <a href="http://www.nmjd.org/">Network Movement for Justice and Development in eastern Sierra Leone</a>. When launched some ten months ago, a spokesman said:<br /><br />“Participatory video is a very good tool for marginalized people because it shortens the distance between grassroots-people, the voiceless and policy makers. It gives grassroots people the opportunity to tell their stories, which to me is very good, because when the policy makers hear directly the voice of the suffering, they will actually feel the pinch more than if somebody else comes and report on the matter. The camera doesn`t care whether somebody can read or write. All the PV (Participatory Video) cares about is whether the individual actually tells their story or not.”<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YryAXlwbNFY&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YryAXlwbNFY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Above: Slideshow portraying the Participatory video-project in eastern Sierra Leone (Youtube)</span><br /><br />For more reading on Partipicatory development theory, I would recommend to read <a href="http://www.wmin.ac.uk/mad/page-1613">Colin Sparks</a>` book on the issue: <a href="http://www.uk.sagepub.com/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book208713">Globalization, Development and the Mass Media</a>.<br /><br />The book explores ways in which the media can be used to effect change and development. It traces the evolution of thinking from attempts to spread 'modernity' by way of using the media through to alternative perspectives based on encouraging participation in development communication.<br /><blockquote> </blockquote>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-85638492525325781042009-04-07T16:23:00.000-07:002009-05-27T15:51:16.734-07:00Modernisation theory alive and well in Ghana<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://img2.travelblog.org/Photos/22035/90383/f/579735-Typical-village-scene-northern-Ghana-3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 452px;" src="http://img2.travelblog.org/Photos/22035/90383/f/579735-Typical-village-scene-northern-Ghana-3.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span><span style="font-size:85%;"> Photo: Brian Donkersley / <a href="http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Wild-Eyed/">travelblog.org</a></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />Journalists in eastern Ghana have been told to educate the rural population by the regional minister, according to this blog post from</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> </span><a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/200904061465.html">allAfrica.com.</a><br /><p>The blogger cites the regional minister on that it is the "desire of the government to develop the rural areas, where the bulk of the country's wealth is produced . . . and that this effort "would be meaningless if personnel of the fourth estate of the realm (journalists) did not give much emphasis to rural reporting".</p> <p>He continues:<br /></p><p>"They (the journalists) should educate them (the people) on the importance of formal education, particularly that of the girl-child. The rural folks also need to know more about family planning and the need to abolish those outmoded socio-cultural practices that are inimical to their development". The quote is accredited to Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo, Upper East Regional Minister of Ghana, during an interactive meeting with journalists, radio programmers and TV-presenters "recently".<br /></p><p>Abolish outmoded socio-cultural practices inimical to their development? I wish the author of the blogpost (or the regional minister) would be more specific in which "outmoded" socio-cultural practices he is referring to. Are we talking about hygiene or religion?<br /></p><p>The blog post continues:<br /></p><p>"He (Mr. Woyongo) urged practicing journalists in the region to give more emphasis on rural reporting, by using their pens to persuasively effect changes in the people's attitudes and habits. Mr. Woyongo, a journalist himself, said until the media informed and educated the people on these problems, diseases and squalour would continue to prevail in their lives. He asked journalists to consider themselves, not only as partners, but catalysts in the development agenda of the region". </p><p><span>- Pretty much the blueprint of modernisation theory, this. Just to explain the thoery a little bit:<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> <span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;">According to <a href="http://www.righttocommunicate.org/viewMemberBio.atm?id=12">Jan Servaes</a> and his book <a href="http://www.countrybookstore.co.uk/books/?whatfor=9781572731981">Communication for development: One world, multiple cultures</a>, the modernisation paradigm, the dominant development theory from around 1945 to 1965, aimed to transfer technology and socio-political culture of developed societies to "traditional" or "underdeveloped societies in order to facilitate transformation through mass media. It is deeply rooted in Western economic history, the central element being the metaphor of growth and the identification of growth as the central idea of development.</p> <p style="text-align: left;">It was formulated under a different social, cultural, economic and political situaton to today, it was absoluted and intended to be transferred to the rest of the world. It aims to "bridge the gaps" by means of imitation between what is seen as traditional and modern, retarded and advanced cultures.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.librarything.com/author/lernerdaniel">Daniel Lerner</a>, another prominent modernisation theorist, identified two types of "mental structures" in his book <a href="http://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/5004275/used/The%20passing%20of%20traditional%20society:%20modernizing%20the%20Middle%20East.">The passing of traditional society: Modernizing the middle east</a>.<br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">One, the traditional and essentialy illiterate, was fixed and oriented towards stability and the past. It was embedded in a set of skills and pattern of emotions, which excluded the ability to imagine oneself as being in a different position from where one was now. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Lerner would say that the "modern person" would be capable of empathy, while "the traditonal person" outlined above would be fixed on status quo - and the past. Such societies were unable to develop because the population lacked not only technical skills, but also the future-oriented perspective that could lead them to work, save and plan for a better life.<br /><br />Instead, they were satisfied to continue in the ways of their fathers and grandfathers. Like their forefathers, the inhabitants of such societies were content with various forms of dictatorial and traditional government. Contrasting this was the modern personality, which was literate, fluid, and open to change. It was mobile, in that it desired change, betterment and self-advancement.<br /><br />During the Cold War, USA and USSR tried to expand their own interests to developing countries by means of development, The Marshall Plan and the Warsaw Pact being examples. The US was aiming for a replica of its own political-economic system, by doing so opening the way for transnational corporations.<br /><br />Many developing countries saw the welfare state of the North Atlantic as the ultimate goal of development. They encouraged influence and support from IMF and other international bodies. They were interested in technology transfer, establishment of a centralised state with development bureaucracies for agriculture, education and health.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Like Ghana does now.</span><br /><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%;"><span style="line-height: 150%;font-family:";font-size:12;" lang="EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-31203283505713477742009-01-05T16:03:00.000-08:002009-01-07T06:39:21.883-08:00Citizen Journalism in Gaza<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_bc8o1ByqBU&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_bc8o1ByqBU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />Above: Dr. Mads Gilbert describes the situation in Gaza on the phone to CBS News.</span><br /><br />Yesterday, I received a forwarded text message depicting the situation in Gaza. It was written by Dr. Mads Gilbert, a Norwegian anaesthetic doctor who entered Gaza through Egypt along with fellow Norwegian collague Dr. Eirik Fosse seven days ago. They now find themselves battling a surge of civilian casualties. Translated to English, the text message reads:<br /><blockquote>"They bombed the central fruit and vegetables marked in Gaza town two hours ago. 80 wounded and 20 killed. All of them came here, to Shifa. Hades! We are up to our knees with death, blood and amputants. Lots of children. Pregnant women. I have never experienced anything this terrible. And now we hear tanks. Tell people, pass it on, shout it from the rooftops. Everything. WE MUST DO MORE! We are living in the history books now, everyone! Mads G, 1.3.09, 13:50, Gaza, Palestine".</blockquote>As Gaza remains closed to the media, citizen journalists like Dr. Gilbert and Dr. Fosse are the only sources of information from the area. They`ve been interviewed by a host of international media organisations. I`m thinking Israel will later regret excluding the media from Gaza.<br /><br />PS: The Israeli Information Center For Human Rights In The Occupied Territories, B`Tselem, issued this <a href="http://www.btselem.org/English/Press_Releases/20081225.asp">press release</a> on December 25th, stating:<br /><blockquote>"Palestinian rocket fire at Israeli civilians constitutes a war crime and those responsible for it must be prosecuted. Israel is obligated to defend its civilians, but it must do so in compliance with international humanitarian law."</blockquote>- Since then it`s been quiet.<br /><br /><br /><blockquote></blockquote>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-24314371272151403052008-12-31T04:46:00.000-08:002009-01-06T15:38:08.494-08:00Israeli army video blogs censored by YouTube<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JSxOMe9QFwk&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JSxOMe9QFwk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />As the horror in Gaza is into it`s fourth day and Israel seem to be ready for an invasion, the war is also fought on the internet. YouTube temporary removed a number of videos of the attacks on Gaza posted at the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/idfnadesk">Israeli Defense Force`s official YouTube channel</a>, possibly due to thousands of "inapropriate comments". Some of the videos were later put back with the comment section disabled.<div><br /></div><div>The video above, shot by Israeli army personel, depict bombings of what the publisher claim to be "rocket launching sites" in Gaza. The comment field is also a war zone. <div><div><div><br /></div><div>This <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5121018/israeli-army-videoblogs-blowing-up-gaza-gets-censored-by-youtube">blogger</a> comments:<br /></div><div><blockquote>"It`s a propaganda campaign, pure and simple. Even though you can see far worse in the chillingly note-perfect AC-130 stage in fucking Call of Duty 4, there are people dying in those buildings, and no, not of of them are terrorists. No war in history has been fought without the warring parties attempting to control the story with info dissemination. But using a forum like YouTube, a public community where smartbombs destroying buildings in a populated city are adjacent to sleeping kittens and 12 year olds` rants on why homework sucks, and where said 12 year olds (literally, and those of 12-year-old intellect) can fill the comment sections with racist hate-spew, is this where we draw the line?"</blockquote></div><div><div><blockquote></blockquote>I think YouTube are wrong to remove this content and censor the comment fields. The firestorm of hate fueled comments are at the very least some sort of dialogue. YouTube have no ethical right to censor this debate. As to the videos, the world is watching anyhow. (The Wikipedia page of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/December_2008_Gaza_Strip_airstrikes">Gaza Strip Airstrikes</a> is flagged with disputed neutrality, as could be expected.) </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">On a personal note: I`m writing this from Stavanger, the Norwegian oil hub on the west coast, enjoying Christmas break from University and preparing for New Year`s Eve celebrations with friends. I am very fortunate to be located where I am. My thoughts go out to those less fortunate with their location, the civilians in Gaza in particular.</span><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-79560425975539447372008-12-25T23:51:00.000-08:002008-12-26T05:45:00.128-08:00Representative Journalism pilot project in US<p><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/QIDyqtmde0M&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/QIDyqtmde0M&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Representative Journalism, another experiment in community funded journalism, is being tested in the US. </p><p>As with other community supported media business models, this project allows communities, individuals and groups to assign journalists to deliver Web-based local and topical news. The project, called <a href="http://locallygrownnorthfield.org/representativejournalism/">Locally Grown</a>, is geared around an online community in Northfield, Minnesota. </p><p>As explained in the documentary above, the pilot project is trying to find out whether there is a financial market for the idea in the community, how a journalist would have to behave to get that support from individuals or advertisers, etc etc. </p><p>The journalist assigned to the project says she is trying to bring professional standards and ethics into the blogosphere. "She (the journalist) doesn`t work for us, we`re just the place where she publishes her stuff, the place where she hangs her professional hat," a CO-Host/Blogger from Locally Grown says in the documentary. </p><p>The idea comes from Mr. Leonard Witt of Kennesaw State University, a former journalist concerned about the struggling print media: “We are living in an era when old journalism models are failing, newspapers are faltering and experienced journalists are losing their jobs,” Mr. Witt said in a press release from <a href="http://pjnet.org/post/1968/">PJnet</a>. </p><p>I`ve blogged about <a href="http://vraslosk.blogspot.com/2008/11/community-funded-journalism.html">community funded journalism</a> before. People are increasingly interested in local news on expense of foreign news. There certainly is a market for very local news stories. Community funded journalism is a very exciting idea, but my problem is still with the funding. (The project in Minnesota is funded through a grant awarded to Kennesaw University and not by the community.)</p><p>I don`t like the idea that people could pay for having produced the news they want. Especially in small communities in the blindspots of the public eye. Who`s going to write the important stories nobody want to pay for? Who`s going to write the stories nobody has thought of yet? Who`s going to write the stories the community don`t want to be written?</p><p>I`m not protesting about communities paying for the production of cosy feature articles, but news stories. Media can`t function as a watchdog if it`s paid for by the local community. </p><p></p><p><br /><br /></p>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-563828561039078472008-12-25T09:48:00.000-08:002008-12-25T10:22:00.618-08:00EU voices concern over Politovskaya-trial<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://protiv-putina.ru/presidentevil/ru/img/politkovskaya-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 399px; height: 303px;" src="http://protiv-putina.ru/presidentevil/ru/img/politkovskaya-2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The European Parliament issued this <a href="http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/015-45204-350-12-51-902-20081217IPR45203-15-12-2008-2008-false/default_en.htm">press release</a> just before Christmas, by doing so voicing it`s loudest critique on the court proceedings to date. As I`ve <a href="http://vraslosk.blogspot.com/2008/12/politovskaya-trial-closed-to-public.html">blogged about earlier</a>, there`s been several issues concerning public access to the trial.<br /><br /><span align="justify">The statement reads:<br /></span><blockquote><span align="justify"></span><span align="justify">"Two years after the brutal killing of the Russian independent journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who has become a symbol for freedom of the press, serious concerns have been raised with regard to transparency and respect for the rule of law in the criminal investigation and trial following the murder. Parliament calls on the court to fully respect the jury's decision, open the proceedings to all journalists and media, and "establish not only who committed and assisted in the murder of Anna Politkovskaya, but also who ordered it".</span></blockquote><span align="justify"> </span>It`s encouraging to see the EU follow media watchdogs like Reporters Without Borders in taking such a strong stand on the issue, but I still don`t think their opinion will be heard in Kremlin.Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-58603929075237025822008-12-19T05:38:00.000-08:002008-12-25T11:01:45.834-08:00Every Human Has Rights Media Awards<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q0DyXlvRaCA&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Q0DyXlvRaCA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />Citizen journalists were among the winners as the media watchdog and -entrepreneur <a href="http://www.internews.eu/">Internews Europe</a> hosted "Every Human Has Rights Awards" earlier this week.<br /><br />The Paris-based NGO had invited mainstream and citizen journalists to submit world and current affairs reports and stories illustrating one or several articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 482 contributors from 108 countries took part, according to the <a href="http://media-awards.everyhumanhasrights.org/en/content/presentation">award`s website</a>.<br /><br />It shouldn`t surprise anybody to see citizen journalists take the stage among mainstream journalists at events like this. The quality and scope of the contributions is impressive. The full list over contributions by citizen journalists awarded is <a href="http://media-awards.everyhumanhasrights.org/en/search/results/taxonomy%3A519">here:</a>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-80156439990578126182008-12-14T15:23:00.000-08:002008-12-25T09:40:45.355-08:00The Tribune Company bankrupt<span class="body">One of America's largest media companies has sought protection from its creditors in bankruptcy court. </span><span class="body"><a href="http://www.tribune.com/">The Tribune Company</a> sought protection last week under Chapter Eleven under US bankruptcy laws. (Chapter Eleven lets a business continue to operate while it seeks to restructure its debt.) </span><span class="body"><br /><br />The Tribune Company owns the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Baltimore Sun and other newspapers. It also owns twenty-three television stations.<br /><br />According to this <a href="http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/2008-12-11-voa3.cfm">story</a> from voa.com, The Tribune Company is the first major newspaper group in US to declare bankruptcy since the rise of Internet in the mid-90s. The article goes far in suggesting that Internet is the cause of the media groups (and all other media groups) problems.<br /><br />According to this <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/dec/14/zell-craig-brown-bbc-four-chrismases-murdoch">article</a> from The Guardian, penned by Peter Preston, internet can`t be blamed for the problems, it`s down to debts brought on by poor ownership:<br /></span><blockquote><span class="body"></span>"The central problem isn't the internet (a dampener on profits and spreader of uncertainty, at worst; not the end of everything). The problem is newspaper ownership flawed by misplaced ambition and short-sighted management.<span class="body">"</span></blockquote><span class="body"> I think the truth lies somewhere in between the Internet and greedy ownership. One thing is certain, The Tribune Company isn`t he last newspaper-geared media group to get themselves into trouble over the next few years.<br /></span><span class="body"><br /></span>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-47377773294550965082008-12-14T14:56:00.000-08:002008-12-26T02:27:32.065-08:00Bloggers in Vietnam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.intellasia.net/news/uploads/3/internet-cafeAFP-300px.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 200px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://www.intellasia.net/news/uploads/3/internet-cafeAFP-300px.jpg" border="0" /></a>With fast, free Internet available at internet cafes and Universities across Vietnam, bloggers are increasingly challenging censorship and the ruling Communist Party, according to this <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/13/MNJ814GR9H.DTL">article</a> from San Francisco Chronicle. A student is quoted:<br /><blockquote>"We won`t go to the streets, we won`t shout anything. We`re sitting before the screen, typing and blogging."</blockquote>The article goes on to say that a Vietnamese state-regulated news site has been hacked by bloggers, typing in pro-democracy and nationalist slogans. The story is penned by Geoffrey Cain, Chronicle Foreign Service. I wonder if he`s situated in Vietnam. As most media enterprises are cutting back on their foreign reporting, it`s encouraging to read well researched stories from Asia that aren`t written in news rooms in Europe or the US.Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-14958236441964581282008-12-07T07:06:00.000-08:002008-12-26T02:30:36.211-08:00Community-funded journalism project in AustraliaI`ve blogged a bit about <a href="http://vraslosk.blogspot.com/2008/11/community-funded-journalism.html">community-funded journalism</a> before. It`s one of the new media funding models emerging as mainstream media continue to cut back on their staff and the global financial crisis is rocking media in general.<br /><br />At the <a href="http://www.alliance.org.au/">MEAA-summit</a> (Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance) in Australia last week, journalist and author Margaret Simmons <a href="http://business.theage.com.au/business/facing-future-in-grip-of-funk-20081202-6pu8.html?page=2">announced plans</a> for a loose consortium of journalists, publishers and universities to set up "the first substantial experiment in community-funded journalism in Australia, the foundation for Public Interest Journalism." <blockquote>"The idea is to develop a more interactive relationship between potential audiences and journalists so that audiences can directly commission the journalism they want," says Simons.</blockquote>I`m still not sure about this model. The idea of having people pay a journalist to write a story just sounds wrong. I`m not sure about the whole public interest-argument, either. There is a difference between public interest and what`s of interest to the public.<br /><br />The report following the MEAA-summit, "Life In a Clickstream: The Future of Journalism", can be read <a href="http://www.alliance.org.au/documents/foj_report_final.pdf">here</a>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-17256891090034810162008-12-06T17:16:00.000-08:002008-12-26T02:33:11.528-08:00Mumbai coverage scrutinisedAs could be expected, mainstream media is now considering how the Mumbai attacks were reported with regards to citizen journalists breaking the story and supplying the baseline of the reporting.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/columnists/thomas-sutcliffe/tom-sutcliffe-twittering-on-is-not-the-way-to-provide-news-1047115.html">The Independent</a> argues "Twittering is not how to supply news", saying that BBC was playing Russian roulette with it`s editorial integrity by including a live update from Twitter on it`s website during the attacks.<br /><br />As I`ve <a href="http://vraslosk.blogspot.com/2008_11_01_archive.html">blogged about earlier</a>, for all the good citizen journalism coming out of Mumbai it wasn`t all good. A lot of it was gibberish, repetitive or unhelpful. Some were in the know, others just wanted to be heard.<br /><br />To me, the biggest ethical dilemma seems to be that mainstream media can`t possibly check all the facts if they include a live update from citizen journalists.<br /><br />BBC News website editor Steve Herrmann <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/pda/2008/dec/05/bbc-twitter">admitted</a> that BBC "will need to take more care in how it uses lightening fast, unsubstantiated citizen posts in the future."<br /><br />Is there a need for an international ethical standard when mainstream media is dealing with citizen journalism?Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-26103166826223223962008-12-06T15:54:00.000-08:002008-12-07T06:43:50.421-08:00Politovskaya-trial again closed to public<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2006/263/ph_politovskya.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 340px; height: 250px;" src="http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2006/263/ph_politovskya.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>The trial was initially closed to the public, then it was opened - and then it closed again, following what clearly must have been Government sensitive testemonies. It`s turning into a farce, really.<br /><br />(Anna Politovskaya was a Russian investigative journalist and Kremlin critic, murdered in 2006)<br /><br />The trial judge yesterday closed the trial to the public to hear "classified evidence", as the court heared a testemony from a witness linked to Government agencies, <a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jEygqwoecRx5TTg7nCLK_rkdwf3gD94SO2O00">AP</a> reports. The trial was again opened to the public following this testimony.<br /><br />Russian news agency <a href="http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct=us/0-0&fp=493b1eb0070dbe74&ei=FRU7SbXxEILAwgHjooGICg&url=http%3A//en.rian.ru/russia/20081205/118711933.html&cid=1277827584&sig2=JS4H-Fa4mAKqCgL6H8w4zg&usg=AFQjCNE5_mOdInC7mv7zZRwM_SN75e_9vg">RIA Novosti</a> quoted Politovskaya`s lawyer saying the witness testified that one of the accused, a former police officer, had told him that he gathered information about Politovskaya. The same witness allegedly also said $2 million was "paid out" for the murder.<br /><br />Well, I don`t know. Who can tell? A lot of information has come out in earlier proceedings, and a defense lawyer earlier said that court documents indicated that a unnamed Russian politician was behind the murder.<br /><br />Men are standing trial and someone is probably eventualy going to get sentenced. Possibly even the men who carried out the murder. But I can`t see the ones who ordered the murder being caught. When the trial keep getting closed to the public whenever crucial evidence is being heard it`s hard to not see the proceedings as a well coreographed show.<br /><br />Reporters Without Borders issued a <a href="http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=29576">statement</a>, saying:<br /><blockquote>"Judge Yevgeni Zubov`s decision to continue the trial behind closed doors has increased our concerns about transparancy. It prevents journalists and public from being able to evaluate the arguements, testimony and evidence presented in court."<br /></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1740635882325056409.post-13581586945080274802008-12-06T15:41:00.000-08:002008-12-25T11:08:50.052-08:00Al Jazeera launches web portal for Citizen JournalismThe Beirut-based website Menassat.com <a href="http://www.menassat.com/?q=en/alerts/5333-al-jazeera-launches-web-portal-citizen-journalism">reports</a> that Al Jazeera have launched a web portal "in a attempt to increase citizen journalism in the middle east". The portal is currently available in Arabic, but an english version is on its way.Andreas Bjørklundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781749020388089771noreply@blogger.com5