The Blogging Journalist

Global Media See a Geopolitical Power Shift

Lauren Drablier, "a graduate student in International Affairs at Sciences Po Paris" who "currently works for the World Association of Newspapers," notes in an October 14, 2008, post at Nieman Watchdog that: 

News concerning the financial crisis has taken over newspapers and Internet pages around the world and the international media have been quick to say a geopolitical power shift is taking place.

It's a worth reading observation. To read more, see "The U.S. is widely criticized in the financial crisis." 

Note: This post can also be found at The Curious Spectator and The Diplomatic Times Review.

Technorati Tags: Nieman Watchdog,Geopolitical Power Shift

Social Media in Brazil

CHICAGO, USA --SIG-III Blog reported September 19, 2007, that, "Internet use and social media are pervading a wide range of aspects of life in Brazil, such that even those who do not have Internet access or choose not to participate in social media are frequently aware that the Internet and all its related applications are being inextricably integrated into Brazil’s social fabric."

"The Wikipedia even lists a technical term for Brazilian appropriation of foreign Internet applications – the Brazilian Internet Phenomenon, according to SIG III. "And they are matching Americans with regard to time spent online."

To read more of this fascinating post, see "Social media and the Internet in Brazil."

Technorati tags: SIG III, Brazil, Social media, The Internet in Brazil

Why Are British Newspapers Popular With Many Americans?

"The continuing success of British newspapers in attracting US-based online readers has been highlighted in a Times [of London] article today by Rhys Blakely," Guardian Unlimited's Roy Greenslade revealed in an August 3, 2007, report. He notes that Blakely "cites Nielsen/NetRatings [link added] figures which show that Guardian Unlimited and TimesOnline have more American than British readers, and that the Daily Telegraph is on the verge of following suit. The Independent is nearly twice as popular in the US as it is here {England]," he added.

Greenslade said, "Surprisingly, in view of its supposed English specificity, the Daily Mail's mailonline, has more than three times as many US readers as British ones. Even more amazing, as long ago as 2005, the Evening Standard's then skimpy website was the 31st most popular online source of news for Americans," Greenslade reported.

I'm not surprised by this. I regularly read some of the papers cited. Why? Because they, for the most part, are world centric and the journalist seem better informed. Besides, they don't come off as lapdogs for the government, even when they support government policies. The ones I read take clear stands on issues. And their identities are clear. For example, I expect, and get, a paper of record feel from the venerable Times, a Rupert Murdoch publication.

With The Independent, I get articles that have no problem calling government officials liars, if that's what they are. The Guardian and Observer are somewhere in between. I even like the conservatism of the Daily Mail. Reading these various approaches gives me fairly good picture of what is likely happening in the world.

In the U.S., it appears that most papers are afraid to deviate from whatever the Associated Press wire service or The New York Times say happened on a given topic. You can pick up any paper in America and see the same story national or international story, virtually unchanged. At least with British papers you get diversity. That's good. You also get a good deal of opinion, some of it in the form of analysis in news articles. That's ok with me. Maybe this diversity has something to do with competition between the publication.

To read Greenslade's commentary, see "More Americans than Brits read our online papers." For Rhys Blakely's August 3, 2007, media analysis, see "Newspaper ad execs must target wealth of online readers overseas.

Technorati tags: Nielsen/NetRatings, Rhys Blakely, Times Online, Roy Greenslade, Guardian Unlimited, The Independent, Evening Standard, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph

Does It Matter Whether 'News Entertain Or Inform — Or Both?'

Joe Gandelman, editor-in-chief of The Moderate Voice asks in a February 25, 2007, post: "Should News Entertain Or Inform — Or Both?"

In an attempt to answer the question, Joe addresses issues such as:

(1) The tabloidization of the American news media

(2) The rise of talk radio

(3) The 24 Hour News Cycle and Fox News’ impact

(4) The decline of truly high profile journalistic role models

(5) The dominance of personality over issues in politics and news; and

(6) The fact that "news editors and corporations can’t just ignore the competition and do 100 percent their own thing."

Joe also provides links to others discussing this issue. Among them Austin Cline. He has a  February 25, 2007, post at Jesus General headlined "Journalism as Entertainment: Should News Inform or Just Entertain? " 

 "Outside the Beltway" proprietor James Joyner's has February 25, 2007, comment on Cline's post headlined "News Business is a Business

Gandelman's post was also inspired by Cline's commentary. Regardless, it's a good discussion.

Media Freedom Becomes A Casualty of Lansana Conte's Martial Law

Reuters AlertNet Correspondent Saliou Samb noted in a February 19, 2007, dispatch from Conakry, the Guinean capital, that:

Up to a week ago, Guinea's private radio stations were broadcasting dramatic first-hand accounts of violent street clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces.

But since President Lansana Conte decreed martial law on Feb 12, non-government broadcasters are either off the air or playing innocuous music as media freedom becomes another casualty of the military crackdown in the West African nation.

Samb said, "The martial law decree gave the military powers to control the press and state broadcaster RTG has transmitted warnings from the army chief that looters and troublemakers will be shot."

To read more, please see "Media freedom becomes casualty of Guinea crackdown."

Rwandan Editor Emerges From Coma Caused By Beating

"Jean-Bosco Gasasira, managing editor of the independent fortnightly Umuvugizi" in Rwanda, was beaten up as he got into his car" on the night of February 9, 2007, "Reporters sans Frontières (RSF) said," according to a Reuters report in the February 14, 2007, edition of Mail & Guardian online of South Africa. According to RSF:

Now that the editor has just emerged from a coma caused by a beating, strong measures must be taken as a matter of urgency. This must start with a gesture from President Paul Kagame, who must finally learn to listen to the independent press instead of treating it as an enemy.

To read more, please see "Media watchdog: Rwandan journalist beaten into coma." Thanks to Legalbrief Africa for pointing to the report.