Asian Media part of Mymediablogs.com Channel

If you were a journalist and one day were invited by the government to leave on umrah (small hajj) for free, would you say yes to it?

How about going on trip to Malaysia and Singapore (again, for free) so you can conduct a comparative study?

If your answer is “yes”, then you’re not alone. Forty Lampung (Indonesia) journalists are with you. In fact they are going overseas next month. To Makkah, and Malaysia, and Singapore. For free. Let the provincial budget funds you all.

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Topic: Ethics, Media Credibility

After year-long consultations with university faculties, journalist training organizations, newspaper industries and journalism education associations, UNESCO produced a document on model journalism curricula. This document is launched in Singapore at the World Journalism Education Congress (26/6).

Specialized for Developing Countries and Emerging Democracies, it is a generic model that can be adapted according to each country’s specific needs. It takes full cognizance of the social, economic, political and cultural contexts of developing countries and emerging democracies, highlighting the connection between democracy and journalism and arguing for a more cross-disciplinary approach within journalism training centres.

Please click here to download the document (in PDF format).

Topic: Media tools

Information and Communications Minister of Indonesia Muhammad Nuh said whether or not Press Law No. 40/1999 should be revised was entirely up to the press community, on a visit to Antara News Agency early this week.

“Well, it is up to you, journalists, to decide and the government will go along.”

This statement is in response to the fear of some people on government’s intention to set back the freedom of the press, by revising the Press Law. But who has the intention to revise is still unknown. Clearly the minister said it wasn’t him (government). So who has, then? Not me, for sure :)

Topic: Censorship

Why has Asian media failed in delivering news about the region?

According to a report by ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau, it is mainly because they are narrow-minded and limited in scope. This is just one of the topics debated at the 4th Asia-Europe Foundation’s Asia Europe Journalists’ Seminar on May 27 in Hamburg, Germany.

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Topic: Media Credibility, Media conference, Media strategy

Asian Media Information and Communication Centre is holding its 16th annual conference on the 25 - 28 June, 2007.

That means three days ahead.

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Topic: Media conference

You might want to check this out. It’s written by Sharif Hikmat Nashashibi (chairman of Arab Media Watch), in response to the campaign by Melanie Phillips against the organisation, “and the hate mail it has generated”.

…….. Given the hate mail, or in most cases “race mail”, generated by Phillips’ call for her readers to write to AMW, it is beyond hypocrisy for her to accuse us of “gross abuse”, “manipulation” and “intimidation.” AMW would certainly not tolerate such language on our behalf.

Perhaps this article might be a wake-up call for Phillips, a chance for her to distance herself from these so-called supporters, and by doing so, to start shedding the reputation that has earned her the nickname “Mad Mel” among many of her media colleagues. As the saying goes, with friends like these…

Please click here to read the full article from Arab Media Watch.

Topic: Ethics

 Nice move. From AsiaNewsNetwork:

The authorities have started a crackdown on cyber scams, blocking access to six illegal investment websites and raiding the offices of an Internet firm in the Klang Valley.

In a press statement released yesterday, the Securities Commission said the six websites were www.abbfund.com or www.abfund.us, www.cfdventure.com, www.swedenfund.com, www.uebond.com, www.esuissefund.com or www.efmf.com.pa and www.ecashfinance.com.

Please click here to read the entire story.

Topic: Ethics, Media Credibility

I really have no idea what these Palestinian gunmen had in mind.

JERUSALEM: Palestinian gunmen who used a vehicle disguised as a television truck to assault an Israeli military position drew sharp condemnations yesterday from journalists who charged that the incident, the first of its kind, would make their jobs more dangerous than ever. In Saturday’s attack, four gunmen drove a white jeep with press markings in English and Arabic up to the Gaza-Israel border, penetrated the border fence and assaulted a guard tower in what the militants and the army said was a failed attempt to capture an Israeli soldier. Israeli troops killed one gunman, while the others escaped.

After TV truck, what next? Ambulance?

To see more of this story, please click here.

Topic: Ethics

Vietnam government last month set out a new regulation that ordered state administration agencies to have a spokesperson, who will be making announcements and providing information to the media. He/she also must provide accurate and timely information to the media if there is an event or problem that requires the state agency to make an announcement, or when media organisations or press management agencies ask them to provide information.

Some people are happy with this new regulation. Bach Ba, a journalist in Hanoi, said “the regulations will make it easier for me to find a contact and get the agency’s view.”

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Topic: Media strategy

On Wednesday, June 7^th, The South Asia Media Commission (SAMC) lashed out against a Pakistan government crackdown on media freedom, Daily Times wrote.

“The media is directly under attack. The new rules could have a chilling effect on Pakistan’s civil society,” Mr N Ram, the Chairperson of the commission, and Mr Najam Sethi, its General Secretary, said.

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Topic: Censorship