For Tuesday 27 March, browse the following publications and closely read at least four articles available there:
- Global Journalist
- Reporters Without Borders
- IFEX
- Committee to Protect Journalists
- World Press Freedom Committee
- See WPFC’s “Fundamentals” on Press Freedom
Your second news journal entry, due for all students Friday 30 March, is to write a brief comment on this entry (about one or two paragraphs) discussing something you found at one of these sites. Submit your entry by following the “comment” link below and writing your entry in the form provided. Don’t forget to put your name on your entry!
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I have written Reporters Without Borders meets Al-Jazeera cameraman’s family in Sudan. I did not really like this article. It is a little bit boring and hard for reading. I do not think that it is very useful and informative for me. In addition, I do not like the style because it is not too formal, I understand that the formal style is a good one, but I am not interested in this article.
=)
The article on trial upon Uzbek journalist working for German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, and some acts of Uzbek government against international journalists working in Uzbekistan and local journalists working for international media, made me analyzing the so-called democracy and freedom of speech not only in Uzbekistan, but in all Central Asia and Kazakhstan, particularly.
Indeed, the freedom of speech does not exist in Central Asian countries, as well as the democracy, consequently. These countries did not reach those level when democracy and freedom becomes regular and obvious, when it’s a part of people’s lives. Still governments try to control media totally, issuing new stick laws and restrictions on journalists actions, manipulating the topics of journalists articles, and so forth. Ii is clear, that local governments are scared of foreign media representatives, as they are potential threat to existing ‘totalitarian democracy’. But the world is globalizing, people become more enlightened and emancipated, and might be soon the world societies will have and opportunity to know the truth, to tell the truth not being scared for that.
Russian editor faces five years in prison for “extremist activity”.
I have read an article about criminal prosecution of Russian editor-in-chief of the opposition newspaper “Provincial News” Viktor Shmakov. He was blame for “public calls for the realization of extremist activity using mass media” and “calls for insubordination to legal authorities,” according to local press reports. Shmakov was accused by prosecutors when his articles appeared in the newspaper. In these entries journalist criticized human rights and corruption in Bashkortostan. He also broached a subject about resignation of Murtaza Rakhimov, the republic’s president. Consequences of conviction are 5 years of jail. This topic made a big impression on me because I strongly believe in freedom of speech. In my opinion, as his articles refer to opposite newspaper, writer had a right to express information about governmental proceedings and as it happens sometimes news from opposite site can be more truthful. And these topics are very interesting and useful for citizens to read. So Viktor Shmakov has showed his journalism worth by following main concept of it “journalist’s first locality – is to citizens”. (http://www.cpj.org/news/2007/europe/russia28mar07na.html)
Second news journal entry
Brief comment
Journalism Organizations from 11 Countries Create Network.
23 organizations from North, Central and South America were met for creating second Austin’s Journalists’ Forum in America. Team partners were included for this session to get more power in their organizations. I think it is very good idea to connect all of journalists’ organizations, to improve the journalists’ quality around the world. This idea in the first time was created like annual project of journalists. I thinkit’s exellent to connect by internet with a lot of journalists from Columbia, Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Salvador, and USA. The main target of this forum is to help and provide the journalists’ program of study, which can help for developing professional level of journalism in USA.
Reference:
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/57351/
Today I was reading information about U.S. military in Afghanistan. There were said that the journalists from Associated Press and AP Television News was immediately deleted their photos and video materials. Because they were witnesses of suicide bombing attack on an afghan highway in the Nanghar province and shooting civilians. But Americans said that that civilian was in wrong place. After that U.S marines give order to journalist to delete the materials or they will delete them. I thing this all is false because look U.S. military didn’t find no terrorist there and they just kill everyone who didn’t actually like them. If they will sit there their soldiers will dying every day and will not find a terrorist there its fact. Why always Americans said people what we need to do and what not. I think that Journalist are need good protection and freedom because they are giving all information for us what is going on in the world and the countries were is war to report everything.
Let’s remember Afghan war with USSR. If you remember that USSR soldiers are attack Afghanistan and The USA are help the Afghans Taliban by weapons, bullets and some secret weapon. Let’s look Americans said that they never bombing any places because it’s violation of people rights but let’s look on their history of war. WWII they were bombing Japan and testing atomic bomb, Vietnam they were used a bombs are burn everything, Operation “Desert storm” they were using artillery and Iraq they were destroyed city by rockets from battle ships. In Afghanistan they are continuing bombing the kishlaks, a little villages and highways. Americans need to stop war in Iraq and Afghanistan because if they not stop Americans blood will continue goes to the land and Americans mother’s will cry more and meet theirs son’s in grave.
I have read an article from site Reporters without borders, which is called “Campaign for missing British journalist Alan Johnston”.
At first, as we remember Alan Johnston was kidnapped on 12 March. And since that time there are no information about him, and moreover “no group has admitted responsibility for the journalist’s abduction”. Also author mentioned that already there were a lot of abduction of journalists in this area. Then it was mentioned by the worldwide press freedom organization, that there is no reason to be passive, they should do everything to release Alan Johnson. Nevertheless, in the UK, Foreign Minister, Margaret Beckett said that they are doing all the possible. They have already appeal to Arab media and bloggers to condemn Johnston’s kidnapping. Moreover, in this article was provide an appeal of Alan’s father, who wants and ask only about one thing – see his son home.
I like this article a lot. It is written very professionally. The facts were provided and also there were written what have been already done to help Alan Johnston.
Irina Dmitrovskaya
From: Li Alexandra 20050597
To: Frederick Emirch
The article is about the great free journalist Anna Politkovskaya. She had written a lot of information about conflict in Chechnya. She visited Chechen president A. Maskhadov in 1998 and was only one journalist who had reported on the second war in Chechnya. She visited Chechnya more than 40 times. She wrote a lot about mothers who sons were killed in Chechnya. Also she criticized the policy of V. Putin who is the president of Russian Federation. She said that if he had a power in his hand the Russia will never be democracy state. She had written report about events in Beslan in September 2004. She wan a lot of prizes as in Russia as in foreign countries. She was killed. In addition there is her biography in the article. This article made a deep impression on me. In my opinion every journalist should take an example from her. She was a real journalist and shows the most terrible facts from the world.
Available from:http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=18803
I have read an article from site “Global Journalism” about journalist’s death after reports of prior inquiry by Russian security services. Russian journalist Ivan Safronov died in March 2 after he fell from a stairwell window in his apartment building.Safronov was a correspondent for the independent business daily Kommersant, which said Safronov had been working on a piece covering Russian arms deliveries to the Middle East. He had reportedly been questioned by Russian security services before his death.Three days after Safronov’s death was classified as a suicide. Friends and colleagues said he was not suicidal and no suicide note was found.
This article made impression on me. I think that it’s awful when people who say the truth are dying. There is huge unjustice that journalists are becoming killed by criminal organizatons.People should know the truth and we as a journalists shoul provide them with thruly information but we don’t want to be killed.
The article that I have read was on a IFEX site. It was about violence against journalists threatens press freedom in Latin America. Journalist safety has deteriorated considerably in the past six months in Latin America: six journalists were killed in Mexico, one in Haiti and most recently a journalist in Peru, with many more journalists receiving death threats and being abused, report free expression organisations across the region. And I read on ” Global Journalist” about Ivan Safronov,russian journalist,who died after he fell from a stairwell window in his apartment building.But how said his friends he wasn’t suicidal. This 2 articles about violence against journalists were necessary not only for people who want to help investigation, it is useful for us, students of Journalism department, to understant and to remind how this work can be dangerous and doesn’t just.Because of these murders are not first and not the last.
I read an article from Global Journalism about the Journalist’s death questioned after reports of prior inquiry by Russian security services. Questions remain after the mysterious March 2 death of Russian journalist Ivan Safronov. Safronov died after he fell from a stairwell window in his apartment building. Safronov was a correspondent for the independent business daily Kommersant, which said Safronov had been working on a piece covering Russian arms deliveries to the Middle East.Three days after Safronov’s death was classified as a suicide, The Russian Union of Journalists plans to initiate an investigation into his death. Although the possibility of suicide has not been excluded, police are checking other motives.
In my opinion this case is really terrible. Nowadays journalist proffesion is one of the dengerouse job, and journalist is one of the unprotecting person. Media should be a voice of people. But how can we make this phrase in real life when in the next moment we can be killed? I do not think that Shafronov’s death is a suicide. It is an ordinary victim of the criminal battle. It is really awful that tragedy like this become ordinary.
I have read the article “Iran’s War of Words” by Omid Memarian from Global Journalist. This article is very interesting for me. The essence of the article is lack of freedom of speech in Iran, but also is misunderstanding the true role of mass media. Omid Memorian is Iranian journalist for Hayat-e Nou, one of Tehran’s most popular reformist papers that can’t stand such conditions in the country. Topics that portray the real situation in the country are prohibited or changed by editors. It’s looks like Soviet Union’s times where existed the system that was punishing just for learning enough information about the government. Strong censorship in Iran maintains a strong control over television, newspapers, radio, etc. “Since 1997 the Islamic authorities have shut down more than 100 newspapers and magazines.” It means absolute absence of freedom and such journalists as Omid want to find ways to spread it into public.
I like the way that Iranian journalists have found. Blogging. Really, in the web there is a freedom. We can say anything we want, concealing our names, we can easily express our opinions, and there is no any fear of punishing.
If I were located in Iran or in such situation, I would do the same, I mean trying to do the best for our country or assert our rights.
World Press Freedom Commitee… WOW!!!! Read about it section on it’s official site and am sitting here wondering if there is an actual use of the organization. Of course, sounds good and blahblahblah… Of course, i want to believe that it really works BUT if there’s such an organization then why freedom of press hasn’t occured yet?!
Article retrieved from Repoters Without Borders Website http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19597 “A month after the murder of Anna Politkovsakya, TV presenters urged to wear ‘Justice for Anna’ bagde”
Anna Politkovskaya was a prominent journalist in Russia who worked for Novaya Gazeta and wrote about sensitive topics concerning the war with Chechnya. She was gunned down at her Moscow apartment in October 2006. Her murder has brought a big wave of anger and protest from the journalist community around the world against unfree media and authoritarian regimes. I found this article exteremly significant because it basically says that about six thousand journalists from all around the world signed a petition for justice in the investigation of Politkovskaya’s death. It also says that Putin was awarded a very prestigious and honorable award “the Legion of Honor” by Jaque Chirac, the French president. Journalists were outraged by this event and condemned the French president of having no moral values and solidarity towards journalsits. It is said that at an age of new technologies and emancipation of people, journalsits are only little insects tha can be crashed down by the big and awful machine of politicians at power.
OOOOPS!!! it is SAD (not said, sorry for typo)that at an age of new technologies and emancipation of people, journalsits are only little insects tha can be crashed down by the big and awful machine of politicians at power.
OH!!!!!!
I forgot to paste my article on time. I’m paste it on my flash on 29 of March, but do not on the internet. SORRY!
here it is:
Global Journalist is an internet magazine that writes about journalists and their freedom all around the world. They cover such topics as development in journalism and serves international journalists. This publicity was first introduced to public in 1995 by Angeles Times publisher David Laventhol and former foreign editor Alvin Shuster. It is also possible find it on the following link http://www.globaljournalist.org. In that side there were published some tech news written by Sam Williams, called as “Read and edited by anyone”. Sam Williams is a freelance correspondent living in Staten Island, NY. He writes business and more technology news for Salon.com, Technology Review Magazine and the New York Post. In this story he writes about the “Wikipedia – free encyclopaedia”. He thinks that it was crazy to create such kind of site because of the opportunity in which every person can write about every article he want to add in particular page in the site and edit it if he or she wants or just think it will be necessary to do it. Some time later he become more and more think to the idea that it is a “really” genius creation. However, he found another opportunity by visiting the site of Gregor Mendel, the Austrian monk attributed as the father of genetic theory. “It was the next best thing to visiting the local library”, – says Sam in his article. He was looking for other sites and gives us just one conclusion: “the trick, of course, is matching the right use with the right moment”.
IFEX was created in 1992 when all companies that were state for the freedom of the speech and expression came together in Montreal to discuss their best joint purposes. In this site the major part of discussing gives to the freedom of the opinion. Associate organizations statement of free expression neglect in their geographic region or area of capability to the Clearing House, which circulates information to other members and organizations that interested in this issue all over the world. “In recent years, the IFEX community has been joined by many new members from the developing world – bringing new perspectives and energy. IFEX’s decentralised structure creates a dynamic and truly international body”, – writes IFEX site. In addition, the AAN organisation also supplies updates on current developments in ongoing belongings and circulates significant freedom of expression press releases.
Another interesting link that was shown in the class was “Reporters without borders”. This site collects the information about everything that happens in the world with the journalists. Even in he was putting in the jail, or killed. In addition, here is a list of very freedom countries beside with the rating notes. This organisation tries to save journalist’s rights all over the world since 1985. Reporters without borders are collect the information, and as they own states: “After checking the information, the researchers and the organisations’ correspondents send protest letters to the authorities to put pressure on governments which do not respect the right to inform and to be informed, and send releases to the media to drum up support for the journalists under attack”. RWB is situated in all five continents all over the world. Even in Kazakhstan it is possible to find such kind of organisation that fight for the journalists’ freedom of speech.
Brief Comment.
The first article that caught my eye was “VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS THREATENS PRESS FREEDOM IN LATIN AMERICA” on IFEX website. I searched and read few other articles but this one interests me more. Well, in this world still amazes me the fact that the crime directly relates to the government, I can say so after reading this article. Six journalists were killed in Mexico by mafia and government authorities for opening their little secrets such as corruption, drug selling, illegal fishing etc.
(http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/82067/)
Brief Comment
I suggest writing about how it is dangerous to be an independent journalist. We know that the work of journalists to be free and independent but it is not so easy to stay in that rule (yes, I think it should be the rule to journalists). Every day we hear about many journalists, correspondents whose had been killed, harassed or punished. For example, “reporters without borders said that editor whose name is father Nguyen Van Ly from magazine Tu do Ngôn luan was arrested and punished for eight years. He and people who helped him to write this propaganda arrested because of their article against of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Four other people who had helped him to write this article were arrested 18 month to six years in prison. From this article we can see that many countries do not have freedom of speech such as Vietnam. The organization “reporters without borders” said that they are going to ask US government to put down Vietnam in bottom of list of countries that do not have freedom of speech and if this organization will not add attention to this situation Vietnam mass media and journalists will be in danger”.(30 March 2007, http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=21497, reporters without borders)
Also there were another bad event with journalists from Germany. “ABC news announced that two journalists from Germany were killed in northern Afghanistan. The two a man and woman were worked as country’s national broadcaster. It happened in the morning when somebody killed them by gunfire from an AK-47 said provincial police chief Mohammad Azim Hashami. Two journalists were worked for the German news agency Deutsche Welle, according to Wakil Asas, a reporter for the company in Kabul. Such kind of event did not happened from 2001 when foreign journalists murdered in Afghanistan.” (By RAHIM FAIEZ, KABUL, Afghanistan Oct 7, 2006 (AP), sourse: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2539775)
From this bad news we can see that any journalists doesn’t protect from anyone. So, they should protect themselves in any situation.
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The article about Anna politcovskaya free journalist has fool covering, i think. because i saw other articles from Russia resources. This site show as well as possible the most important facts without extra words.
What i want to say about sites, which you recommended to see: it is the good sites, where words “freedom of speech” are not simple sound. And journalist on that sites really work for truth, for journalists, who write truthfull information. i think reading such sites it is useful for everybody.
I was reading an article about disapearing of reporter after writing critical articles in Kazakhstan. Since March 30 Oralgaisha Omarshanova has been missing. She was working in “Zakon i Pravosudie” paper in kazakhstan in anti-corruption department. Most of her colegues think that her disapearece is somehow related to an article she wrote 4 dsays before. The article was about clashes between rival Chechen and Kazakh residents in Almaty.
http://www.cpj.org/news/2007/europe/kazakh19apr07na.html