Hot Topic - Media in Southeast Asia
Strict control over news media is important to authoritarians, always averse to criticism. Traditional news outlets, particularly those requiring printing presses and transmitters, are easy to throttle. Then the internet came along; free, open and lovely. The ugliness came later.
Autocrats and dictators surprise no one these days by bleating about fake news, very often twisting a complaint about real news that happens to be critical or, at the very least, uncomfortable. These noises seem to rise with the approach of an election. Psychologists have studied this; something to do with brain loops.
Every crisis is an opportunity for the world’s authoritarian rulers. Removing critical voices enhances their positions, they believe. Jailing reporters and editors is easy, like chasing away media support organizations. The real bonus for dictators is closing publishers and broadcasters.
Capacity building is the major fixture of media development agencies. International organizations tout accessible and objective news and information as essential for functioning democracies and generously support efforts to upgrade skills. Authoritarian rulers understand this and put up stiff resistance. Training people to report, write and deliver news is mildly threatening. Teaching the trade of sustainable business for media outlets changes the game.
The digital age has spawned media models galore. There are many to choose from. There’s the internet free-for-all model. There’s Mr. Murdoch’s pay-for-everything model. There’s also the Chinese model.
International broadcasting reaches into dark places. Metrics are obscure. Missions blur. And it’s hard to graft an answer to the head of a pin. The fight for funding requires tenacity.
Burma’s military rulers engaged a new front in their war on media “liars attempting to destroy the nation.” Today’s target is the dreaded satellite dish. Without warning, and no official announcement, satellite dish owners are now expected to pay about three times the average annual wage for a license to watch news, sports and soap operas from the outside.
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Media in Spain - Diverse and Challenged – new
Media in Spain is steeped in tradition. yet challenged by diversity. Publishers hold great influence, broadcasters competing. New media has been slow to rise and business models for all are under stress. Rich in language and culture, Spain's media is reaching into the future and finding more than expected. 123 pages, PDF. January 2018
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The Campaign Is On - Elections and Media
Elections campaigns are big media events. Candidates and issues are presented, analyzed and criticized in broadcast and print. Media is now more of a participant in elections than ever. This ftm Knowledge file reports on news coverage, advertising, endorsements and their effect on democracy at work. 84 pages. PDF (September 2017)
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Fake News, Hate Speech and Propaganda
The institutional threat of fake news, hate speech and propaganda is testing the mettle of those who toil in news media. Those three related evils are not new, by any means, but taken together have put the truth and those reporting it on the back foot. Words matter. This ftm Knowledge file explores that light. 48 pages, PDF (March 2017)
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