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MEDIA ALERTS

IFJ Commends Journalist Threatened for Report on China Floods
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns a threat made against journalist Liu Jianfeng on July 9, after he refused to take a bribe from officials in Jiangxi province in eastern China
Malaysia's Media Watchdogs Condemn Ban on Political Cartoons
The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia and the Writers Alliance for Media Independence (Wami) condemn the Home Ministry's banning of '1Funny Malaysia', 'Perak Darul Kartun' and 'Isu Dalam Kartun'. These cartoon compilations are by Zulkifli Anwar Ulhaque, better known as Zunar.
Philippine House of Representatives Fails to Pass Freedom of Information bill
Jun 9, 2010
The Philippine Lower House did not pass the Freedom of Information bill in its last session on 4 June 2010 due to a lack of quorum.

Sixth Mekong Book Off the Press

Whether it's a story about how rubber plantations are taking root at the China-Laos border, how Thai is having an impact on the Lao language, or the use of harmful fishing methods in Cambodia and Vietnam, all the features and photo essays in 'Changing Borders: Reportage from Our Mekong; follow the changes that have been taking place as countries in the Mekong Region deepen their cross-border links with one another.
'Asia Media Report 2009: Missing in the Media'

'Asia Media Report 2009: Missing in the Media', coordinated, produced and published by the Asia Media Forum with the assistance of ActionAid, focuses on how the media throughout Asia reports on marginalised people and communities in their respective societies, from the very poorest countries to the richest.
'Asia Media Report: A Crisis Within'

'Asia Media Report: A Crisis Within', a report on media trends in Asia, is produced and coordinated by IPS Asia-Pacific.

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Feel free to republish or report the stories from this website, in the spirit of sharing information. Please credit to the publication that produced the information and the AMF site.

BURMA: Media Bans in Place Ahead of Elections

Burmese media have been banned from publishing material covering political groups' preparations for the elections in March this year, while news of the elections themselves is allowed, reports Norway-based exiled media Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB).

The censoring has targeted parties belonging to the 'third force' in Burmese politics; those neither aligned to the incumbent nor opposition groups, the DVB quoted potential runner Phyo Min Thein, who recently organised a discussion on Burmese politics in Rangoon.

"Basically, [the junta] is blocking its opponents from exercising their rights and is looking to manipulate the [political] playground for itself," he said.

A veteran news editor in Rangoon said that reporting on activities to do with the elections is not likely to be allowed until the elections laws and laws regarding the formation of political organisations are announced.

He added, however, that even when laws are announced, the media will be allowed only limited scope to report on the events.

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Internet Trends in Japan
Some interesting findings from the Asia-Pacific Social Media Report, launched in June 2010 by leading online researcher, The Nielsen Company:

• Japan posts over 1 million blogs per month, significantly more than any other country.

• Unique visitors to Twitter increased from less than 200,000 to more than 10 million in a year on April 2010.

• Of Japan's internet users, 16 percent use Twitter, compared to 10 percent in the United States.

No More Free 'Time'
Online readers who want to get the latest cover story of 'Time' magazine will now have to make do with an abridged version. If they want the whole story, they can either buy the magazine's print edition or download from the site's new iPad app.
Magazine Mysteriously Disappears from Indonesian Newsstands
Tens of thousands of copies of the latest edition of Tempo magazine were purchased by mystery buyers early on June 28.
Burma Authorises Sale of More Mobile Phones
By Nayee Lin Latt, The Irrawaddy

An additional 130,000 mobile phones will be offered for sale in Burma by the end of this year, bringing the total number of mobile phones in the country to about 600,000, according to Myanmar Post and Telecommunications (MPT).

NEWSMAKERS: 'VJs Are One-Man-Band Fearless Reporters'
Aung Htun (not his real name) is one of the young video journalists featured in the award-winning feature documentary 'Burma VJ (Reporting from a Closed Country)'.

The Anders Østergaard-helmed film, which has won 40 awards in the international film circuit including the Berlin Film Festival 2009 and the Sundance Film Festival 2009, revolves around the video journalists’ cat-and-mouse game with the Burmese junta while covering the monk-led mass protests in September 2007.
End of the News Romantics
For those brought up in the pre-digital era it's easy to lament the switch from prized paper to touchscreen ubiquity. But, in the first of a series about innovation, Andrew Marr says the future will be truly liberating for those who want to keep up with events.

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