Development Issues

By Marwaan Macan-Markar

BANGKOK, Mar 11 (IPS) - It may have not won an Oscar, but its having been a final contender for the prestigious statue at the U.S. Academy Awards on Mar. 7 has taken ‘Burma VJ’ to heights never achieved by previous films depicting the oppression and courage in military-ruled Burma.

 By Lynette Lee Corporal

BANGKOK, Mar 11 (Asia Media Forum) — Anyone who is still trying to look for neutrality or balance in the Thai media in these days of political ferment, ahead of large anti-government protests expected in the capital, has a pretty tough job.

BANGKOK — Bangkok-based news outlets are increasing security at their offices in the run-up to this weekend's anti-government protests.

By Bhuwan Sharma

KATHMANDU, Mar 9 (Asia Media Forum) - The climate of fear that has been growing in this Himalayan country since the murder of two media entrepreneurs and other attacks on journalists may well push them to turn to more self-censorship.

Young Indian women are taking to journalism in droves, but Ammu Joseph, author of several authoritative books on women in media, believes that these numbers do not necessarily translate into gender awareness. IPS Asia-Pacific's Ranjit Devraj interviews Ammu Joseph, Indian journalist, author and media watcher.

  By Baradan Kuppusamy

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 24 (Asia Media Forum) — The confiscation and banning of books by Malaysian authorities is sending alarm bells ringing among activists, who want the repeal of laws that the government is using to suppress freedom of expression.

 By Lynette Lee Corporal

MANILA, Feb 18 (Asia Media Forum) – Festive days are here again in the Philippine political scene as 10 presidential candidates – ranging from the son of a former president to an environmentalist, a Christian minister and a former actor – battle it out for the voters’ ‘yes’ come May 10.

By Kafil Yamin

JAKARTA, Feb 17, 2010 (IPS) - It is every parent’s worst nightmare in the Internet age – and for Syafei Asyhari, this happened when he found that his 16-year-old daughter, Latifa, fell into the clutches of traffickers she met online as friends.

By Deepak Adhikari     

Publishers and editors of Kantipur Publications in Nepal have been told to stop reporting on the circumstances surrounding the murder on Feb. 7 of Nepali media entrepreneur Jamim Shah, who was assassinated in the Nepali capital, Kathmandu.

By Ashfaq Yusufzai
 
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Feb 12 (Asia Media Forum) — The election of a woman as general secretary of the Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) — the first ever in the male-dominated Pakhtun society— may well encourage more women to enter journalism.

   On Jan. 30, Aneela Shaheen was elected as the first female general secretary of the 320-member journalists’ organisation based in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) capital of Peshawar.