Media

On 25th of July, a “Support Cantonese Crowd Action” has taken place in in Guangzhou Jiangnanxi subway. Although it was officially classified as “unlawful assembly” and "Ying Ye", the 18-year-old founder, was brought to “drink tea” (by the Mainland police) twice, it did not prevent the Guangzhou people from supporting Cantonese. There were more than 2000 participants joined that action.

(Editor: Citizens Radio has been sued by Hong Kong government as an “illegal-licensed ” radio station. The writer of this article has been a volunteer at the illegal citizen radio and helped broadcasting the June 4 candle night vigil for the past 5 years. This year, the writer found that Hong Kong not only has “One Country Two System”, but also has “One Frequency Three Channels”. The Citizens Radio was intervened by some “third-party forces” during vigil. Writer worried this might be instructed by the Chinese government as one of the channel is a mainland one. The article recorded what happened in that evening.)

“As before, I was a helper of Citizens Radio during June 4 Anniversary. Citizens Radio aims at the opening of airwaves and has insisted for 5 years. This year, many web-radios formed a web-radio union and broadcasted the event with us lively.

Translator's note: The following article is written by Beida Professor Hu Yong in Southern Metropolis Daily 2010-06-01.

Abstract: China's emerging media market analyst Sage Brennan said, "With the popularity of blog and online game, it is easy to overlook the fact that the BBS network is the real active centre of China’s internet culture. For various reasons, BBS network continues to grow with increasing dynamic. Many network companies, University campus, and even a large number individuals, have already established their BBS community. "

(Editor Note: The excerpt below is from an article published in inmediahk.net (in Chinese) about the struggle for free speech space in Macau. On the one hand, professional media worker are calling for reform of the mainstream media, such as the Teledifusao de Macau S.A (TDM) - a Public broadcast service funded 100% by the Macau government but with no public accountability. In fact, the mainstream media, TV as well as newspapers, in Macau have suffered from serious self-censorship because of government funding and "harmonious political environment. The call for reform is an attempt to increase public accountability in conventional media. However, the writer of this article is not confident about the reform, as the Macau government continues to impose stricter control over the old and new media. The most recent move is the government's plan to amend the "Publishing Law" and the "Audio-Visual Broadcasting Act". Many believe that the government's move is to impose censorship on the Internet, the most influential public sphere in Macau.)

Hong Kong In-Media: Submission to Legislative Council Subcommittee Panel on Information Technology and Broadcasting

Introduction:

Hong Kong In-Media strongly believes that Public Broadcasting should be independent to ensure the freedom of speech and expression in Hong Kong. The recommendations put forward by Government in the "Future operation of the Radio Television of Hong Kong (RTHK) and new RTHK Charter" has ignored the fundamental suggestion put forward by the "Committee on Review of Public Service Broadcasting" that a "truly independent public broadcaster should be developed" in Hong Kong. We therefore express our our disappointment and regret towards such misleading consultation.

Hi everyone!!!

As some of you might already know via facebook,MediAct is having a re-opening ceremony in a new space in Sangam-dong at 6:30 pm, May 14, launching MediAct 3.0 with a community of sustainers. IndieSpace is also resuming its activity with an online project in May.

However this does not mean that MediAct and IndieSpace's struggle against KOFIC is over. MediAct filed a lawsuit with IndieForum (two timelines of activities are available on the Act Now to Save Mediact Facebook site).While that legal battle continues, they are trying to start alternative space and activities.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=113045885402941

Editor note: below is a translation of Beijing News' interview with Hu Yong, a Beijing University Professor, on the potential of micro-blogging in political engagement in China.

The potential of Microblogging to become a milestone

If the BBS was the first milestone, then microblogging certainly has the potential to become the second. The meaning behind the microblog becoming a milestone, is in the way it spreads information.

BJ News: You have long been concerned about the development of the Internet; how do you view this emerging microblogging communication tool?

Just received an email from MediACT about the regression in democracy under the Lee Myung-bak regime, in particular the Grand National Party's (GNP) and conservative newspapers' attempt to take-over of public broadcasting and the replacement of major broadcasting networks' executives with pro-government figure. MediACT, South Korea’s first public media center, has become one of the victims of the regression, as the Korean Film Council has decided to dismantle the media center and force its staff to resign as of February 1. To support SaveMediact petition, please visit petition online.

Hong Kong's media self-censorship has suddenly become the talk of the town in this summer.

This year is the 20th anniversary of the June 4 massacre, the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement, which is an incident enormously changing the political path of Hong Kong and Mainland China. It is natural for many local media to widely cover this issue, particularly after some pro-Beijing figures came out to defend the repression of student movement. Yet the largest local TV station, Television Broadcast Limited Hong Kong (TVB), is an exception. Some netizens accused it of down-playing all related issues in its daily news report and program.