Friday, December 26, 2003
Friday, December 19, 2003
Thursday, December 18, 2003
Tuesday, December 16, 2003
Monday, December 15, 2003
Friday, December 12, 2003
Thursday, December 11, 2003
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Sunday, December 07, 2003
Saturday, December 06, 2003
Friday, December 05, 2003
heraldsun.com: N. Africa, Europe Leaders to Hold Summit
heraldsun.com: N. Africa, Europe Leaders to Hold Summit: "Secretary of State Colin Powell swung through the region, using the occasion to press Algeria and Tunisia to step up political and economic reforms and lift restrictions on press freedom. He also visited Morocco."
Tuesday, December 02, 2003
Saturday, November 29, 2003
Friday, November 28, 2003
Tuesday, November 25, 2003
Syria - a motorized internet cafe
The Christian Science Monitor reports here on a mobile internet cafe now traveling to remote parts of Syria.
Saturday, November 22, 2003
Thursday, November 20, 2003
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Monday, November 17, 2003
Saturday, November 15, 2003
Friday, November 14, 2003
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
Tuesday, November 11, 2003
Monday, November 10, 2003
Saturday, November 08, 2003
Friday, November 07, 2003
Thursday, November 06, 2003
Wednesday, November 05, 2003
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
Monday, October 27, 2003
Friday, October 24, 2003
Thursday, October 23, 2003
Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Monday, October 20, 2003
Friday, October 17, 2003
Tuesday, October 14, 2003
Sunday, October 12, 2003
Sunday, October 05, 2003
Friday, October 03, 2003
Thursday, October 02, 2003
Spanish Book Publishing
"Publishing houses release bumper crop of titles in 2002
El Pais Spain | STAFF REPORTER
Madrid Confounding their own expectations of an imminent dip in activity, Spanish publishing houses last year increased the number of titles in production to an unprecedented total of 69,893 works, new figures from the Education and Culture Ministry revealed on Wednesday at the Líber book fair in Madrid.
© 2003 El Pais"
El Pais Spain | STAFF REPORTER
Madrid Confounding their own expectations of an imminent dip in activity, Spanish publishing houses last year increased the number of titles in production to an unprecedented total of 69,893 works, new figures from the Education and Culture Ministry revealed on Wednesday at the Líber book fair in Madrid.
© 2003 El Pais"
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Sunday, September 28, 2003
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Friday, September 26, 2003
Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
Monday, September 22, 2003
Sunday, September 21, 2003
Saturday, September 20, 2003
Friday, September 19, 2003
Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Friday, September 12, 2003
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Monday, September 08, 2003
Saturday, September 06, 2003
Sunday, August 31, 2003
Turkish Media Organizations
Here is a list of Turkish Media Organizations. This appears to come from the Turkish Prime Minister's Office which can be accessed here.
French Language Newspapers
We will start here a list of all the French language newspapers (outside France as there are too many to try to list here, but surely not to be overlooked!) in the MMC countries:
+ Israel - Jerusalem Post French Edition
+ Israel - Jerusalem Post French Edition
Friday, August 29, 2003
Media Safety in the Middle East
Here is a story from the International Journalists' Network about a set of recommendations to improve the safety of reporters and other media people covering the Middle East. This flows from a recent London conference.
Writers in Prison Campaign in North Africa
International Pen launches a campaing 1 Sep 2003 in support of imprisoned writers in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, according to this report from the International Journalists' Network.
US Criticizes Al Arabiya for Threats
According to this report from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the US has criticized Al Arabiya for carrying footage showing threats against Iraq Governing Council.
Israel Restrcits Arabic Words
This apparently was reported by the Australian ABC this month, but I have not found a link yet:
"Israel's state-run TV and radio are mooting a ban on all Arabic words relating to the current crisis in the Middle East after a suicide blast in Jerusalem killed 21 people last weekend. The move would replace internationally recognised Palestinian words such as intifada, meaning the uprising. No decision has yet been taken on whether to delete the words, although the Israeli media has already been told to refer to all Palestinian activists as terrorists, whether they are believed to have carried out an attack or not."
"Israel's state-run TV and radio are mooting a ban on all Arabic words relating to the current crisis in the Middle East after a suicide blast in Jerusalem killed 21 people last weekend. The move would replace internationally recognised Palestinian words such as intifada, meaning the uprising. No decision has yet been taken on whether to delete the words, although the Israeli media has already been told to refer to all Palestinian activists as terrorists, whether they are believed to have carried out an attack or not."
Tunisian Journalist Imprisoned
Abdallah Zouari, a Tunisian journalist was still in prison, and on a hunger strike at the end of August 2003. This is the protest of Reporters Sans Frontieres.
English Language Broadcasting from Israel Radio
This is an opinion piece arguing against what are apparent reductions in English language programming on Israel Radio, from the Jerusalem Post.
Thursday, August 28, 2003
Advertising Festival at EuroDisney, Paris
The International Advertising Festival is scheduled for 2 Sep 2003 at EuroDisney, Paris.
Correio da Manha in Lisbon Launches Redesigned Classifieds Website
Correio da Manha, Lisbon, has redesigned its classified advertising website. To see the new design (in Portuguese), click here.
Arab version of American Idol Earns Money for Mobile Operators
Mobile operators earned some $4 Million USD in revenues from their role in the voting in the "Superstar" competition and broadcast last week, according to a MENA Report story. It was the Arab version of the American Idol program in the United States. The contest was managed, according to MENA, in Lebanon.
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
Metro Refinancing
Metro, the free newspaper company with editions in several Mediterranean countries, has announced a major refinancing. Because of securities law requirements, Metro says on its website that the press release cannot be circulated in the US.
Israeli Comics Festival
Monday, August 25, 2003
Albanian Broadcasting Restricitons
The International Federation of Journalists has criticized (13 Aug 2003) the continuation of a ban by the Albanian Parliament of broadcasting by a satellite news channel. This is the first time in several years that the IFJ has felt it necessary to protest formally against Albania governmental media actions. More information on the situation in Albania, leading up to the 12 Oct 2003 elections is available here from the International Journalists' Network.
Sunday, August 24, 2003
Greek Arrest of Former Russian Media Executive
The Greek government has arrested Vladimir Gusinsky based on an Interpol posting claiming that he is wanted on charges in Russia involving more than 250 million USD in alleged fraud. He is the former head television companies in Russia, and will appear before a Greek prosecutor as part of a process which may lead to his extradition to Russia. This is a report from the Associated Press in Athens. [Update 26 Aug 2003 - Gusinsky is being held in jail; the US is opposing extradition.] [Update 29 Aug 2003 - Gusinsky is to be released on bail on condition he remain in Greece until issue is resolved by Greek courts.]
Saturday, August 23, 2003
Olympic Press Center Nearing Completion in Athens
The press center for the 2004 Olympics in Athens is almost finished according to this report in the Greek daily, Kathimerini.
Friday, August 22, 2003
Algeria Dailies Suspended
The Algerian government suspended 6 or 7 (conflicting reports) dailies 18 August. This acccount is from a paid site. The reason given involves alleged non-payment of bills at the state printing house. The World Association has protested the action in a letter to the President, as this report details. The International Federation of Journalists has also protested, as reported here.
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Newspaper Gender "Gap" in the US
A new report from the International Newspaper Marketing Association in the US about the "gap" between newspapers and women customers.
Telecommunications Competition and Job Creation in the Mediterranean Region
Wednesday, August 13, 2003
Revived Radio in Ramallah
According to the InterPressService, a radio station, the Voice of Peace, that ended its broadcasts from a ship offshore in 1993, will resume broadcasting from Ramallah. It will broadcast, according to the IPS story, 24 hours a day in Hebrew and Arabic.
Sunday, August 10, 2003
NewspaperDirect
This is a US-based company that delivers full copies of printed newspapers to printers around the world. Here is a list of the countries from which they offer newspapers, including many from countries around the Mediterranean basin.
Jerusalem Post Strategy
This is a comprehensive review of the Jerusalem Post's business development strategy, especially in the internet, from the American Press Institute.
Saturday, August 02, 2003
Economist Publishes Letter to Italy's Berlusconi
The Economist magazine has published an open letter to Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi seeking answers to a series of questions relating to the sale of an Italian company. These questions, says the Economist, will not be asked of the Prime Minister because of new Italian law granting immunity to Berlusconi. Here is an article from the EU Observer reporting the Economist move and this is the Economist letter.
Thursday, July 24, 2003
Syrian Newspaper No Longer Published
The Light Holder newspaper is no longer published in Syria, according to this story in the New York Times. [Access to the article requires free registration at the New York Times website for a short time and then it becomes available only in the archive.] According to the report, the publisher, Ali Firzat, says he was unable to find a timely printer for his newspaper after publishing a cartoon interpreted to be critical of Saddam Hussein.
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
Basque Newspaper Closure Extended by Spain and Protested by Reporters Sans Frontieres
A Spanish judge, according to the French organizatoin Reporters Sans Frontieres(RSF), has extended (21 July 2003) the closure of the Basque-language newspaper Euskaldunon Egunkaria for six additional months. This is the RSF report.
Tuesday, July 22, 2003
New Italian Law Brings Resignation of Public Broadcasting Chief
The chairman of RAI Television, the state-owned Italian public broadcasting network, has announced her resignation because of a new law that allows Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi to increase his control of Italian media. Lucia Annunziata, who chairs the RAI board, will resign as soon as the Berlusconi government enacts promised changes in Italian law, including the abolition of the board before the end of February 2004. Associated Press report.
Tunisian "cyber" Dissident
This is a 17 July 2003 update, in French, on the case of Zouhair Yahyaoui, who is appealing, so far unsuccessfully, his conviction (in 2002) and imprisonment for two years for disseminating "false" information and "fraudulent" use of an internet connection. Reporters Sans Frontieres, author of this report and located in Paris, is asking for a Presidential pardon.
Sunday, July 20, 2003
French Journalism School Saved from Bankruptcy
The highly-regarded Centre de formation et de perfectionnement des journalistes (CFPJ) - French journalism school in Paris - has been "purchased" in a French bankrputcy court for the sum of 200,000 Euros. This article (in French) from Le Figaro newspaper (18 July 2003) reports what happened. The acquiring company is Formation Enterprise (EFE). More information about that company (also in French) is available here.
Saturday, July 19, 2003
World Association of Newspapers Plans Conference in Monaco for November, 2003
The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) is organizing a conference on new idea and trends in newspapers for 27-28 November 2003 in Monaco. The association promises 15 different newspaper presentations drawn from the Meditterranean and other regions of the world, with "over" 200 newspaper executives participating. Full details are available here.
Italian Journalist Provided Document to US Embassy on Iraq and African Uranium
According to this report from the Associated Press, the Italian daily, Corriere della Sera, has published an interview with a Panorama (newsweekly) correspondent who says that she provided documents to the US embassy prior to President Bush's 2003 State of the Union address. The documents appear to have been proven to be forgeries.
The MMC will look at issues such as:
+ How often do journalists in MMC countries provide documents to other governments? To their own governments? On what basis?
The MMC will look at issues such as:
+ How often do journalists in MMC countries provide documents to other governments? To their own governments? On what basis?
Friday, July 18, 2003
Fine Imposed on French Internet Service
The European Union has fined Wanadoo for predatory pricing of its high speed internet service. This article from the Independent provides more information.
Thursday, July 17, 2003
Online Publishers Association Europe
This is new website of the Online Publishers Association Europe, whose creation was announced in March 2003. Note that a large number of the initial members are from Mediterranean basin countries.
Committee to Protect Journalists Protests Press Freedom Restrictions in Morocco
Here is the text of a letter dated 16 July 2003 sent to King Mohanned VI, protesting a number of alleged press freedom violations in Morocco. The letter is signed by the Executive Director of the Committee to Protect Journalists in New York.
Tuesday, July 15, 2003
European Spam
The European Union is holding a press conference today to discuss the new anti-spam law that will take effect in October, as the International Herald Tribune reports today. Because of the global reach of the Internet, there is considerable concern that this legislation will only reduce the amount of unrequested commerical e-mail if the rest of the world cooperates in similar fashion.
The MMC will look at the ways in which "spam" has developed from and directed to addressed in the Mediterranean basin:
+ Is this affecting media operations? How?
+ What legislation has been enacted or is under consideration in the other Mediterranean countries?
The MMC will look at the ways in which "spam" has developed from and directed to addressed in the Mediterranean basin:
+ Is this affecting media operations? How?
+ What legislation has been enacted or is under consideration in the other Mediterranean countries?
Lebanon Cable Television
A court has fined 41 people a total of $317,000 (USD?) for unlawfully retransmitting satellite television programming via cable. This is the first judgment of its kind in Lebanon, according the Daily Star, and the full text of the court opinion will be published in Lebanese newspapers.
Monday, July 14, 2003
Sunday, July 13, 2003
Internet Service Providers
A report (10 Jul 2003) from the firm IDC (a market analysis firm) says that Internet Service Providers in North Africa and the Middle East receive only 49% of revenues from the provision of their services, with 51% going to the local telecommunications companies. IDC finds that there are nearly one milion internet access connections in area covered by the report (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Syria, and Tunisia).
Institut Theseus
Among the organizations participating in the initial development of the MMC is the Institut Theseus in Sophia Antipolis, France. Major elements of the MMC activities are expected to be based at Theseus. Working closely with MMC will be Ahmet Aykac, the Theseus director.
Weblogs
One of the issues that the MMC will address is the role of "weblogs" of "blogs" around the Mediterranean basin.
We will ask these questions:
+ Are existing media making use of blogs? If so, how?
+ To what extent are blogs developing independent of existing media? What role are the playing?
+ From the standpoint of people accessing these blogs, what are the benefits being derived?
+ Are any blogs generating revenue?
We will ask these questions:
+ Are existing media making use of blogs? If so, how?
+ To what extent are blogs developing independent of existing media? What role are the playing?
+ From the standpoint of people accessing these blogs, what are the benefits being derived?
+ Are any blogs generating revenue?
Introducing the Mediterranean Media Center (MMC)
The Mediterranean basin is blessed with much sun and many media. The Mediterranean Media Center(MMC), for the first time, will provide a means by which the many different media in all of the countries bordering on the Medterranen can interact to improve their success.
The MMC is in formation and will be located in Nice, France, a central location permitting access to all countries in the basin.
There will be a planning meeting in September 2003 out of which may come plans for the first activities of the center.
In the meantime, anyone interested may contact Terry Maguire at tmaguire@newspaper.com or in Nice at [33] (0)4.93.89.45.14.
The MMC is in formation and will be located in Nice, France, a central location permitting access to all countries in the basin.
There will be a planning meeting in September 2003 out of which may come plans for the first activities of the center.
In the meantime, anyone interested may contact Terry Maguire at tmaguire@newspaper.com or in Nice at [33] (0)4.93.89.45.14.
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