Wednesday, October 31, 2007

"Classroom of the Future Is Virtually Anywhere" - New York Times

Would this apply to future classes relating to the media of the Mediterranean? And, why not, classes offered BY the media of the Mediterranean? Witness what the Washington Post Co. has done with its Kaplan education subsidiary, earning more money for the company than does the Washington Post newspaper.

"Spain to demolish illegal coastal homes" - Reuters

Are other Mediterranean countries doing the same thing?

"EU Agenda: Euro-Mediterranean Partnership meeting" - EUX.tv

The Mediterranean Union idea makes a lot more sense.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Monday, October 29, 2007

"Sarkozy Touts 'Mediterranean Union' Plan" - Business Week

The Mediterranean Union plan seems to be gaining momentum.

"Greece to host 2013 Mediterranean Games"

This event offers up huge oppportunities for the media of the region to work together.

"Whale sanctuary is threatened by gas terminal plan" - Independent

Issues like this could benefit from an airing in the media of the whole Mediterranean. Those whales can swim almost anywhere if they choose to do so.

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Dessins pour la Paix

There is a great opoortunity to do much more of this sort of thing through the MMC.

Friday, October 26, 2007

"La Méditerranée de l’intelligence" - MEDINNOV

This is an important conference, another of those demonstrating how much there is to be gained from uniting all of the pieces of the Mediterranean basin.

"Journalist Sentenced to Jail" - Arab Reform Bulletin

A Moroccan reporter goes to jail with seven month sentence.

"Tunisia: Pressure on Newspaper" - Arab Reform Bulletin

Newspaper evicted from its offices.

"Syria: Blogger Sentenced" - Arab Reform Bulletin

Another blogger sent to jail.

"Media and Human Rights Crackdown" - Arab Reform Bulletin

Newspapers in Egypt stage strike.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

"Israel Broadcasting Authority urged to improve Arabic programming" - European Journalism Centre

This is a challenge faced by media everywhere, but it is more contentious in some places. Around the Mediterranean almost every country can divide up its population into a number of different groups. Serving as many of them as possible is good policy and for those for whom it makes a difference, goo business.

"Proposed blogging law outrages Italian netizens" - European Journalism Centre

My first reaction to this is to wonder why anyone should have to go through a registration process.

"E.U. report to criticize Turkey" - New York Times

Note the reference to the need for Turkey to improve is freedom of expression protections.

"EU Tries to Establish Mediterranean Free Trade Zone, Meets Fierce Opposition" - Associated Content

Such an important subject demands analysis from the perspective of each country around the Mediterranean basin. The media of each ought to be the ones to give this an independent review.

"Neutrino detector reveals deep ocean life - deep-sea" - New Scientist Environment

What an interesting project! It ought to be of great interest to people all around the Mediterranean and, above all, to all of the region's media.

"Sarkozy's proposal for Mediterranean Union leaves questions unanswered" - International Herald Tribune

This all looks like a very sound approach and a great opportunity for the media to use this initiative as a way to get themselves together for mutual benefit in the Mediterranean Media Center.

"Coast Day - the new coastal initiative"

This looks to be a very good initiative about which we have so far heard very little. What a great opportunity it presents for media cooperation. It is strange, though, not to find either France or Spain on this list, especially with the SARKOZY initiative for a Mediterranean Union....see next post.

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

"Ankara interdit la diffusion de programmes "négatifs" sur une attaque du PKK" - TV5.org

It's hard to imagine how this action can be defended in a country that says it values freedom of expression. What could be more important today in Turkey than two things - the PKK challenge and the need for people to be fully informed about all events relating to the PKK?

"French president, in Morocco, champions his bid for a Mediterranean union" - International Herald Tribune

President SARKOZY gives every indicaiton of being very serious about advancing this proposal to bring the Mediterranean together in a Mediterranean Union.

"Mr Speaker meets Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean secretary general" - The Malta Independent

Another advancing Mediterrranean institution.

"Le procès du journaliste égyptien Ibrahim Eissa s'ouvre au Caire" - Le Monde

The Mediterranean Media Center intends to follow this and other legal cases in the region affecting journalists and the media. What happens in Egypt - as would be the case in any other Mediterranean country - is important for all the rest. Media freedom restricted or advance in on country affects those rights, at least by example, in all the others.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

"Appel solennel de Nicolas Sarkozy à l'"Union de la Méditerranée"" - Le Monde

The concept of bringing the Mediterranean together continues to push forward.