Monday, December 10, 2007

WAN - Arab Press Forum Protests Against Travel Restrictions

Author Q&A - WSJ.com

Greek strike to cripple flights, services Dec. 12 | Reuters

Greece joins Italy and France with strikes shutting down public services for at least a day in recent weeks. What other Mediterranean countries are experiencing the same?

Friday, November 30, 2007

Citizen journalism on its way out? - sfnblog

I sure hope the media of the Mediterranean handle this fad better than it has been handled in most other places.

Raising awareness on local environmental issues through TV documentaries: UNESCO-CI

One of the programs we want to organize for the Mediterranean Media Center will focus on the media and the environment of the basin.

First Conference of the World Association of Community Broadcasters for Africa

"Community" radio is an important slice of today's media pie. It will be interesting to see what emerged at this conference dealing with the Mediterranean.

Sub-regional workshop for journalists from Maghreb: UNESCO-CI

This is one of the first journalism-oriented programs I have seen in Libya.

Debating at UNESCO: can mass media help successful integration?: UNESCO-CI

With all of the migration issues confronting the Mediterranean region, it is too bad that more countries of the region were not represented at this meeting.

"UNESCO provides safety training to Palestinian media professionals" - UNESCO

Reporters everywhere - including all around the Mediterranean basin - need to spend more time than ever learning how to protect themselves in the routine course of doing their work.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Greek journalists strike over pension system - sfnblog

IFEX :: Issue of newspaper confiscated for "anti-military" article

IFEX :: Entrepreneur harasses newspaper over critical stories, threatens legal action

IFEX :: Diyarbakir broadcaster harassed over Kurdish-language programming; radio station on trial over song

IFEX :: Military bans print, broadcast coverage of trial of soldiers previously taken hostage by separatist group

IFEX :: Prosecutor drops criminal charges against journalist who wrote about soldiers' dissatisfaction

IFEX :: Mother, supporters of killed student leader acquitted of "praising crime" through battle cry at graveside memorial

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IFEX :: Activist-lawyer receives criminal conviction over references to "Kurdistan"

IFEX :: SEEMO condemns recent attacks on media outlets, journalists

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'Golden Whip' for best Egypt torture video - METimes.com

Saturday, November 03, 2007

"Web use expands in Western Europe" - FIPP

Note especially the numbers for France, Italy and Spain in the Mediterranean.

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.

Saturday, September 08, 2007

NPR : Western Influences Disrupt Mediterranean Diet

There is a lot more that the media of the Mediterranean could do to follow this and related stories for the people of the region and for the rest of us.

Saturday, September 01, 2007

NPR : Libya's Revolution Anniversary Marked by Reform

There's a mention here of new non-government newspapers in Libya, launchd this summer. No further details.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

NPR : Parched Spanish Coast Taps Sea Water for Development

Wouldn't it be valuable to organize a Mediterranean conference on the media and coastal development? It would be an opportunity to hear from experts on all sides, from government, from non-governmental organizations, scientists, business people, etc. and a chance for reporters and those running media organizations to gain a better understanding of this important Mediterranean issue.