Global Media News

A Rich History and A Promising Future in South Korean Media

Media has had an important role in South Korea long before it became its own country in 1948. Throughout numerous periods of unrest and unconsolidation, the media market in Korea (before the seperation of North and South) always upheld and nationalist and independent tradition. According to a report by countrystudies.us:

   "Many Korean journalists established a tradition of remaining independent. They were often critical of the government, zealously protesting any attempts at press censorship."

Media practices in South Korea have gone through many significant changes to become the dignified press that it is today. Modern media in Korea began in the late 19th century during the late stages of the Joseon Dynasty as journalists objected to Koreas isolationist dependence on China.  The most important reformation came during the Japanese annexation of Korea in 1910, where the Japanese governer general assumed direct control of the press. It was the immense censorship of Koren publications that sparked the 1919 uprising known as the March 1st Movement, which was one of the earliest displays of resistance to Japanese rule. As a result, the Japanese government loosened their restrictions of the press. Many privately owned newspapers continued to adress issues of censorship and government control in their dailies. As reported by pressreference.com:

"Enlightening the public was the primary objective of the press. When Japan colonized Korea in 1910, privately owned dailies began to play the role of educators and independence fighters."

During World War II, all Korean publications were outlawed until Japans defeat and the U.S.'s occupation of the country in 1945. It was in 1948 that Korea had been split into two distinct countries, North and South. North Korea kept the tradition of state controlled media (under Russian influence), while South Korea constantly fought authoritarian powers trying to gain control of the press. From the day the country was granted independence up until the 1990's, authoritarian dictators attempted (many successful) to quiet the mouths of Korean journalists. This, however, did not stop them.

Today, the Korean press is among the most distinguished in the world. There are over 100 national newspapers including 2 english speaking newspapers, The Korea Times and The Korea Herald. The top 3 national newspapers have a circulation of 2 million people each. The television market has expanded greatly with the introduction of satellite broadcasting, and the percentage of internet users surpasses many other countries. It's the traditional ideology of South Korean media that has made the country a pioneer in that region for technology and the spreading of information.

China- Media Under Tight Communist Control

    China is a country with great cultural history that stretches back nearly 4,000 years.  It is also the most populous country in the world with a reported 1.35 billion people in 2010.   Under Mao Zedong, after World War II, the Communists established an autocratic socialist system that imposed strict controls over everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people while ensuring China's sovereignty.

    China has the largest media market in the world but Chinese media is strictly controlled by the government.  It also has the largest online population in the world with 389 million users reported in 2009 by CIA World Factbook.  There are more than 2,000 newspapers in China.  Each city has its own newspaper and their is also the local Communist daily.  In China TV is a popular means to getting news but it is under strict government control.  The state run Chinese Central TV (CCTV) offers around 2,100 channels. 

China has a branch of their government known as The Propaganda Department which closely monitors the media in China.

Social Networking in China

    Many people know that China's population is much higher than the United States.  Consistent with the amount of people, the use of social networking is also used is enormous amounts.  There are 221 million blogs and 176 million social network users.  Many people think that China uses Facebook just like us in the United States, but the fact of the matter is that Facebook is actually blocked in China.  They actually use their own social network that is called Qzone which was actually built by Tencent.

    Many people wonder what Chinese people do when they sit down at their house and log onto the internet.  What people probably don't want to hear is that it is basically the same exact thing we do when we sign on in the United States.  Millions of people watch online videos, listen to online music, talk to friends on a type of instant messaging system, and even play online video games.  The difference between the United States and China's online users is that the United States only has about 21% of the people creating original content and not just web surfing on other people site, while China has and astounding 40% create new content which mostly have to do with advertisements for new ideas.

    The top 3 social networks in China are used on a daily occasion just like ours, but not all of them have to do with just socially interacting with friends.  There is one similar which is called RenRen.com.  This site was actually named Xainei (which means "on campus") until is was changed in August of 2009 to RenRen.com (which means "everybody").  This is the most popular of the 3 most used social networks in China.

    The next most popular social network was focused on users that are considered white collar middle class.  The name of this site is called Kaixin001.  This is a website that is used for business, mostly multinational business, to share products.  Everyone knows how China makes a million different products throughout the world, and this is one of the sites that those companies used to share their product to other countries very quickly.

   The 3rd most popular social network in China is 51.com.  This is used for people who live in "lower tier cities".  Each of these 3 social networks seem to fit into their own niche.  The mainstream RenRen, the most prestigious Kaixin001, and the populist 51.com.

North Korea Censorship

    North Korea is one of the world's most censored nations. The North Korean government works hard to make sure no outside information gets into North Korea.  The three main components that the government control are TV, Radio and Internet. Tv and Radios can not be tuned into anything but offical programming. There is a small amount of televisions and radios in private households. According to Countrystudies.us,

"Only some 10 percent of the radios and 30 percent of the televisions are in private househoulds" 

 Televisions and radios are preset to only get government frequencies. According to countrystudies.us ,

"As of mid- 1993 there were eleven tv stations, approximately two dozen AM stations and ten FM stations, eight domestic shortwave stations, and a powerful international shortwave station."

The broadcasters on TV and radio are only allowed to bring reports of how great Kim Jong-il is. Hardships and other problems are never reported. According to the BBC,

 "Press outlets and broadcasters - all of them under direct state control - serve up a menu of flattering reports about Kim Jong-il and his daily agenda. North Korea's economic hardships or famines are not reported."

    They are sealed with a label so no tampering may happen with the equipment. According to the BBC,

 "Radio and TV sets in North Korea are pre tuned to government stations that pump out a steady stream of propaganda. The state has been dubbed the world's worst violator of press freedom by the media rights body Reporters Without Boarders".

 It is a serious crime to remove the label and also to manipulate the tv or radio sets to recieve other broadcasts. It is punishable by law in North Korea. One of the punishments for listening to forgien broadcasts is forced labour. According to the BBC,

" Ordinary North Koreans caught listening to foreign broadcasts risk harsh punishments, such as forced labour".

 It is not possible to view broadcasts between North and South Korea.  North Korea also has little to no internet usage. Internet access is really rare. Any content that is shown on the internet is monitored by the authorities. According to the BBC,

"North Korea is one of RSF's Enemies of the Internet".
 

 

 
 

 

Tunisia's Death Toll Rising Quickly

Right now in Tunisia, a country in North Africa has taken charge, or so it seems. The people of this county have decided to fight back with protest and strength. President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali was driven out of the country on January 14^th he was forced to leave Tunisia, the county he ruled over for more than twenty three years. Promises were made and broken to the people one two many times, now they demanded to be heard.

 As soon as the protests and strikes began many people were injured in there fight against corruption. The first count was as many as twenty three people dead but the toll is rising every day. With bullets and tear gas being fired at strikers, fighting for there right for freedom, who knows when the count will end.

  It is now not only a matter of what papers want to publish, but of what technology will allow. Through modern technologies the world now sees and hears about a different side of what is happening in North America. Many have been texting, twittering, and filming feed of these attacks on protesters. One man has taken video of a protester,

“Mr. Bettahar, a computer science lecturer in France, had been visiting his mother. A Tunisian teacher has said he has posted on the internet a video showing Mr. Bettahar lying in a pool of blood after being shot."

   The likely hood of this mans death being captured on film and shown to the world would not have been possible if it had not been for different media outlets. As of right now the death toll has been increased to 219 people, but that is not counting the somewhat 510 people that have been hurt due to protests.

South Korea: World's Fastest Internet

South Korea, once poorer than communist North Korea, now has the world’s 13^th largest economy. 

South Korea is at the leading edge of the digital revolution. It is a trailblazer for high-speed and wireless internet. Nearly 37.5 million out of a total population of 48 million were online by June 2009. The country is a pioneer of TV via mobile devices and the internet. Online gaming is a national passion.

Last week the New York Times stated that by the end of 2012,, South Korea intends to connect to connect every home in the country to the Internet at one gigabit per second. That would be a tenfold increase from its present standard and 200 times as fast as the average household setup in the United States. In a pilot program there in five cities, each customer pays less than $27 per month.

Their average Internet connections are far faster than even number 2 Hong Kong and number 3, Japan, according the Internet analyst Akamai Technologies.

South Koreans presently pay an average of $38 a month for connections of 100 magabits a second, while Americans pay an average of $46 for service that is much slower. President Obama referred to their greater ability in his State of the Union address last month.

The idea of the gigabit Internet is not a new one. Hong Kong and Japan offer gigabit service and Australia has a plan in the works for 2018. Google is drafting pilot programs and Chattanooga, Tenn. Has started a citywide gigabit service, but the staggering price is $350 per month.

Private South Korean firms, notably KT (the former Korea Telecom), SK Telecom and the cable provider CJ Hellovision are the principal participants in the gigabit project.

SK Communications, the internet company that that operates Cyworld has long been claiming credit for providing the blueprint for global services like Facebook and My Space.

Last November, the Korea Times published an article describing how Cyworld, South Korea's social networking kingpin was being invaded by popular foreign services like Facebook and Twitter.

Established in 1999, Cyworld provided the social networking industry in Korea with one of its mega-success stories, exploiting the digital-camera boom and demand for personal web pages to grow into a business that now boasts 25 million users.

In a related blog at that time, "On The Path To Revival", it is claimed that social networks have considerably revolutionized the Internet usage patterns, with some studies estimating that users now spend more time on social networks than on search engines.

South Korea TV soaps are popular across the region, including in China. They are part of the "Korean Wave" - the export of South Korean popular culture across Asia. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) noted in 2010 that South Korea is one of the few Asian nations where there is real news pluralism.

A global leader in science and technology, South Korea has a strong focus on education, with the world's highest estimated national IQ and ranked first in mathematics, science, problem solving and reading by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

 

Even as Korea aims for greater, faster connectivity, Internet addiction is already a worrisome social issue here.

Global Media News from Russia: Our Fourth Webcast

 
Marlon Morgan and GMN producer Bernadette Rushing webcasting from Studio A.

Click to Listen: Media in Russia & Eastern Europe

 On Russian Media since the fall of the Soviet Union:

• Freedom of expression & censorship:  Are journalists risking arrrest in Russia?
• Belarus: A theater group fights for free expression with texts and Twitter   
• Growth of media corporations and markets 
• Internet access in Russia & Eastern Europe
• Social media in Russia & Eastern Europe

Next Week:  Japanese & Korean Media: 

Thursday, March 3 @ 11am:

• South Korean media: What's new in Seoul? 
• North Korean censorship & the new media
• Newspapers, the Internet & Japanese government
• The sumo SMS scandal: Texting in Japan
• Cellphone novels?  Could you write a best-selling novel on your cell-phone?  
• Old Media vs. New Media in Japan:
• The Japanese media & pornography

Listen to our webcast streaming live every Thursday @ 11am EST.

Can't listen live?   

Our webcast will be posted by 1:00pm, Thursday, March 3.

Sumo wrestlers fixing matches via Texting.

 
    A text message from one opponent to the other the day before their match is being reviewed by local authorities in Japan for fear of "rigging " the match between the two athletes.  It is one of the many pieces of evidence flowing in to both the Wrestling Fedration and the police jeopardizing the time-honored sport in the eyes of both the pure fanatics and the long - standing followers of their beloved sport.

“Please hit hard at the face-off, then go with the flow,” one of the wrestlers, Kiyoseumi, texted on the afternoon of May 10, according to a transcript of the messages leaked to local news media and published this week by the daily newspaper Mainichi.

“Understood,” Kasuganishiki, his opponent in the following day’s match, quickly replied. “I’ll go with the flow and put up at least a little resistance."

Stage-managed bouts may be a staple of American professional wrestling, but sumo is Japan’s national sport, in a different league from World Wrestling Entertainment, many Japanese would say. Though allegations of match-fixing have accompanied sumo for decades, no wrestler has ever been caught orchestrating a match.

The police recently found text messages on confiscated cellphones that link as many as 13 wrestlers in match-fixing schemes, Japan’s sumo association said this week. Two wrestlers and a coach have admitted to fixing bouts.

Earlier this week, two television networks said they were withdrawing their sponsorship of competitions before the next major tournament in March. Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, indicated that it might cancel live coverage of that tournament.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said he, too, was angered by the scandal. “If it is true, it is a very serious betrayal of the people,” Mr. Kan saidhttp://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/k/naoto_kan/index.html?inline=nyt-per.

 

The scandal has outraged a public that considers sumo — which traces its origins to rituals of Japan’s indigenous religion of Shinto — a venerable tradition. Wrestlers, their hair in samurai-style topknots, have been seen not just as athletes, but as upholders of a stoic work ethic and noble public behavior.

“I don’t think the nation would support the tournament unless serious action is taken,” Kan Suzuki, the deputy education and sports minister, said Thursday. The sumo association said it had begun its own investigation.

"But some sumo fans said match-fixing was all part of the game. “It’s been going on from the old days,” Shintaro Ishihara, 78, Tokyo’s governor, told reporters Friday. “We should just let them trick us into enjoying it,” he said, adding, “It’s just like Kabuki theater.”

Some of the government officials are wondering what long-term effects this will have on this traditional sporting venue of not only the public, but what it will also do to as a source of income for the government, advertising and television broadcasts.

It seems as though the athletes are exchanging losses for money and even sometimes bartering for their next bout.  " I'll lose this one, you get the next."  I would suggest settling this in the ring, but we know what the outcome would be.  Or would we?

Russia and Eastern Europe: A Brief History

    

    Eastern Europe is a region that encompasses many different countries, cultures, languages and histories.  The largest country is Russia.  The rest of eastern Europe is made up of: Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Moldova, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Belarus, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia.  These countries were once known as the U.S.S.R.-the United Soviet Socialist Republic-which was formed soon after Vladimir Lenin seized power in 1917. 

Russian Media Corporations: The History

During the post-Soviet times, mass media developed tremendously in Russia. the nineties was truly an influential time for the formation of media. Between 1986-1990 the new Russia began to take formation and much of its propaganda was controlled by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union(CPSU). According to Dr. Ivan Zassoursky, Freedom of speech was highly promoted during those times.

"The freedom of speech was promoted vigorously throughout the country and even Jurgen Habermas who paid a visit to Moscow in the late eighties was impressed enough to recognize the contours of public sphere and opportunities for true democracy, opened up by the CPSU policy."

By 1992-1993, economic issues had created problems for the mass media. A debate sought out between president at the time Boris Yeltsin and the parliament. Yeltsin wanted to establish protection over the mass media and allow people to have their rights of liberty. The Post-Soviet Media & Law Policy Newsletter states:

"Citing its authority under the 1991 Law on Mass Media, Yeltsin’s Ministry of Press and Information, early in the campaign, initiated court action to close down two opposition newspapers, Sovetskaya Rosssia (Soviet Russia), and Den (The Day), on the grounds that they were abusing that law by fomenting inter-ethnic conflict and violence against the state."

Russian media censorship has been dictated for so long. A country that practiced freedom of speech and press so dilligantly, many asks where is it now? With news stations like Russian Televion or RT, that has spread from Russia throughout the rest of the world, and showcases diverse news coverage, maybe freedom of press still exists.