Global Media News

Terrace House - Netflix's Unknown Phenomenon

Much has been written about American reality television programming, from its usage of artificially created drama to its unrealistic depictions of basic human interactions. Japan's answer to American television has always been drastically different - point and case, anime - but their idea of reality television has taken the western world by storm. The 2015 reboot of Fuji Television's Terrace House has become one of the most talked about shows on the air, and yet, every reviewer who covers it openly admits how boring it is. But is that not where it succeeds?

Terrace House is a program in Japan that is essentially their version of Big Brother,  only molded through traditional Japanese morals and ethics. While American audiences are used to overly dramatic and not overtly positive content from reality television (i.e. The Bachelor and Jersey Shore), Terrace House directly reflects the mindset of Japanese youths as they were raised. As a result, it tends to be a bit of a culture shock to non-Japanese audiences, who are confused yet intrigued by the lack of obvious drama (meaning: no one punches anyone out after an ill advised amount of alcohol consumption).

Terrace House is, in a nutshell, what reality television was meant to be before it got out of hand. Early examples of reality television were game shows, such as The Newlyweds, The Price is Right, and The Weakest Link. Only later did the modern concept of reality television begin to emerge, with shows like Real People and The Joy of Painting depicting a truly unaltered vision of reality. Terrace House is of that mentality, so the show is six Japanese youths sharing a home together, all with the intent of finding a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Decider's Cody Shmitz said in his piece on Terrace House, "The difference between the relaxed atmosphere of Terrace House and the calculated debauchery of Jersey Shore has a lot to do with subject material. The former is about six young adults who attempt to live together in harmony. The latter is about eight adult children who party and occasionally punch each other." Shmitz then breaks down the cultural differences displayed in Terrace House for easier understanding, In terms of touch, he notes in the very first episode, "As each new housemate is introduced to the group, the rest of the cast members stay sitting and don’t give a welcoming embrace. Some give a handshake." While this may seem jarring and even rude to American audiences, it's actually completely accurate. The played-up greetings on American shows like The Bachelor are a non-factor in Japanese culture, as it is extremely formal.

Britain's Newstatesman published an article by Anna Leszkiewicz contained a passage summing up her view: "... the people chosen are young, beautiful, straight and single. But the small group of six can come and go as they please. They don’t give up their jobs or hobbies, or friends and family. They use their phones. And most strangely of all, they’re all nice, normal people." Generally, everyone notes how issues like conflicting choices for dinner, two of the boys liking the same girl, and even relationship initiations are handled in an unexpected way: like adults. The teens meet, state the issue, and proceed to solve it rationally through conversation. This is not something seen elsewhere on other countries' reality programming, and it's a bit of a wake up call for many. Could this be the future of reality television happening?

Global Media News Webcast #3: Thursday, September 28, 2017

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• Social Media Campaigning in Iran.
• Nigerian Youth and Social Media.
• Eritrean Journalists: Censored and Jailed.
• Is It Safe for Journalists in Mexico?
• Aussie Clown Panic: Was "IT" just a Movie Promotion?
• Wolf Warrior II Is Leading the Pack in Chinese Film.

Global Media News is a weekly webcast covering media news from around the world.  GMN is a production of  Media Studies students from the SUNY College @ Old Westbury.   We scour the web for news about media, journalism and technology.   

Listen to our next webcast streaming live on Thursday, October  5, 2017 @ 10am EST.

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Ethiopia: Large Country, Small Voice

To truly understand the problems of censorship in Africa, Ethiopia to be specific you need to look at who the media is geared towards reaching, who owns those media outlets and what their agendas are.

For Ethiopia to have the second largest population while also holding the title of the oldest independent country in Africa. For a country to be so large without a relatively open media market is restrictive to the growth of Ethiopia. Especially since most Ethiopians live in rural areas having Radio as there main medium.The Ethiopian media environment is one of the most restrictive in the Sub-Saharan area due to the lack of literate Ethiopians, radio has a massive effect on the population. Illiterate Ethiopians mixed with the state controlling most broadcasting outlets, including the sole national TV network that holds a huge part in swaying public opinions. Privately owned newspapers are on a steady increase and provide much different reporting and opposing views to the government.Even though private owners have been able to get there hands on radio stations press circulation is highly limited to the literate urban elite.

Even if the privately owned newspapers were able to get there message out without being censored  the reporters of the newspaper often showed a lack in interest in wanting to report opposing view from the government.Reporters Without Borders says terrorism charges have been systematically levelled against journalists, and "physical and verbal threats, arbitrary trials, and convictions are all used to silence the media". This comes at a surprise to any observers of Ethiopian media outside of its borders because it has been over two decades since the media censorship was abolished in Ethiopia. According to the Ethiopian Constitution on 1994 under Article 29 (3) of the Constitution of Federal Democratic Republic freedom of the press and other mass media, and freedom of artistic creativity have been guaranteed.

However, contrary to their own Constitution in 2016 the government created a strict new set of policies that were set in motion to control the flow of media as well as content during a state of emergency over anti government protest. Essentially negating the effects of Article 29 under the Ethiopian Constitution, which were then followed by sentences for these charges that allowed authorities to hold journalist without trials for an extended period of time without proper reasoning.The RSF reports that these policies outlawed watching or listening to TV or radio stations belonging to what the government called "terrorist organisations" like the Amsterdam-based opposition ESAT TV and US-based OMN.

 

 In his attempt to rationalize cencorship Government Communication Affairs Office (GCAO) Minister Dr. Negeri Lencho preached both state and private media outlets, by and large, have to serve public interest." Promoting development, good governance, democracy and fighting the abject poverty are the timely and major issues of the citizenry. "  Thus inquring that the only reason that the government in cencoring any privately owned media outlets because the message does not serve public interest.However according to the state owned Newspaper Ethiopia Herald, it has been over two decades since the media censorship was abolished in Ethiopia and nothing has truely changed.  He then went on to say that the media does not understand the needs on the Ethipioan people and the fault for cencorship is there own thus shifting blame for the state of affairs in the media onto the public.

 

 

 

Global Media News Webcast #2: Thursday, September 21, 2017

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• Russia's Fake Accounts Disrupting American Politics?
• Saudi Women on Social Media: Instagram & Mini-Skirts.
• How Can Social Media Help in Syria?
• Is There Press Freedom in Chad?
• McStrike Goes Viral on UK Facebook & Twitter.
• Why Did YouTube Block North Korea's Uriminzokkiri Channel?
• Why is Weibo So Angry with Gigi Hadid?

Global Media News is a weekly webcast covering media news from around the world.  GMN is a production of  Media Studies students from the SUNY College @ Old Westbury.   We scour the web for news about media, journalism and technology.   

This is our first webcast of the season.  

Listen to our next webcast streaming live on Thursday, September  28, 2017 @ 10am EST.

Can't listen live? Our next webcast  will be posted by 2:00pm, Thursday, September 28, 2017.

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The Kremlin Uses Facebook Events Tool to Organize Anti-Immigration Rallies in the Western United States

    Russia is well known for its strong governmental regulations on media. Russian journalists risk their lives in attempting to expose any kind of corruption in sensitive topics including the nation's political dynamics. Russian media is constantly criticized by other countries with less regulated media systems. It is challenging to find any Russian media sources criticizing their own country because, "laws allow the authorities to block websites without explanation, require popular bloggers to register with the mass media regulator Roskomnadzor and demand that internet companies give the authorities access to users' information." Common punishment for not abiding by these rules is prison time. Recent attempts to shift political attitudes have shown the governments desire to not only persuade their own peoples perspectives, but that of other nations around the globe.

    The Kremlin, headed by Vladimir Putin, has recently attempted more fake news stories in efforts to persuade American political opinion. The Daily Beast discovered that the 2016 Facebook event "Citizens before refugees" (pictured on the left) was hosted by "SecuredBorders," a Russian backed U.S. anti-immigration community. The page followed by 133,000 members was soon taken down by the social media platform. Following the three hour long event planned to be hosted at the City Council Chambers, Breitbart, a far-right news network, posted a great number of stories bashing the refugee population of Twin Falls including “Twin Falls Rape Special Report: Why Are the Refugees Moving In?” This was a false story denied by Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs. Other Russian influenced pro-Trump outlets such as InfoWars and WorldNetDaily also published stories calling for action to change the areas legislation to deny refugee citizens.

    Earlier this week, it was revealed by Facebook that Russia used fake identities and thousands of ads, seen by 23-70 million people, in attempt to shape U.S. political views before and after the 2016 election. This is an example of how Russian lawmakers used social media to interfere in the political discourse of other countries. However, the government controlled Russian news media outlet Sputnik, “Russia has repeatedly denied accusations that it interfered in the vote.” 

    Several different U.S. media outlets detailed the January 2017 FBI intelligence report claiming that “Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the U.S. presidential election.” Russian news outlets Sputnik and RT are under fire for serving as a "platform for Kremlin messaging to Russian and international audiences." Both of these outlets operate on U.S. soil and could have some interference shown in the above Facebook events. This report also touches on the idea that new regulations need to be put in place for media propaganda used by Russia on other nations.

Journalism Struggles of Nigeria

   Nigeria’s media has a vast amount of media outlets that have no problem criticizing unpopular government decisions and any issue that is seen unfair or unjust however, journalist find themselves unable to effectively make change and go after highly notable political issue. This is due financial malpractice from the powerful or even terrorism. Nigeria’s media influence is vast and their media scene is one of the liveliest in Africa all 36 states run at least one radio network and TV station. Radio is the key source of information while both radio and TV are operated at a federal and regional level. Rebroadcast of foreign radios are banned however international broadcasters including BBC are very popular.

President Muhammadu Buhari was elected in 2015 and promised to have an open media which led to minor improvements. Nevertheless, assaults, self-censorship due to intimidation and impunity for crimes against journalist persist. Many journalists have been charged with criminal defamation in recent years, though in most cases the charges were eventually withdrawn .According to the CPJ Global Impunity Index which assesses countries based on the number of unsolved journalist murders per capital over the preceding decade, Nigeria was ranked 13 in 2015. “Journalists are regularly threatened, abused or prevented from accessing information by local authorities, the police and sometimes by the people themselves. The regional governors, omnipotent, are often the most determined against them and act with impunity…” says a report from RSF.

One serious case involved Nigerian newspaper Leadership editor Tony Amokeodo and a political correspondent Chibuzor Ukuibe, who were charged in 2013 over the publication of a memo written by previous president Goodluck Jonathan on plans to increase fuel prices and disrupt the merger of opposition political parties. According to Freedom House even though the charges were dropped the two journalist faced with forgery, conspiracy to commit a felony, incitement of public disaffection against the president and 8 other charges.

According to the study done by Freedom house in 2017 Nigeria with a population of 186,500,000 is still only partly free. Which mean the assaults, censorship and intimidation still existed and needs to be addressed for a free media.

 

 

"It" Clown Hysteria Grips Australian Social Media

 

Official movie trailer for the 2017 remake of Stephen King's 'It'.

With the new adaption of Stephen King's 'It' being released in theaters around the world on September 8th of this year, clown hysteria has returned to the mainstream media in Australia with a creepy smile and red balloon.  People in Australia feel threaten by the killer clowns who are paying homage to the fall blockbuster, due to the Facebook page Clown Purge Australia that was recently created for the release of the movie.  The page, which has a picture of a man in a creepy clown mask as its profile picture, currently has 33,694 people following the page.   

 

Clown Purge Australia current Facebook profile picture.

Two days after the creation of the page, the owner of the account stated: “On Halloween, we’ll have 50 clowns go to one place”.  This vague threat frightened Australians, especially parents of young children who will most likely be trick or treating on Halloween.  This only makes sense when we think back to clown attacks plaguing Australia almost a year ago.

Early October last year, a man wearing a scary clown mask was arrested for approaching people armed with an ax and baseball outside a fast food restaurant in Victoria's south-east.  This was just one of numerous sightings of masked clowns with varies weapons.  "Victoria Police have warned against people adopting the trend and said people dressing as clowns and behaving in a threatening way was 'simply not funny'".  Despite incidents in the past being handled seriously, there is still a widespread fear and more videos of killer clown sightings are popping up.

It doesn't help to reassure people when the Facebook page continues to post messages, such as "Get ready for the 2nd round Australia, we're coming back for you and last night was only the beginning. We have big plans (Jack-o-lantern emoji)".  This social media craze is striking fear into the public of Australia, and it only seems to have escalated with the movie's release.  But some question if this whole clown hysteria is just a big elaborate publicity stunt. 

A few days before the movie's release in Sydney, Australia, red balloons were tied to sewer drains with the message "It is closer than you think. #Itmovie in cinemas September 7".  In the film, Pennywise the clown larks in a sewer drain with a red balloon, so this is obviously a publicity stunt to promote the film.  Many people took pictures of the balloons tied to the drains in Sydney and posted them their social media accounts, going viral in Australia.  But, the real question is, was every clown sighting posted on YouTube and the Facebook post that threatened public safety just a year-long promotional stunt?  Well, if it was just a long promotional stunt, one could say it worked because 'It' made a grand total 189.7 million dollars from the worldwide box office sales.  

Gigi Hadid's Apology to China on Weibo Was Rejected

    If you aren't familiar with Gigi Hadid, she is a popular American fashion model. Last February, Gigi was recorded by her sister, Bella Hadid, on Snapchat imitating a cookie that was shaped like Buddha. Personally, after viewing the Snapchat post for myself, I do not believe Gigi was cruelly making fun of Asians. To me, it seemed like their was no thought behind what she did. It was not malicious, yet a simple misunderstanding. I honestly think it was one of those situations where one carelessly acted before thinking, which we've all been guilty of at some point.

    People in China did not take this lightly. Gigi Hadid did not publicly apologize until 6 months after the incident, which is disappointing on Gigi's part! People are still extremely outraged. Especially because Gigi and Bella are going to Shanghai, China for the next Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Although China is very important to the Hadid sisters due to all of the modeling opportunities and potential fans there, China has made it evident through Twitter, Instagram, Weibo and other social media platforms that they are not welcomed in China after Gigi mocked there entire race for their own humor. @wudadada2 wrote "The Chinese will never forgive you for coming to China to earn money by posting an apology on China's social software Weibo. Ever, ever!" Her apology would have been more sincere if she would have done it right away, not 6 months later when she's about to go back to China!

    Another important thing to point out is that her apology was posted on Weibo, which is like the Chinese version of Twitter. Weibo is a mircoblogging platform that many media users use in China. People questioned why she didn't post her apology on American platforms as well. A huge amount of users on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were left out of this apology. Chinese social media user Chloe Jiang stated "So let's make it clear, Gigi "apologized" at Weibo. Did any one out of China knows? #gigiisoverparty #gigiracist #gigihadid" Did she not want other countries knowing she apologized? Also, she didn't just offend Chinese people, she offended the entire Asian race! There are tons of ethnic groups in Asia! Why only reach out to Chinese people Gigi?! 

    One of the most popular digital news platform, Jing Daily, covered this story about 3 weeks ago. The "racist" video is trending in China once again. The author of this article, Angelina Xu, stated "One user said, “China does not welcome her,” and followed that up with angry-faced emojis. There are no reports of either sister releasing statements or apologizing after the incident." I could not find any other news articles in the Chinese media after Gigi Hadid's apology. I assume it was rejected. (Comment from Weibo: “I think it’s a PR hazard to have Bella and Gigi Hadid on the fashion show in China.”)

    In today's society, we need to be extremely careful of our actions, what we say, and how we say things. It is so easy now a days to be recorded with just a click of a button. How we portray ourselves on the media shapes the way people view us. Especially regarding other countries, it is easy to accidentally insult someone when you are not familiar with that particular culture. It is really important to be mindful of this when posting on the media.

 

 

    

        

Global Media News Webcast #1: Thursday, September 14, 2017

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• Is the Iranian Government Out to Get Iranian Journalists Working Abroad?
• Why Was Journalist Gauri Lankesh Killed in Bengalaru?
• What Part Did Australian Media Play in the Same Sex Marriage Debate?
• Social Media in the Kenyan Election Disaster
• Why is Youtube Blocking North Korea's Channel?
• Dunkirk Flopped in China.  Why?
• The Birth Rate Is Falling:  Are the Japanese Media to Blame?

Global Media News is a weekly webcast covering media news from around the world.  GMN is a production of  Media Studies students from the SUNY College @ Old Westbury.   We scour the web for news about media, journalism and technology.   

This is our first webcast of the season.  

Listen to our next webcast streaming live on Thursday, September  21, 2017 @ 10am EST.

Can't listen live? Our next webcast  will be posted by 2:00pm, Thursday, September 21, 2017.

Subscribe Now!

Japan's Birth Rate in Jeopardy?

When most people think of Japan, they think of the crazy technological innovations, anime, and general weirdness that is modern-day Japan. Unfortunately, that technology is starting to come back to haunt the Japanese. Studies in recent show that Japanese males are becoming less and less equipped and interested in meeting women and having children. This has led to less and less births every year. 

In June, Bloomberg reported that the amount of babies born in Japan in 2016 fell below one million for the first time since the 19th century. There were 976,979 infants born last year, the lowest count since a count was started in 1899. The dip is causing the cost of welfare to increase, as well as reducing the potential labor force. For a few years, deaths have surpassed births, and the country is facing a potentially serious economic disaster.  

The Independent's June study on the matter found that the job and housing markets, consumer spending, and long-term investments at businesses are already being affected by the decrease in births. This combined with the consistent stream of deaths and retirees exiting the work force continues to put strain on the government. "In a speech to business leaders this week, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for a “national movement” to address Japan’s demographic challenges." He urged the country to begin looking for solutions for this issue.

What is causing this decline in population so drastically? Studies have shown that young Japanese men have little to no experience in the field of dating, and instead use forms of media to fill the gap that a relationship would normally go in. Japan Times reported that the results of a recent online poll in Japan revealed that the majority of single Japanese males in their thirties have never had a relationship with the potential to last. "In the survey conducted by the Meiji Yasuda Institute of Life and Wellness, 62.7 percent of male respondents and 39.4 percent of female respondents aged between 25 and 34 said they have never been in such relationships." The most common response to why the men and women in their twenties had not been in a relationship was found to be that they don't understand how to initiate a relationship. Japanese youths, males in particular, are becoming more and more reliant on media and technology that they are not even bothering to pursue relationships, thus creating the deficit of births.

A new industry has been birthed in recent years that negatively adds to the birth rate crisis, the "relationship replacement" industry. Using the context of the phenomenon of anime in Japan, companies are producing "substitutes" for healthy relationships, be it through what are essentially new forms of prostitution to new products like the famed "used panties" vending machines or body pillows of anime characters. In a report by the New York Post, this industry is leading to young people having less and less sex. Between businesses like "maid cafes" (cafes where the servers dress in maid costumes and act like the client is their master or mistress) and the booming body pillow business (pillows shaped and colored to simulate either anime characters or simple male or female torsos), actual relationships are becoming more and more foreign to Japanese youths.

One of the more surprising innovations is the "hologram wife". It's exactly what it sounds like: an AI programmed to remind you to bring an umbrella in the morning, or send you a message to tell you that they are thinking of you. This, combined with the the troubled economy, is making the prospect of starting a family less and less appealing to youths.