Global Media News

An Easier Way To Text The Official Language In Cambodia

Khmer, the official language in Cambodia was mad hard to text because of its extensive characters. This language of the Khmer people has a syllabic alphabet in which each consonant has two form. Consonants are all the non-vowel sounds, or their corresponding letters: A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y. 

The modern Khmer uses 33 characters. Because there are many characters used, an app was made to converse faster. The developers made this app for iPhone users and allowed access to more advanced keyboard. It allows the new users to type 40 words per minute, compared to just 28 words per minute using a regular smartphone keyboard. 

The majority of downloads come from Cambodia , America, and Canada. it has great reviews and five star rating in Cambodia. "After one week in the app store, Khmer Smart Keyboard was the most downloaded free app in Cambodia. It now sits at number nine, one place behind YouTube." (phnom penh post) 

Gay Expression Restricted in Nigeria

Homosexuality is scorned upon by the Nigerian government. Laws have been past to restrict gay marriage in Nigeria. Anyone found or assumed to be gay can be captured and tortured legally. Arrests have been made to punish those suspected to be gay leading to fourteen years of jail time. Nigerians are allowed to beat and even kill gays in public. Gay Nigerians have fled the country in order to protect themselves and their families.

Bisi Alimi was one of the first gay Nigerians to come out about his homosexuality on television. His appearance caused his interview to be taken off air and the show to be canceled. The show producers where putting together a project covering stories of people in the L.G.B.T community. Although Alimi was a guest on the show, he was ridiculed by the host for his sexuality. The host felt the need to apppear against homosexuality in order to convince the public that they do not promote it on the show. The host Funmi Lyanda had stated "In a country like this how dare you come out and say your gay?" (The New York Times) Unfortunately the public wasn't satisfied with Funimi's backlash because they did not want any coverage on homosexuality at all. After the show he was harassed and death threats pushed him to flee his country.  Since the show, Alimi has received positive and negative support on social media such as twitter over his sexuality.

Whether people believe in homosexuality or not, some just can'y understand why its a major problem. People question as to why laws are being made over gay marriage instead attention being paid to poverty and underdevelopment. The Nigerian government is expected to have kept homosexuals detained in order to collect more money from their families and take advantage of their charge. Dorethy Aken'Ova, executive director of Nigeria's International Center for Reproductive Health and Sexual Rights stated "Even after extorting them, they have not released the people". The bias and lack of self expression against gays is unfair.

Reference:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/04/15/meet-the-first-man-to-come-out-as-gay-on-nigerian-television/ 

http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2014/01/16/meet-the-first-gay-nigerian-to-come-out-on-tv/

http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2014/12/22/372536703/adebisi-alimi-gay-nigerian-actor-puts-his-sexuality-in-the-spotlight

Ugandan Magazine Advocates Gay Lifestyle

A Ugandan Magazine was recently published to support gays and help tell their story. The publisher, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera is openly gay and hopes to raise awareness about gay experiences. Tabloids make it difficult to supports homosexuality because they expose LGBT people in a country where homosexuality is illegal. "Politicians have stoked anti-gay sentiment by proposing laws that appeal to conservative Christians – the latest of which seeks to criminalise the “promotion” of homosexuality". (Agence France-Presse)

Along with many of her followers, Kasha has experienced violence and hate. She decided to create the magazine entitled Bombastic after she received hundreds of Facebook messages about harassment of LGBT people. Kasha developed the idea of producing the magazine concerning the lack of media support in Uganda, towards gays. She wanted to give people the LGBT people a platform in a country that shames them. Many people that have spoke out about gay rights have been threatened and attacked. The media is a major factor to the violence and harassment against gays. Magazines, television broadcasts , and newspapers exploit the LGBT community by plastering their photos on publications. Her dear friend, David Kato had been eaten to death with a hammer, in broad daylight after his name was published by a tabloid. “They would target me a lot, they would cook up stories – how I’m getting married … I’m training people to become lesbians,” Nabagesera said.

The people of  Uganda ad many other African countries are afraid to speak out because they fear or their jobs, homes, families and life. She wanted to be the voice for those afraid to weak out. After printing 15,000 copies of Bombastic Kasha sent them everywhere. “We took lots of copies to parliament, government offices, everywhere,” she said. Kasha further sought to promote Bombastic using a website, driving major traffic. 

One hundred thirty-eight volunteers including mainstream media help distribute the magazine. Awareness was being raised about the trouble Ugandan media causes for the LGBT community, although some burnt and dismissed them. Kasha was told "“the president’s wife refused even to open it”. “It is our wish, our hope, that if people read just one story it changes their attitude,” she said. Kasha's goal is to gain more support for gay rights.

Reference:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/09/uganda-gay-magazine-homophobia

http://www.dougcooperspencer.com/black-lgbtq-people-in-history.html

Microsoft Gives Ghana Media Outreach for a Chance at Global Service Networking

The company Microsoft was founded in 1975 and is the top worldwide leader in software, services, devices and suggesting solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential to work with media networking.


In particular, Microsoft has been developing programs to help the development of countries that do not have the abitlity to reach outside of their networking services. For example, Microsoft’s program, 4Afrika Initiative was created to build Africa’s developing networking services, international communication and media. The programs goal is to build an internal communication within Africa and this program has grown since its first appearance in 1992 working with South Africa.

Recently Microsoft has been reaching out to the citizens of Ghana to help improve their services of internet, television, and cellular devices to connect with the other countries of Africa. Recently the citizens of Ghana were able to receive their first televised commercials through the help of Microsoft’s program 4Afrika Initiative and their service networking partnership. According to the Ghanaian Times, a state-owned daily press, this networking system has been allowing students and businesses to purchase affordable high speed internet bundles and devices that would help them connect to the global media (TV, internet, social media, and broadcasting) on a global spectrum. Not to say that Ghana hasn't been exposed to any sources of media within the country, but since the 4Afrika Initiative program citizens have been able to connect and grow outside of their homes bases. In Ghana there are a few sources of press (private, state-owned, and weekly), television broadcasting, and radio stations that its citizens have access to connect to. Moreover, by 2012 17% of Ghanaians were using the internet, but the internet services did not allow people to connect to the World Wide Web (www.)

Verizon Tech News Site Bans Stories on U.S. Spying

 Verizon is getting into the news business. What could go wrong?

5 Ways Journalists Use Pinterest

    Journalists and news organizations are looking for different ways to connect with their readers. They are seeking to be involved in a more visual social media content.

US Allows Drone Use for Filming

    On Thursday, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave permission to six television and film firms, which allows these firms to use drones are Astraeus Aerial, Aerial MOB, HeliVideo Productions, Pictorvision Inc., RC Pro Productions Consulting, and Snaproll Media. 

Uber Car Service Fights Against ‘Ban’ in Germany.

Uber, “Everyone’s Private Driver”.  The slogan represents the car service company all too well. Once you have a smart phone, you then have the ability to hail a Cadillac Escalade and then be escorted around a city as if you were Barrack Obama. Not only can anyone use Uber, but anyone with a license can drive for Uber as well.  Uber is combining smart phone technology and taxis to change transportation. Private car services and taxis are now losing business to the new company. Claims are being made that Uber drivers don’t have as many restrictions or have to obtain as many permits as the other companies.  Germany is now placing a ban on Uber drivers. Is Uber so successful because there aren’t as many limitations, or is the company just changing the game of the car service industry for the better?

            You can access and Uber driver in over 100 major cities and over 30 countries around the world. Paris, New York City, London, you name it and Uber most likely has base there. But in Berlin, Germany a ban is being placed on the usage of Uber. The Frankfurt court claims that uber doesn’t have the necessary legal permits to work in the city.  While the case is being resolved in court, Uber was told that if they decide to continue operating, and lose the case then they could potentially be charged 300,000$ per ride they provided during the ban.

            This isn’t the first time the American company had a ban placed on it in Germany’s court system. In April a similar case was over turned. Now that the demand for Uber is growing more popular, other car service companies are making stronger attempts to have them play by the rules.

            ‘‘Anyone who is willing to play by the rules is welcome in the market,’’ a Herman Waldner quote published in a NY Times article. He is the owner of one of Berlin’s leading taxi companies.  That is the biggest complaint from other car service companies; they just want uber to have the same regulations and to create fair competition.

            Uber claims its services are insured and that the drivers and riders wellbeing is a major concern. But it hasn’t seemed to stop the protestors yet. All precautions are taken and now it is a measure of survival of the fittest.

           

Taxi drivers protesting against Uber in Berlin.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29027803

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/08/14/uber-to-fight-ban-in-berlin/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

 

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Media News from China, Cambodia and South Korea!

Global Media News for March 7, 2013

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. 

This week on Global Media News:   "Media Made in China, Cambodia and Vietnam"

• Why Are Chinese Hackers Cracking the Servers of the New York Times?
• How Did the BBC World Service Get Jammed Up in China?
• Chinese Bloggers Protesting Censorship
• Vietnam Puts Bloggers on Trial
• Social Media Showdown: Sina Weibo vs. Tencent's WeChat
• Cambodian Lawyers Gagged by New Censorship Law
• Chinese Censors:  Are the Cuts deeper for Film or Print?
• Blocking Luxury Marketing for Cultural Purity?

Next week on GMN:   Media News from India, Pakistan and South Asia.

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