The first topic: is it right to say that “it is often through good reporting that conflict is reduced'? For understanding this questions, we would better have a look of what conflict is first.
Conflict is a situation where two or more individuals or groups try to pursue goals or ambitions which they believe they cannot share. And also not all the conflicts are violent. Conflict is normal when a change comes. For a reporter, news is change.
Violent physical conflicts is easily to identify and described by journalists, like Iraq war. However, As said before not all the conflicts are violent, some of the conflicts do not include physical violence, but still can do a great harm in a society.
Such as cultural violence, including: xenophobia, hate speech, religious justification for wars, gender discrimination.
And structural violence: colonialism, institutionalised racism or sexism, extreme exploitation, structural segregation.
For a war reporters, not only need to understand what is conflict, also need to be aware what course conflict?
The International Relations theory defines that conflict comes 1). when resources are scare and not shared fairly, such as lands, food, shelters, or jobs 2). There is little or no communication between the two groups 3). The groups have incorrect ideas beliefs about each other. 4). Power is unevenly distributed.
The relations between journalism and conflicts are mainly through communication, which is the root of conflict resolution. For two sides in a conflict to move towards a non-violent resolution, they must first talk. That is where good journalism comes in.
Professional journalists do not set out to reduce conflict, but try to present accurate and impartial news, which help the communication between the two sides and in order to reduce the conflicts.
There are several elements of conflicts resolution that good journalism can deliver: such as confidence building, educating, channel of communication, framing the conflict.
What is the requirements for war journalism keep citizens well-informed and in the meantime melt the conflict.
Should not: defamatory, derivative, malicious, corrupt;
Should do: accuracy, impartiality, responsibility,
Accuracy + Impartiality + responsibility = Reliability of Journalism
It applies to every aspect of the job — assigning stories, editing copy or sound bites, writing headlines, directing, producing, or managing newsrooms.
Reliable journalism encourages, supports and stimulates democracy, because people's right of free speech and expression guaranteed by UDHR article 19 is fulfilled through journalism and different media outlets, TV, Radio and multimedia.
Examples
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Last eight hours before the US election result coming out
The historic result will come out at 8:00a.m. 5th of November, 2008 on UK time. Many Americans felt they were voting for a historic election - the possibility of choosing the ever first African-American president.
Phenomenal turnout
The traditional Republican state Virginia created a phenomenal turnout, said reporters, and the democratic hopeful is hoping to capture its attention.
Another battlefield Missouri has reportedly possessed "unprecedented turnout".
In Ohio, officials are expecting 80% voters attendance.
130 million Americans are expected to turnout to vote.
Surprisingly, both John McCain and Barack Obama are continuing their campaign during polling day.
The hamlet, has alway been the first to vote in the nation for the past 60 years, has counted for 100% turnout.
And it is also the first time the town had voted for a Democrate since 1968.
In the meantime, the entire US House of Representatives and the US Senate are holding its elections.
Phenomenal turnout
The traditional Republican state Virginia created a phenomenal turnout, said reporters, and the democratic hopeful is hoping to capture its attention.
Another battlefield Missouri has reportedly possessed "unprecedented turnout".
In Ohio, officials are expecting 80% voters attendance.
130 million Americans are expected to turnout to vote.
Surprisingly, both John McCain and Barack Obama are continuing their campaign during polling day.
The hamlet, has alway been the first to vote in the nation for the past 60 years, has counted for 100% turnout.
And it is also the first time the town had voted for a Democrate since 1968.
In the meantime, the entire US House of Representatives and the US Senate are holding its elections.
Monday, 3 November 2008
Brutal cyber rumors kills South Korean celebrity
South Korean super-star Choi Jin-sil committed suicide at her Seoul home. the 40-year-old was considered as the "Nation's Actress".
Her death was linked with recent Internet rumor spreaded within the whole nation, which brutally broken Ms. Choi's reputation - the public published posts online that she had relentlessly pressed her fellow actor to repay a $2 million debt.
South Korean uncensored cyberspace
After Ms. Choi's death, the police, the media and the members of parliaments all pointed fingers at the Internet.
Cyberspace in South Korea possesses incredible freedom, public can post items without censorship, such a environment assists cyber bullying.
The South Korean government have indeed encountered public cyber protest earlier this year.
The vicious antigovernment posting and online rumors on the dangers of lifting the ban on American beef fueled the political upheaval, which forced the entire cabinet to resign.
Government implements new law on defamation
The South Korean President Lee Myung-bak insists to implement new law to regulate cyberspace and Internet, which on a collision over the opposition party accusing government "rule cyberspace with martial law".
The opposition says that the Internet volience has already dealt under exsisting laws against slander and public insults.
However the government says the new law will be better safeguard the victims and publich online abuse.
Her death was linked with recent Internet rumor spreaded within the whole nation, which brutally broken Ms. Choi's reputation - the public published posts online that she had relentlessly pressed her fellow actor to repay a $2 million debt.
South Korean uncensored cyberspace
After Ms. Choi's death, the police, the media and the members of parliaments all pointed fingers at the Internet.
Cyberspace in South Korea possesses incredible freedom, public can post items without censorship, such a environment assists cyber bullying.
The South Korean government have indeed encountered public cyber protest earlier this year.
The vicious antigovernment posting and online rumors on the dangers of lifting the ban on American beef fueled the political upheaval, which forced the entire cabinet to resign.
Government implements new law on defamation
The South Korean President Lee Myung-bak insists to implement new law to regulate cyberspace and Internet, which on a collision over the opposition party accusing government "rule cyberspace with martial law".
The opposition says that the Internet volience has already dealt under exsisting laws against slander and public insults.
However the government says the new law will be better safeguard the victims and publich online abuse.
Friday, 31 October 2008
Presenters crossed the bottom line
Recently, two Radio presenters Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross from the BBC evoked public's condemnation.
During their latest weekly radio two show, the pairs crossed the line and joked that the 78-year-old Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs had sex with his graddaughter Georgina Baillie.
Final Warning
The coporates executive board have decided to suspend Jonathan for 12 weeks and Brand has already quit when the incident happened last Wednesday.
The major issue here is that why these two men had such a freedom? As anything always has a limit.
Mark Thompson, the director-general from the coporate has warned Johnthan for his utterly unacceptable behavior, and both of them reached the agreement that "nothing like this must never happen again".
What general public's opinion?
Some people think that it's only possible when you imagine a hypothetical situation where involved celebrities.
Two men in their thirties and forties respectively and bait someone, like in his late seventies, with comments referring him to have sex with his granddaughter, would the police not get involved?
As recently the main actor for Dr Who is stepping down, some audience also had mocked Russell Brand - such a daring, mischievous, cocky guy - is he the likely choice to play the next Doctor Who?
During their latest weekly radio two show, the pairs crossed the line and joked that the 78-year-old Fawlty Towers actor Andrew Sachs had sex with his graddaughter Georgina Baillie.
Final Warning
The coporates executive board have decided to suspend Jonathan for 12 weeks and Brand has already quit when the incident happened last Wednesday.
The major issue here is that why these two men had such a freedom? As anything always has a limit.
Mark Thompson, the director-general from the coporate has warned Johnthan for his utterly unacceptable behavior, and both of them reached the agreement that "nothing like this must never happen again".
What general public's opinion?
Some people think that it's only possible when you imagine a hypothetical situation where involved celebrities.
Two men in their thirties and forties respectively and bait someone, like in his late seventies, with comments referring him to have sex with his granddaughter, would the police not get involved?
As recently the main actor for Dr Who is stepping down, some audience also had mocked Russell Brand - such a daring, mischievous, cocky guy - is he the likely choice to play the next Doctor Who?
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Global Campus
A web-based digital media company need a marketing researcher, I was pleased to hear from them and got an interview this morning.
What is global campus?
The company is planning to launch a new website which serves the triangle customers -university, students, and coporates.
Their main aim is to attract potential students finding their ideal universities and suitable courses, through user-generated content and interative content. The site will explore different universities from four countries, including UK, USA, Canada, and Australia.
In the meantime, universities from the globe also can search their potential students, and provide them related informations, such as how to encounter culture shock, where to get cheap discount, where to eat with a good price.
The company set their eyes on China market, and asked me how they should introduce their site to the vast Chinese market, what kind of methords they should use? How the Chinese mentality would be regarding choosing universities.
Corporates in the meantime, co-operating with the company, to provide internship opportunties and work placements.
I think the best bet is to encourage user-generated content, let the current students tell you OUR universites.
More specifically, let them upload their videos and photos and organise online chatrooms to explain to you what the real campus life.
But the problem is how to encourage them to upload their stuff.
The company need to win trust from browsers first.
What is global campus?
The company is planning to launch a new website which serves the triangle customers -university, students, and coporates.
Their main aim is to attract potential students finding their ideal universities and suitable courses, through user-generated content and interative content. The site will explore different universities from four countries, including UK, USA, Canada, and Australia.
In the meantime, universities from the globe also can search their potential students, and provide them related informations, such as how to encounter culture shock, where to get cheap discount, where to eat with a good price.
The company set their eyes on China market, and asked me how they should introduce their site to the vast Chinese market, what kind of methords they should use? How the Chinese mentality would be regarding choosing universities.
Corporates in the meantime, co-operating with the company, to provide internship opportunties and work placements.
I think the best bet is to encourage user-generated content, let the current students tell you OUR universites.
More specifically, let them upload their videos and photos and organise online chatrooms to explain to you what the real campus life.
But the problem is how to encourage them to upload their stuff.
The company need to win trust from browsers first.
Saturday, 25 October 2008
Being short-listed from CNN International, London
Great news heard from CNN International, London - the world's most influential and authoritative news agency.
Hello
Thank you very much for your email and your query. I heard that Stephanie Busari from CNN Dotcom has send you an email a few weeks back. Did you get in touch with her?
Many thanks
Katja
CNN Internship
Hello
Thank you for your recent application for an internship with CNN.com. We have reviewed your application and are interested in meeting with you.
However we have no internship positions available until the New Year, (dates to be confirmed). How does this fit into your plans and availability?
If you are available next year, then it would be good for you to come in and be interviewed by the CNN.com team sometime in mid- November. Hopefully we can work out a mutually convenient date.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact on the number below, or email me.
Kind regards
Stephanie Busari
Digitial Features Producer
CNN.com International
For the latest in world news: http://cnn.com/international
Just Imagine:2020 http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/just.imagine/
CNN International Application
The application I applied at the beginning is "the International Correspondent" programme and "the Spiritual of" programme.
However, both of them are highly intellectual news/current affairs programmes.
Most probably my capacity still needs to be improved to match the standard of the above two programmes, otherwise I should heard from them.
Anyway all the internships offered there are brilliant, as long as I'm practising multimedia/online journalism, it will definitely good for my career.
CNN International Digital Feature Online
Online feature is the area that I'm quite familiar with, the experience worked with BBC absolutely gives me the advantage to work for CNN.
I'm so glad that the CNN digital feature producer Stephanie discovered my strength, now I could believe that how important the experience it is.
There might be other more competitive applicants there, most probably, but they might don't have the experience of working as a Online feature producer as what I did for BBC London, they might don't have the experience of working in CMS, they might not clear of the whole online feature production.
Develop my strength and discover my potential.
Hello
Thank you very much for your email and your query. I heard that Stephanie Busari from CNN Dotcom has send you an email a few weeks back. Did you get in touch with her?
Many thanks
Katja
CNN Internship
Hello
Thank you for your recent application for an internship with CNN.com. We have reviewed your application and are interested in meeting with you.
However we have no internship positions available until the New Year, (dates to be confirmed). How does this fit into your plans and availability?
If you are available next year, then it would be good for you to come in and be interviewed by the CNN.com team sometime in mid- November. Hopefully we can work out a mutually convenient date.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact on the number below, or email me.
Kind regards
Stephanie Busari
Digitial Features Producer
CNN.com International
For the latest in world news: http://cnn.com/international
Just Imagine:2020 http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/just.imagine/
CNN International Application
The application I applied at the beginning is "the International Correspondent" programme and "the Spiritual of" programme.
However, both of them are highly intellectual news/current affairs programmes.
Most probably my capacity still needs to be improved to match the standard of the above two programmes, otherwise I should heard from them.
Anyway all the internships offered there are brilliant, as long as I'm practising multimedia/online journalism, it will definitely good for my career.
CNN International Digital Feature Online
Online feature is the area that I'm quite familiar with, the experience worked with BBC absolutely gives me the advantage to work for CNN.
I'm so glad that the CNN digital feature producer Stephanie discovered my strength, now I could believe that how important the experience it is.
There might be other more competitive applicants there, most probably, but they might don't have the experience of working as a Online feature producer as what I did for BBC London, they might don't have the experience of working in CMS, they might not clear of the whole online feature production.
Develop my strength and discover my potential.
Tuesday, 21 October 2008
War in Afghanistan - discussion from The World Tonight
I regularly listen The World Tonight from Radio 4, and Newshour from BBC World Service, both of them are excellent news programme and highly intellectual, I particularly like the presenter Robin Lustig, his way of presenting is very engaging.
The World Tonight has more news analysis element compared with Newshour, which is pretty good , because we can grab more information of what's going on in this world.
I heard the analysis about current war situation in Afghanistan from The World Tonight, it drew me a much clear picture of Afghanistan's severe turmoil - corruption, lack of decent education, thousands of civilians being killed...Now the Bush administration is trying to redefine its strategy for the coming months in Afghanistan.
The programmes combined both feature and documentary story making approach – location reporting/recording background sound fade in and fade out, archive audio clips, experts panel discussion, one local interview etc. All these treatments and approaches helps story telling.
However, the panel discussion is quite long (25 min around!), though it's separated by the local interview (with some attractive background sound) in between, I still found a bit hard to follow. Maybe could change some of the answer into the script, and let the presenter explain.
The World Tonight has more news analysis element compared with Newshour, which is pretty good , because we can grab more information of what's going on in this world.
I heard the analysis about current war situation in Afghanistan from The World Tonight, it drew me a much clear picture of Afghanistan's severe turmoil - corruption, lack of decent education, thousands of civilians being killed...Now the Bush administration is trying to redefine its strategy for the coming months in Afghanistan.
The programmes combined both feature and documentary story making approach – location reporting/recording background sound fade in and fade out, archive audio clips, experts panel discussion, one local interview etc. All these treatments and approaches helps story telling.
However, the panel discussion is quite long (25 min around!), though it's separated by the local interview (with some attractive background sound) in between, I still found a bit hard to follow. Maybe could change some of the answer into the script, and let the presenter explain.
Saturday, 18 October 2008
BBC Talking America Bus 08
BBC Talking America Bus is an amazing programme. I just love it.
It crabs my attention mainly because I can hear America's real voice, what are their opinions about the presidential election, how do they react with the financial crisis, it brings listeners the real picture of American situation.
I also enjoy the special approach of story telling – contrast and comparing; producer use a wide arrange of treatments (location recording, background music fade in or fade out etc).
For example, when talking about one of the American state suffered seriously during the economic downturn, the feature starts with a group of pupils playing veteran's song which was quite engaging, and then introduced some Americans were questioning their life value (always seeking for money). And I was thinking the story will end up here.
Surprisingly, the story turns to another side – the real situation is about money – then it talked about business and politics in this state, involved local person's conversation with BBC journalist.
I want to suggest the programme should interview more young Americans, such as college students. They're the future of United State, they're the people four years later working in different professions. The BBC should get them involved!!
It crabs my attention mainly because I can hear America's real voice, what are their opinions about the presidential election, how do they react with the financial crisis, it brings listeners the real picture of American situation.
I also enjoy the special approach of story telling – contrast and comparing; producer use a wide arrange of treatments (location recording, background music fade in or fade out etc).
For example, when talking about one of the American state suffered seriously during the economic downturn, the feature starts with a group of pupils playing veteran's song which was quite engaging, and then introduced some Americans were questioning their life value (always seeking for money). And I was thinking the story will end up here.
Surprisingly, the story turns to another side – the real situation is about money – then it talked about business and politics in this state, involved local person's conversation with BBC journalist.
I want to suggest the programme should interview more young Americans, such as college students. They're the future of United State, they're the people four years later working in different professions. The BBC should get them involved!!
Friday, 17 October 2008
Britain's missing citizens & Britain's new comers
First story - “Britain's Missing Citizens” - working title
Story background: British Empire was the most powerful empire for centuries in history. Along with her colonies' expansion, many British merchants travelled to those expanded territories. They started trading, brought their culture, language, lifestyle and civilization to the new lands. Some of them were staying there, got married and had children.
The TV/Radio documentary series aims to feature the growing up generation of these British merchants. About their life, their identity conflicts, the images of their beloved father (grandfather) or rather than the colonizer? What history left behind us?
Audience: different communities, working/intellectual classes within UK and worldwide
Second story - “Britain's New Comer” - working title
Story Background: Thousands young foreign professionals settled in Britain recent years in the flood of EU expansion and growing global village. These young talents served in the vast sectors of Britain, business, computing, media, law, design etc.
The TV/Radio documentary aims to feature their efforts of finding themselves a proper role within British society. As an outsider, how them fight bravely in their professional career? What's their life value? How they perceive the world?
Audience: different communities, working class within UK and worldwide
Story background: British Empire was the most powerful empire for centuries in history. Along with her colonies' expansion, many British merchants travelled to those expanded territories. They started trading, brought their culture, language, lifestyle and civilization to the new lands. Some of them were staying there, got married and had children.
The TV/Radio documentary series aims to feature the growing up generation of these British merchants. About their life, their identity conflicts, the images of their beloved father (grandfather) or rather than the colonizer? What history left behind us?
Audience: different communities, working/intellectual classes within UK and worldwide
Second story - “Britain's New Comer” - working title
Story Background: Thousands young foreign professionals settled in Britain recent years in the flood of EU expansion and growing global village. These young talents served in the vast sectors of Britain, business, computing, media, law, design etc.
The TV/Radio documentary aims to feature their efforts of finding themselves a proper role within British society. As an outsider, how them fight bravely in their professional career? What's their life value? How they perceive the world?
Audience: different communities, working class within UK and worldwide
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
Zimbabwe power sharing crisis
The former South Africa president Thabo Mbeki mediates the Zimbabwe power-sharing crisis.
However, according to Mr. Tsvangirai, there was no conclusion for the first day discussion, and will continue tomorrow at 1030.
President Robert Mugabe said that "continuing tomorrow means we have covered some area today".
The US state department spokesman expressed his concern about "Mugabe's overstepping the bounds of agreement."
The European Union also condemned Mugabe's "unilateral decision".
Cabinet's imbalanced power-sharing
Earlier this week, Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai condemned the imblance of cabinate power-sharing, 13 out of 15 seats were allocated to President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party.
The most important posts including defence, home, foreign affairs, and justice were allocated to Zanu-PF party, the Movement of Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai call for re-allocating the cabinate positions.
Can Mr. Mbeki solve the deal?
Mr Mbeki's spokesman said he was confident he would be able to rescue the deal, which he brokered just before he stepping down as president of South Africa.
And this is Mr Mbeki's first direct intervention since he resigned as South Africa's head of state.
However, according to Mr. Tsvangirai, there was no conclusion for the first day discussion, and will continue tomorrow at 1030.
President Robert Mugabe said that "continuing tomorrow means we have covered some area today".
The US state department spokesman expressed his concern about "Mugabe's overstepping the bounds of agreement."
The European Union also condemned Mugabe's "unilateral decision".
Cabinet's imbalanced power-sharing
Earlier this week, Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai condemned the imblance of cabinate power-sharing, 13 out of 15 seats were allocated to President Robert Mugabe's Zanu-PF party.
The most important posts including defence, home, foreign affairs, and justice were allocated to Zanu-PF party, the Movement of Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai call for re-allocating the cabinate positions.
Can Mr. Mbeki solve the deal?
Mr Mbeki's spokesman said he was confident he would be able to rescue the deal, which he brokered just before he stepping down as president of South Africa.
And this is Mr Mbeki's first direct intervention since he resigned as South Africa's head of state.
Tuesday, 14 October 2008
At one moment in history, A black might win
US presidential election is around the corner now. Yesterday talking with a friend, he was firmly sure that outside of the America, Democrates candidate Mr. Obama must beat John McCain and possesses more votes (unfortunately, you and me can't vote!), Only Americans! Inside America, might be a different story (he thinks).
Today, talking with a pure American, his answer wows my attention. Yes, Mr. Obama will win! Let's get a close insight of recent race.
John McCain's financial crisis rescue plan
Both of the parties' presiditial candidates luanched their rescue plans. Republican dandidate John McCain unveiled his economic rescue proposal today which will mostly benefits the older voters.
He underlined that the market decline and value destruction were due to the congress failure and the timely rescue package coming out from the Administration.
John MaCain's chief economic policy adviser said that Mr. McCain's proposal was targeting people who were severely hurt from the financial crisis, such as works, seniors etc.
Huge loss compared with Obama
John McCain's proposal was unveiled a day after his rival, Senator Barack Obama's economic plan launch, the polls indicated that the continuous loss John McCain's votes compared with Barack Obama.
John MaCain has criticized Barack Obama for his proposal indeed will raise tax cut instead of reducing tax cut for American families.
Today, talking with a pure American, his answer wows my attention. Yes, Mr. Obama will win! Let's get a close insight of recent race.
John McCain's financial crisis rescue plan
Both of the parties' presiditial candidates luanched their rescue plans. Republican dandidate John McCain unveiled his economic rescue proposal today which will mostly benefits the older voters.
He underlined that the market decline and value destruction were due to the congress failure and the timely rescue package coming out from the Administration.
John MaCain's chief economic policy adviser said that Mr. McCain's proposal was targeting people who were severely hurt from the financial crisis, such as works, seniors etc.
Huge loss compared with Obama
John McCain's proposal was unveiled a day after his rival, Senator Barack Obama's economic plan launch, the polls indicated that the continuous loss John McCain's votes compared with Barack Obama.
John MaCain has criticized Barack Obama for his proposal indeed will raise tax cut instead of reducing tax cut for American families.
Sunday, 12 October 2008
Ideology revolution after Western financial crisis?
Various media outlets around the globe, such as newspapers, Internet, radios are expressing far-east citizens' concerns about the current financial crisis, which might cause the newly ideological transformation in our 21st century.
After world depression
During the inter-war period in 1930s, the financial depression and economic downturn severely led the occurence of extremist ideological movement, such Fascism, Nazism, and communism, all of these kinds of ideologies flourished into the different continents.
End of US age?
Today, cities such as Washington, London suffered the huge loss due to it's financial crisis, and does it mean the market economy truly can regulate itself? As the westerner always said for years of its advantage.
It's undoubtedly that many people would argue that the western economic policymakers should adjust its own policy in order to hinder such turmoil, and does the US financial crisis wil signal "the end of US age"?
It seems impossible to deny that China with its anthoritarian capitalism has succeeded in competing with the US's market capitalism.
Blaming of Bush administration
Bush administration and its military staff should be taking the main responsibility for current economic downturn and political setbacks on the world stage, according to an Syrian, countries, especially the major ones, which supported the Bush administration in its wars and policies also bear great responsibilty.
After world depression
During the inter-war period in 1930s, the financial depression and economic downturn severely led the occurence of extremist ideological movement, such Fascism, Nazism, and communism, all of these kinds of ideologies flourished into the different continents.
End of US age?
Today, cities such as Washington, London suffered the huge loss due to it's financial crisis, and does it mean the market economy truly can regulate itself? As the westerner always said for years of its advantage.
It's undoubtedly that many people would argue that the western economic policymakers should adjust its own policy in order to hinder such turmoil, and does the US financial crisis wil signal "the end of US age"?
It seems impossible to deny that China with its anthoritarian capitalism has succeeded in competing with the US's market capitalism.
Blaming of Bush administration
Bush administration and its military staff should be taking the main responsibility for current economic downturn and political setbacks on the world stage, according to an Syrian, countries, especially the major ones, which supported the Bush administration in its wars and policies also bear great responsibilty.
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
US new presidential candidates foreign policy views
Recently reading Barack obama's "The Audacity of the hope", many thoughts are appearing during reading process.
What the US presendential election is all about? What are the different political views regarding foreign policy from both Republican and Democratic candidates? Gathered few points here to share with others
Foreign policy is one of the key battleground of the US presidential election, with Republican John McCain considering himself as the better commander-in-chief and Democratic candidate Barack Obama went on a trip to Afghanistan, the Middle East and Europe in July.
Here are the comparison of both candidates' foreign policy towards different regions in the world.
Middle East
Iraqi war was one of the most prominent issue within the US foreign policy, Republican candidate John McMain was one of the prominent proponent of the original decision to invade Iraq.
He believes that the US troops should remain until Iraq has been stabilised, and the Iraqi government should be able to maintain order by itself. He predicted that most troops would be home by 2013, and he is also in favour of a permanent US military presence in the country.
The opposition candidate Barack Obama strongly opposed the idea of invading Iraq, and has pledged to begin removing troops as soon as he enters the White House.
But he mentions that he would take advices from commanders on the ground about the best way to remove troops.
He also expresses his concern of reduced military presence after most troops have withdrawn, in order to enforce counter-terrorism measures against al-Qaeda.
What the US presendential election is all about? What are the different political views regarding foreign policy from both Republican and Democratic candidates? Gathered few points here to share with others
Foreign policy is one of the key battleground of the US presidential election, with Republican John McCain considering himself as the better commander-in-chief and Democratic candidate Barack Obama went on a trip to Afghanistan, the Middle East and Europe in July.
Here are the comparison of both candidates' foreign policy towards different regions in the world.
Middle East
Iraqi war was one of the most prominent issue within the US foreign policy, Republican candidate John McMain was one of the prominent proponent of the original decision to invade Iraq.
He believes that the US troops should remain until Iraq has been stabilised, and the Iraqi government should be able to maintain order by itself. He predicted that most troops would be home by 2013, and he is also in favour of a permanent US military presence in the country.
The opposition candidate Barack Obama strongly opposed the idea of invading Iraq, and has pledged to begin removing troops as soon as he enters the White House.
But he mentions that he would take advices from commanders on the ground about the best way to remove troops.
He also expresses his concern of reduced military presence after most troops have withdrawn, in order to enforce counter-terrorism measures against al-Qaeda.
Sunday, 21 September 2008
London Embraces Digital Media
I covered this story on 17th of September as a BBC London freelance, South Bank Centre, London.
Published on:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2008/09/18/
london_embrace_digital_media_feature.shtml
A one-day digital design event which aims to help the public in their everyday lives has been held at the South Bank Centre.
Digital Design Day (D3) gathers together industry professionals, interactive designers, technologists, and emerging multimedia graduates to explore ideas related to the web, 3D, interactive design, the collision of art and digital technology, and how the modern digital media can interact with the public.
The event, held on Wednesday, was part of the week-long 6th London Design Festival
’08, organised by technology company Carrenza and supported by the London Design Festival and dynamo London.
Online projects promote museums
The idea of user generated content and a user-friendly interface was under discussion in a session called “3D to 5D”.
Colin Jenkinson, from Cogapp, introduced work his company had done in conjunction with museums. He discussed agile and creative online projects created by digital professionals aimed at attracting new audiences.
These projects hope to encourage audiences to share their thoughts and particular interests through the web.
“If the audience can upload the content they produced on the web for instance, after their visits to these museums, it could be a much stronger attraction for the new audience,” Colin said.
However, he also cautioned that larger museums might be put off and find it quite hard to react in such a highly interactive web 2.0 environment.
Avatars interact with public
Stacey Spiegel, the CEO and co-founder of Parallel Worlds Labs, agreed with Colin saying “sharing and re-creation is the root”. He discussed how the virtual world can positively influence people.
“For instance, utilising avatars (a computer representation of yourself) to assist older people is a very good example. These “avatar staffs” can help with their disabilities and mental health problems,” he said.
Second life is a 3D virtual world in which people can socialise with each other, create businesses and start to trade. To some extent it reflects their emotions and thinking, and this is what digital professionals are trying to develop by using these avatars more positively to help the public.
Bridging the gap between technologists and designers
Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino, CEO of technology and design consultancy Tinker, raised an interesting issue which currently concerns the industry; technologists and designers sometimes cannot communicate in the same language with each other.
She said: “60% of technologists come to us expressing an interest in design, however only 40% of designers show an interest in digital technology.
“The separation between design and technology can be tracked back from art schools and science institutes.”
Stacey Spiegel also expressed his concern: “It is a mental division and we should try to bring them together. Educational institutions should try to bridge the gap between design and technology.”
Portfolio clinic
The i-Design ’08 Portfolio clinic, held during the event, was designed to create opportunities for emerging designers, web developers and students to showcase their work to the industry professionals.
It attracts more than 20 companies based in London, Brighton, and other English regions.
“The work from the multimedia/interactive graduates certainly is not as professional as the industry people,” Malcolm Garrett, the creative director at AIG commented.
“However, some of their work possesses a strong creativity, which is crucial for the industry, and the content showed their particular interests in certain areas.
“What they should now try to think is how to present this fascinating content into a better structure and layout, and make the whole piece of work more dimensional.”
The design director, Steven Pearce, from Poke said the works on show were very diverse, and covered a wide range of design aspects, from print to multimedia, from interactive design to 3D, and demonstrated the younger generation’s strong interest on digital design.
When asked if it was ever possible to hire someone from the portfolio session, Malcolm said potential employers believed that as long as the graduates possessed the fundamental basics; certain skills, life-long learning drive, capacity to develop their skills, passion and enthusiasm – they certainly had enough potential to work in this field.
Published on:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2008/09/18/
london_embrace_digital_media_feature.shtml
A one-day digital design event which aims to help the public in their everyday lives has been held at the South Bank Centre.
Digital Design Day (D3) gathers together industry professionals, interactive designers, technologists, and emerging multimedia graduates to explore ideas related to the web, 3D, interactive design, the collision of art and digital technology, and how the modern digital media can interact with the public.
The event, held on Wednesday, was part of the week-long 6th London Design Festival
’08, organised by technology company Carrenza and supported by the London Design Festival and dynamo London.
Online projects promote museums
The idea of user generated content and a user-friendly interface was under discussion in a session called “3D to 5D”.
Colin Jenkinson, from Cogapp, introduced work his company had done in conjunction with museums. He discussed agile and creative online projects created by digital professionals aimed at attracting new audiences.
These projects hope to encourage audiences to share their thoughts and particular interests through the web.
“If the audience can upload the content they produced on the web for instance, after their visits to these museums, it could be a much stronger attraction for the new audience,” Colin said.
However, he also cautioned that larger museums might be put off and find it quite hard to react in such a highly interactive web 2.0 environment.
Avatars interact with public
Stacey Spiegel, the CEO and co-founder of Parallel Worlds Labs, agreed with Colin saying “sharing and re-creation is the root”. He discussed how the virtual world can positively influence people.
“For instance, utilising avatars (a computer representation of yourself) to assist older people is a very good example. These “avatar staffs” can help with their disabilities and mental health problems,” he said.
Second life is a 3D virtual world in which people can socialise with each other, create businesses and start to trade. To some extent it reflects their emotions and thinking, and this is what digital professionals are trying to develop by using these avatars more positively to help the public.
Bridging the gap between technologists and designers
Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino, CEO of technology and design consultancy Tinker, raised an interesting issue which currently concerns the industry; technologists and designers sometimes cannot communicate in the same language with each other.
She said: “60% of technologists come to us expressing an interest in design, however only 40% of designers show an interest in digital technology.
“The separation between design and technology can be tracked back from art schools and science institutes.”
Stacey Spiegel also expressed his concern: “It is a mental division and we should try to bring them together. Educational institutions should try to bridge the gap between design and technology.”
Portfolio clinic
The i-Design ’08 Portfolio clinic, held during the event, was designed to create opportunities for emerging designers, web developers and students to showcase their work to the industry professionals.
It attracts more than 20 companies based in London, Brighton, and other English regions.
“The work from the multimedia/interactive graduates certainly is not as professional as the industry people,” Malcolm Garrett, the creative director at AIG commented.
“However, some of their work possesses a strong creativity, which is crucial for the industry, and the content showed their particular interests in certain areas.
“What they should now try to think is how to present this fascinating content into a better structure and layout, and make the whole piece of work more dimensional.”
The design director, Steven Pearce, from Poke said the works on show were very diverse, and covered a wide range of design aspects, from print to multimedia, from interactive design to 3D, and demonstrated the younger generation’s strong interest on digital design.
When asked if it was ever possible to hire someone from the portfolio session, Malcolm said potential employers believed that as long as the graduates possessed the fundamental basics; certain skills, life-long learning drive, capacity to develop their skills, passion and enthusiasm – they certainly had enough potential to work in this field.
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Go to the Web, young journalist!
A fascinating article forward by David, that's it -- a vivid description of Online journalism in the up coming decade!
Commentary: This is your chance to shape the future. An open letter to student reporters from an editor who's in a position to hire.
By Anthony Moor
Posted: 2006-03-16
Anthony Moor is Associate Managing Editor/Online at the Orlando Sentinel, and editor of OrlandoSentinel.com. He also serves on the board of directors of the Online News Association.
So ten years into the Internet revolution, you are beginning a career in journalism. Odds are that means you are looking for a job in either print or TV.
What's wrong with this picture?
One major newspaper chain was just frog-marched to the auction block by grimfaced money managers. The others have watched their stock price slide for two solid years like a metro daily tossed onto a pitched roof.
Network television doesn't even have all its anchor chairs filled -- forget about a clear mission. The cable outlets have hired talk-show screamers and now follow car chases and kidnap mysteries "live." Much of local TV long ago gave up the ghost.
Maybe it's time to consider the Web.
After a long freeze brought about by the dot-com crash and 9/11, Web editors are hiring and Web operations are expanding again.
Safa Rashtchy, a senior research analyst at the securities firm Piper Jaffray, recently predicted that online advertising will reach its tipping point in mid-2006.
That's prompting news organizations to realign their resources to focus more on Web journalism.
What's more, for a discipline with decades of tradition and well-defined standards of practice, there is a sense of excitement and rejuvenation about journalism as it is being practiced on the Web today.
The rules are still being written, so the practitioners, by and large, are following their own muse as they explore new ways to communicate news and information.
Innovations abound
We rolled out a blog at OrlandoSentinel.com for this year's Winter Olympics, and our three columnists became diarists.
They wrote about Big Macs, getting lost on the media bus and the fact that Florida's top football draft pick had given up the gridiron for figure skating.
OK, the last one was a fabrication, but they did own up to it in their post. They wanted to know whether anyone was reading their blog and would comment. The readers did -- heatedly.
We thought our bloggers would write about sports. But set loose with a new writing form in a two-way medium that allows readers to talk back, they invented something new.
"I enjoyed my first blog-o-rama," veteran sports columnist David Whitley wrote to me when he returned from Italy.
"If that's part of the next generation of newspapers, I could have a lot of fun. Unless I get fired first, I guess."
Our other online efforts are making newsroom staff happy as well. Sentinel photographer Ed Sackett practically crowed over the opportunity to capture the sound and movement of roosters at a county fair contest recently.
Online producers Debra Minor and Kris Hey relish scooping TV, radio and the Associated Press with news called in from the field by Sentinel staff.
It is true that at the major news organizations, much of the Web work to date has focused on repurposing content from the legacy newsroom for a digital audience. But that is changing.
In the same way that early television struggled to develop from radio-on-TV to something different, so is Web journalism.
Some are striking out in exceptionally creative directions. A young broadcaster in Britain melds magazine-style presentation with grainy, cinema-vérité video to create investigative productions of amazing depth and presence.
A Chicago journalist-programmer melds public police data with Google maps to present an on-demand visual map of crime in your neighborhood.
A pair of newspaper veterans dubs themselves "Baristas" and serves up a mix of community-contributed news and their own wry sense of humor to suburban New Jersey.
Preparing for the new job market
The privilege to innovate like this may come around only once in a lifetime.
If you talk to those of us doing news on the Web, you'll learn that we believe the Internet is finally beginning to deliver on its promise to transform journalism -- but we're also not sure what that transformation will bring.
So this is your opportunity to shape the future.
Interestingly, the skills you need are just what you have been learning. A soon-to-be released study finds that online managers are primarily looking for detail-oriented collaborators capable of editing and copyediting, not technical producers.
(The survey was prepared by the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, in conjunction with the Online News Association, and will be published on the ONA website in the next few weeks.)
So what could you do right now at school to give you an edge with Web editors? When I examine resumes of recent graduates, I'm looking for the journalism skills first, specifically news judgment.
Have you worked as an editor at your college newspaper? Do you have clips that demonstrate a clear hard-news focus, in the classic, inverted-pyramid writing style? I want journalists who want to be editors.
Next, are you Internet literate? No newspaper editor would hire an applicant who didn't know the function of the A-section. No TV news director would hire someone who couldn't pick out a sound bite or define the term "B-roll."
While we don't need code monkeys, we do need people who understand the unique attributes of the Web as it pertains to journalism.
So, have you built a Web page as part of a student project or on your own? Do you know basic HTML? Do you work on the student newspaper website?
Do you frequent Internet news sites? Do you use an RSS reader? Do you podcast?
Did you ask to shadow the Web producers for a few days at your last internship? An affinity for our medium is essential.
I also need people who think in multimedia. So if you're a broadcast major, take print courses, or visa versa. Do a Web project.
Have you ever storyboarded a reporting effort for a Flash presentation? (In truth, we don't do much Flash at our shop, and you'll find that's normal at news websites, so Flash skills are usually a bonus, not a requirement.)
You have to know how to take anything that can be digitized and present it in a uniquely compelling way for the Web.
This is essential because you will be mentoring reporters from your legacy newsroom who need insight into how to present their work for a Web audience.
You must be the one who knows that source documentation can make a deep, rich Web piece or database. You should know how to write a TV-style voiceover script to marry to photos for a narrated slide show.
You must dream up the idea to take the sales tax data a reporter compiled and make an interface that lets individuals put in their own grocery bill to find out in which county they get the biggest break.
Do you keep a blog? Why not? There has never been an easier way to publish your journalism for an audience. So become a journalist online.
Blog your hobby or your summer in Europe -- like a reporter, not an opinion columnist. An understanding of how the blogosphere intersects with news is increasingly important as we tackle the two-way nature of the Internet today.
(One caveat: Your MySpace musings may make you a blogging expert, but it doesn't qualify as journalism. In fact, you can count on us finding that frat party confession and photo en déshabillé, so ask yourself whether that's the image you wish to project when seeking a job.)
There never has been a better time to get into Web journalism. We are making money, we are hiring, and we are actively searching for new, innovative ideas.
After ten years, there are no veterans in this field. This is your chance to be among the first.
Commentary: This is your chance to shape the future. An open letter to student reporters from an editor who's in a position to hire.
By Anthony Moor
Posted: 2006-03-16
Anthony Moor is Associate Managing Editor/Online at the Orlando Sentinel, and editor of OrlandoSentinel.com. He also serves on the board of directors of the Online News Association.
So ten years into the Internet revolution, you are beginning a career in journalism. Odds are that means you are looking for a job in either print or TV.
What's wrong with this picture?
One major newspaper chain was just frog-marched to the auction block by grimfaced money managers. The others have watched their stock price slide for two solid years like a metro daily tossed onto a pitched roof.
Network television doesn't even have all its anchor chairs filled -- forget about a clear mission. The cable outlets have hired talk-show screamers and now follow car chases and kidnap mysteries "live." Much of local TV long ago gave up the ghost.
Maybe it's time to consider the Web.
After a long freeze brought about by the dot-com crash and 9/11, Web editors are hiring and Web operations are expanding again.
Safa Rashtchy, a senior research analyst at the securities firm Piper Jaffray, recently predicted that online advertising will reach its tipping point in mid-2006.
That's prompting news organizations to realign their resources to focus more on Web journalism.
What's more, for a discipline with decades of tradition and well-defined standards of practice, there is a sense of excitement and rejuvenation about journalism as it is being practiced on the Web today.
The rules are still being written, so the practitioners, by and large, are following their own muse as they explore new ways to communicate news and information.
Innovations abound
We rolled out a blog at OrlandoSentinel.com for this year's Winter Olympics, and our three columnists became diarists.
They wrote about Big Macs, getting lost on the media bus and the fact that Florida's top football draft pick had given up the gridiron for figure skating.
OK, the last one was a fabrication, but they did own up to it in their post. They wanted to know whether anyone was reading their blog and would comment. The readers did -- heatedly.
We thought our bloggers would write about sports. But set loose with a new writing form in a two-way medium that allows readers to talk back, they invented something new.
"I enjoyed my first blog-o-rama," veteran sports columnist David Whitley wrote to me when he returned from Italy.
"If that's part of the next generation of newspapers, I could have a lot of fun. Unless I get fired first, I guess."
Our other online efforts are making newsroom staff happy as well. Sentinel photographer Ed Sackett practically crowed over the opportunity to capture the sound and movement of roosters at a county fair contest recently.
Online producers Debra Minor and Kris Hey relish scooping TV, radio and the Associated Press with news called in from the field by Sentinel staff.
It is true that at the major news organizations, much of the Web work to date has focused on repurposing content from the legacy newsroom for a digital audience. But that is changing.
In the same way that early television struggled to develop from radio-on-TV to something different, so is Web journalism.
Some are striking out in exceptionally creative directions. A young broadcaster in Britain melds magazine-style presentation with grainy, cinema-vérité video to create investigative productions of amazing depth and presence.
A Chicago journalist-programmer melds public police data with Google maps to present an on-demand visual map of crime in your neighborhood.
A pair of newspaper veterans dubs themselves "Baristas" and serves up a mix of community-contributed news and their own wry sense of humor to suburban New Jersey.
Preparing for the new job market
The privilege to innovate like this may come around only once in a lifetime.
If you talk to those of us doing news on the Web, you'll learn that we believe the Internet is finally beginning to deliver on its promise to transform journalism -- but we're also not sure what that transformation will bring.
So this is your opportunity to shape the future.
Interestingly, the skills you need are just what you have been learning. A soon-to-be released study finds that online managers are primarily looking for detail-oriented collaborators capable of editing and copyediting, not technical producers.
(The survey was prepared by the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, in conjunction with the Online News Association, and will be published on the ONA website in the next few weeks.)
So what could you do right now at school to give you an edge with Web editors? When I examine resumes of recent graduates, I'm looking for the journalism skills first, specifically news judgment.
Have you worked as an editor at your college newspaper? Do you have clips that demonstrate a clear hard-news focus, in the classic, inverted-pyramid writing style? I want journalists who want to be editors.
Next, are you Internet literate? No newspaper editor would hire an applicant who didn't know the function of the A-section. No TV news director would hire someone who couldn't pick out a sound bite or define the term "B-roll."
While we don't need code monkeys, we do need people who understand the unique attributes of the Web as it pertains to journalism.
So, have you built a Web page as part of a student project or on your own? Do you know basic HTML? Do you work on the student newspaper website?
Do you frequent Internet news sites? Do you use an RSS reader? Do you podcast?
Did you ask to shadow the Web producers for a few days at your last internship? An affinity for our medium is essential.
I also need people who think in multimedia. So if you're a broadcast major, take print courses, or visa versa. Do a Web project.
Have you ever storyboarded a reporting effort for a Flash presentation? (In truth, we don't do much Flash at our shop, and you'll find that's normal at news websites, so Flash skills are usually a bonus, not a requirement.)
You have to know how to take anything that can be digitized and present it in a uniquely compelling way for the Web.
This is essential because you will be mentoring reporters from your legacy newsroom who need insight into how to present their work for a Web audience.
You must be the one who knows that source documentation can make a deep, rich Web piece or database. You should know how to write a TV-style voiceover script to marry to photos for a narrated slide show.
You must dream up the idea to take the sales tax data a reporter compiled and make an interface that lets individuals put in their own grocery bill to find out in which county they get the biggest break.
Do you keep a blog? Why not? There has never been an easier way to publish your journalism for an audience. So become a journalist online.
Blog your hobby or your summer in Europe -- like a reporter, not an opinion columnist. An understanding of how the blogosphere intersects with news is increasingly important as we tackle the two-way nature of the Internet today.
(One caveat: Your MySpace musings may make you a blogging expert, but it doesn't qualify as journalism. In fact, you can count on us finding that frat party confession and photo en déshabillé, so ask yourself whether that's the image you wish to project when seeking a job.)
There never has been a better time to get into Web journalism. We are making money, we are hiring, and we are actively searching for new, innovative ideas.
After ten years, there are no veterans in this field. This is your chance to be among the first.
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