From the Guardian newsblog: "Beslan.ru was set up in the wake of the Beslan siege by a dozen local residents, several of whom are teachers at Middle School Number 1. Beslan.ru is compiling a list of all the victims, in what the paper calls "filling in for a government gone AWOL in the wake of the siege". The site - which is being translated into English - includes news on the political and social aftermath of the violence, appeals for help for the victims and their families, and details on how to donate money."
Source: Guardian newsblog
It's a surprise: the warplane maker Serge Dassault, now owner of Socpresse and Le Figaro, first national daily in France has just appointed Nicolas Beytoux as new editor-in-chief of Le Figaro. So, Beytoux leaves Les Echos owned by Pearson and his family. The future role of Jean de Belot, former editor of Le Figaro is still not clear, but it seems remaining in the newspaper. Not the case of Yves de Chaisemartin, vice-president of Socpresse who was dismissed.
Source: AFP
According to Mediapost, "Weather.com's decision earlier this month to start running advertorials for Scott's fertilizer--a first for that site--evidences the growing trend of online content paid for by sponsors, say online media experts. And while the watchdogs say there's nothing inherently wrong with advertorials, they stress that publishers should clarify that the content is paid for. Without such disclaimers, they say, consumers will eventually lose confidence in the Web as a source of information... The Scott's advertorial on Weather.com has not yet launched, says a company spokeswoman, so it's unclear how the site plans to handle any disclaimers. Although Weather.com has no corresponding print presence, experts say they consider it a journalistic site because it performs the traditionally journalistic tasks of collecting and analyzing information."
Source: Mediapost
A Belarussian independent newspaper said Wednesday
it had been temporarily shut down by the government of this isolated former Soviet republic due to its political coverage. The Regional Newspaper in the town of Molodechno received a notice from the information ministry saying it was shut down for three months, its editor Alexander Mantsevich told AFP. See also the letter of protest sent by the World Editors Forum and the WAN.
According to Investors.com, "Belo Corp. said that it would cut 250 jobs, primarily at its flagship newspaper, the Dallas Morning News. After in-depht investigation, Belo stated that it expects The Morning News' circulation for the six-month period ending September 30, 2004, to be approximately 5.1 percent less daily, and approximately 11.9 percent less Sunday, than circulation reported for the year-earlier period.
Source: Investors.com
According to the The Khaleej Times, " first Middle East Publishing Conference (MEPC) will be held in Dubai, on 17 and 18 January next year. It will be organised by Dubai Consultancy, Research and Media Centre (DCRMC) on behalf of the International Media Production Zone (iMPZ), and Dubai Media Incorporated (DM1) through its daily Al Bayan. The event marks a new collaboration between FIPP and the World Association of Newspapers, the two leading global publishing associations.The conference will address the opportunities and challenges of the regional publishing environment as seen through the eyes of the global publishing community. The conference aims to establish a framework for the transformation and development of the regional publishing industry, while suggesting solutions, promoting global standards and industry best practices."
"Fiji's government is still deciding whether to liquidate the Daily Post newspaper if no more funds are injected into it by the Ministry of Finance. The Auditor-General's report received an explanation from the Ministry of Public Enterprise on the newspaper that stated that its latest directors' meeting decided that unless the ministry of finance injects more funds into the company they would apply for liquidation to the courts."
Source: Fiji Times
Interesting debate between Jack Schafer, Slate and David S. Broder, The Washington Post about journalism standards: for the first one, journalism is more ethical than it used to be in the 70s, and for the WaPo veteran journalist, the latest scandals are a shame for the whole profession.
Source: Slate. See also a good new Reuters' article on the "Rathergate" and the consequences for U.S. journalism
From Media Week and WARC: "If you want to target 18-34 year-old European city dwellers, advertise in the freesheets. That's the message of a recent survey by market researcher TNS Gallup. The study of 24,000 people shows that the coveted demographic is shunning paid-for newspapers in favour of free papers such as London's Metro. Of those who live in a European city where free papers are available, half read a free newspaper at least once a week, while nearly a quarter read one every day. Importantly, almost one in three read only free papers each week, with 23% also reading a paid-for title. Less than half read only a paid-for paper every week." (Data sourced from: Media Week (UK); additional content by WARC staff)
Source: WARC
Mark Glaser has convened a virtual round table dedicated in particular to U.S. military bloggers, also called milibloggers: "If the war in Iraq has brought one good thing to the often muddled media landscape, it has been the growing prominence of on-the-scene bloggers, whether they're U.S. Army soldiers on the ground or Iraqi citizens caught in a war zone."
Source: Glaser online - OJR
The South Asian Media Network reports that, in Nepal, "The newly-endorsed Information Technology Ordinance 2004 has failed to address the issue of cyber journalism, said participants speaking at an interaction on IT ordinance and cyber journalism, organised jointly by Nepal Japan dot com and the Cyber Journalist Association of Nepal. It is sad that the newly-endorsed IT ordinance has failed to address e-journalism which is gaining popularity everyday said Kumar Basnet, chief editor of Nepal Japan dot com. “There are more than two dozens of web magazine published from Nepal and around one dozen from abroad. However, with no clear policy they are finding it difficult to compete with the print media,” Basnet said... Kartikya Ghimire, chief editor of ketaketi.org presented a working paper on the IT ordinance, e-journalism access and challenges. The government should bring web magazines within the legal boundaries and promote e- journalism, Ghimire said.
Source: South Asian Media Network
"Nine Indian-Americans and one Bangladeshi American have been named to the 2004 list of the world´s 100 Top Young Innovators by Technology Review, MIT´s Magazine of Innovation. The TR100, chosen by the editors of Technology Review and an elite panel of judges, consists of 100 individuals under age 35 whose innovative work in technology has a profound impact on today´s world."
Source: South Asian Media Network
"Nine Indian-Americans and one Bangladeshi American have been named to the 2004 list of the world´s 100 Top Young Innovators by Technology Review, MIT´s Magazine of Innovation. The TR100, chosen by the editors of Technology Review and an elite panel of judges, consists of 100 individuals under age 35 whose innovative work in technology has a profound impact on today´s world."
Source: South Asian Media Network
In a wide ranging interview in the just-published Oct. 14 issue of Rolling Stone, Bruce Springsteen says, "The press has let the country down. It's taken a very amoral stand, in that essential issues are often portrayed as simply one side says this and the other side says that....The job of the press is to tell the truth without fear or favor. We have to get back to that standard."
Source: Editor & Publisher through mediachannel.org
According to Central Europe Business News, "A new daily newspaper may be about to hit the market, while investors are being sought for unprofitable Magyar Hírlap, the local manager of publisher Ringier revealed last week in the wake of a decision that favors the company’s local ambitions. “Axel Springer will launch a new nationwide broadsheet soon, which will put the case into a different light,” Béla Papp, managing director of Ringier Publishing Kft, said." Ringier wants to increase its existing 49.6% share in Népszabadság Rt (through its Dutch member firm, Tabora B.V) and owns so far 100% of Magyar Hírlap.
Source: Central Europe Business News
According to Central Europe Business News, "A new daily newspaper may be about to hit the market, while investors are being sought for unprofitable Magyar Hírlap, the local manager of publisher Ringier revealed last week in the wake of a decision that favors the company’s local ambitions. “Axel Springer will launch a new nationwide broadsheet soon, which will put the case into a different light,” Béla Papp, managing director of Ringier Publishing Kft, said." Ringier wants to increase its existing 49.6% share in Népszabadság Rt (through its Dutch member firm, Tabora B.V) and owns so far 100% of Magyar Hírlap.
Source: Central Europe Business News
