"Arab Media: Power and Weakness is comprised of research synopses (comprehensive overviews over the current academic literature and “blind spots” of research in one of the above mentioned fields); original empirical research; and theoretical papers. The result is a comprehensive handbook of up-t
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o date research and scholarship on this important and fast-changing subject, which will be of use to all students and researchers of the contemporary Arab world." (Publisher description)
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"This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the impact of the Internet on media and mediated content industries. It explores and discusses the changes this emergent communications platform is engendering for the media and content industries and the implications of those changes. Its contents are d
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rawn from the findings of a five-year EU sponsored research initiative, the 'Cost A20 Programme on the Impact of the Internet on the Mass Media'. Its authors include Europe's leading scholars in the field. The book's standpoint is simultaneously multi-lens, interdisciplinary, and cross-national. By approaching a common topic and single industry from a number of different theoretical and geographical standpoints it provides rich and comprehensive insights and thus equips scholars, policymakers, media practitioners, and social observers with a strong explanatory and interpretive overview of how the Internet has affected the media. The chapters look at the impact of the Internet on technology, platforms and innovation, content, users, and media organisations' strategies, structures and business models." (Publisher description)
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"This book is the result of a research project covering eight countries in South and South East Asia examining the role and impact of alternative media. The definition of alternative media depends very much on the political, social, cultural and economic environment you live in. Thus, this book give
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s the reader an idea of the diversity of alternative media sources available across Asia, which is very much a result of the different media regulatory regimes in the countries we have included in this study. While Bangladesh has had alternative media, in the form of community theatre and other artistic expressions for a long time, yet, community radio, which is fast becoming one of the most effective forms of alternative media in Asia, is slow to take off, because the regulations still do not allow it. Meanwhile in Indonesia and Thailand, community radio has taken off rapidly, with regulators struggling to come up with a formula to help regulate the sector while not shutting it down. In the Philippine community radio has existed legally for many years and is thriving, thus, there may be lessons others can learn from this experience. In Malaysia, where legislation tightly controls the establishment of media outlets, there are yet, some interesting examples of how alternative media could be effectively operated via the Internet. Sri Lanka, offers an interesting model where elements of community broadcasting could exist within a public service broadcaster. Thus, this book, gives you interesting examples from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand of how people are getting their voices heard - or are struggling to make that happen - using a variety of media and methods of expression." (Publisher description)
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"This assessment describes and contextualises a series of challenges for an environment conducive to freedom of expression brought about by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed in 2005 and the changes to the political framework in Sudan. The aim is to establish a comprehensive overview of
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the media situation in all relevant sectors, as well as developing an overview of support to the sectors and the strategies behind this support from agencies for international cooperation. Although the CPA opened up space for a more democratic setup for media ownership and practice and resulted in a number of changes to the media situation in Sudan, the freedom of expression environment in Sudan still faces important challenges. According to this assessment, the main challenges are:
Need for media reform: There is a dire need for legal reform in the area of freedom of expression and access to information. At the national level, new media laws produced and presented to Parliament show only slight improvement over the existing laws. In Southern Sudan the Legislative Assembly has adopted a more progressive media policy, but the four draft bills which have been prepared have not yet been processed by the assembly.
Need for professional skill building: Professional journalists are scarce, and objective and relevant reporting is a challenge for many Sudanese newspapers. In spite of the large number of media schools in Sudan, the results are discouraging. The academic and professional standards of the graduates are extremely basic and on-the-job training is almost non-existent.
Poor working conditions: Basic working conditions and employment rights in the Sudanese media are poor, especially in the printed media. There is widespread exploitation, not least of young journalists. The poor working conditions have negative consequences for the quality of journalism. In addition, many Sudanese journalists have emigrated to find better job opportunities abroad.
Politicisation of the media sector: The highly politicised environment in Sudan is reflected in the media sector. A significant part of the media in Sudan operates within a set political frame, pursuing political goals and the desire to influence public opinion and decision making." (Executive summary)
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