"This book provides an in-depth comparative analysis of inequality and the stratification of the digital sphere. Grounded in classical sociological theories of inequality, as well as empirical evidence, this book defines “the digital divide” as the unequal access and utility of internet communic
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ations technologies and explores how it has the potential to replicate existing social inequalities, as well as create new forms of stratification. The Digital Divide examines how various demographic and socio-economic factors including income, education, age and gender, as well as infrastructure, products and services affect how the internet is used and accessed. Comprised of six parts, the first section examines theories of the digital divide, and then looks in turn at: highly developed nations and regions (including the USA, the EU and Japan); emerging large powers (Brazil, Russia, India, China); Eastern European countries (Estonia, Romania, Serbia); Arab and Middle Eastern nations (Egypt, Iran, Israel); under-studied areas (East and Central Asia, Latin America, and sub-Saharan Africa)." (Publisher description)
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"Premiering in 2006, Ugly Betty, the award-winning US hit show about unglamorous but kind-hearted Betty Suarez (America Ferrera), is the latest incarnation of a worldwide phenomenon that started life as a Colombian telenovela, Yo soy Betty, la fea, back in 1999. The tale of the ugly duckling has sin
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ce taken an extraordinary global journey and become the most successful telenovela to date. This groundbreaking book asks what the Yo soy Betty, la fea / Ugly Betty phenomenon can tell us about the international circulation of locally produced TV fictions as the Latin American telenovela is sold to, and/or re-made-officially and unofficially-for different national contexts. The contributors explore what Betty has to say about the tensions between the commercial demands of multimedia conglomerates and the regulatory forces of national broadcasters as well as the international ambitions of national TV industries and their struggle in competitive markets. They also investigate what this international trade tells us about cultural storytelling and audience experience, as well as ideologies of feminine beauty and myths of female desire and aspiration. TV's Betty Goes Global features original interviews with buyers and schedulers, writers, story editors and directors, including the creator of Yo soy Betty, la fea, Fernando Gaitan." (Publisher description)
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"In diesem Band wird sowohl das Gefangenenbüchereiwesen in Deutschland als auch international vorgestellt. Neben der Geschichte der Gefangenenbüchereien werden die Gesetzesgrundlagen und unterschiedliche Bibliotheksangebote für Menschen in Haft erstmalig in einem Band zusammengefasst." (Verlagsbe
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schreibung)
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"Anhand dreier Fallbeispiele aus Indien, Burundi und der Tschechischen Republik kann exemplarisch gezeigt werden, wie sehr das jeweilige Umfeld die Schwierigkeiten diözesaner Presse prägt. Mediensystem, gesellschaftliche und diözesane Rahmenbedingungen scheinen als Einflussgrößen auf die Bistum
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spresse größer zu werden, je weniger stabil ein Land und seine Gesellschaft entwickelt sind." (Abstract)
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"This report examines whether and how furthering Internet freedom can empower civil society vis-à-vis public officials, make the government more accountable to its citizens, and integrate citizens into the policymaking process. Using case studies of events in 2011 in Egypt, Syria, China, and Russia
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, researchers focus on the impact of Internet freedom on freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and the right to cast a meaningful vote, all of which are the key pillars of political space. Researchers analyze the mechanisms by which Internet freedom can enhance the opportunities to enjoy these freedoms, how different political contexts can alter the opportunities for online mobilization, and how, subsequently, online activism can grow out into offline mobilization leading to visible policy changes. To provide historical context, researchers also draw parallels between the effects of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty programs in the Soviet Union during the Cold War and the ongoing efforts to expand Internet freedom for all. The report concludes by discussing implications for the design of Internet freedom programs and other measures to protect “freedom to connect." (Back cover)
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"Das Fernsehen ist für die Menschen in Russland die wichtigste politische Informationsquelle. Nach einer kurzen Periode der Freiheit Anfang der 1990er Jahre ist es erneut zum zentralen Pfeiler geworden, auf den die Staatsorgane ihre Macht stützen. Die drei größten Kanäle Perwyj Kanal, Rossija u
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nd NTV werden landesweit kostenlos ausgestrahlt und gehören entweder direkt dem Staat oder kremlnahen Oligarchen und Konzernen. Die Monopolstellung der staatlichen Sender stützt sich auf ein noch aus sowjetischer Zeit stammendes Übertragungssystem, das fast alle Haushalte des riesigen Landes erreicht. Unabhängige Medien, die sich mit teilweise scharfer Kritik an den Machthabern profilieren, erreichen hingegen nur einen sehr geringen Teil der Bevölkerung. Auf dem Fernsehmarkt ist dies einzig der Privatsender TV Doschd, der sich im Dezember 2012 vergeblich darum bemühte, in das landesweite Übertragungssystem aufgenommen zu werden. Er ist nur über einige Kabelnetze und Satelliten sowie über das Internet zu empfangen. Online-Angebote wie die von TV Doschd oder der kritischen Internetzeitungen lenta.ru und gazeta.ru erreichen weniger als ein Prozent der Bevölkerung. Ähnliches gilt für die im Ausland bekannte kremlkritische Zeitung Nowaja Gaseta und den Radiosender Echo Moskwy. Solange diese Medien nur ein begrenztes Publikum erreichen, liegt ihre Existenz im Interesse des Kreml: Sie können im Ausland als Beleg für die Medienfreiheit angeführt werden, im Inland wirken sie als Ventil für Unzufriedenheit und Kritik. Zur gleichen Zeit versorgen die kremlfreundlichen Nachrichten der staatlichen Fernsehsender die Bevölkerung mit der offiziell genehmigten Version dessen, was in Russland und der Welt passiert." (Zusammenfassung)
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"The advent of digital television has accelerated the elaboration of regulation and related processes in the countries of the region. Some countries adopted changes in their broadcasting statutes (Ukraine in 2006; Armenia in 2008 and 2010; Kazakhstan in 2012) or their mass media statute (Russia in 2
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011). One country laid the foundations for the switchover in a presidential decree (Uzbekistan in 2012), while the rest have opted for governmental ordinances and executive orders. Some changes made in the process go beyond merely adjusting the legal framework to digital technology." (Conclusion)
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"The current UIS Questionnaire on Media Statistics provides information for three UNESCO frameworks, namely the Media and Information Literacy Framework, the Media Development Indicators Framework and the Framework for Cultural Statistics. The questionnaire collects data for reporting global progres
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s on Action Lines C2, C3, C8 and C9 of the World Summit on Information Society (WSIS) in UNESCO’s fields of competencies. In particular, Action Line C9 recommends appropriate policies to foster and sustain media and information development. This document provides country profiles for each of the countries that participated in the two pilot surveys conducted in 2011 and 2012." (Background, page 3)
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"Freedom House has conducted a comprehensive study of internet freedom in 60 countries around the world. This report is the fourth in a series and focuses on developments that occurred between May 2012 and April 2013. The previous edition, covering 47 countries, was published in September 2012. 'Fre
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edom on the Net 2013' assesses a greater variety of political systems than its predecessors, while tracing improvements and declines in the countries examined in the previous editions. Over 70 researchers, nearly all based in the countries they analyzed, contributed to the project examining laws and practices relevant to the internet, testing the accessibility of select websites, and interviewing a wide range of sources. Of the 60 countries assessed, 34 have experienced a negative trajectory since May 2012." (Page 2)
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"Though Facebook’s near-ubiquitous lead might indicate that the global social network landscape is simplifying, it quickly becomes clear this is not the case. This report aims to help marketers assess the social network landscape in 27 countries by briefly examining four key factors: top social ne
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tworks, usage, social media advertising and mobile social trends." (Executive summary)
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"Initially launched in 2004 by Eurasia-Media, the Russian Independent Print Media Program (RIPMP) provides intensive training and assistance to promising independent local Russian newspapers, under the premise that by nurturing select publications into ‘beacons of excellence’, best practices eff
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ectively reverberate through the wider regional Russian newspaper industry. The organization's work over the past 8 years has helped develop and launch quality independent media outposts in small-to-midsize cities across Russia. These publications – in relatively little known places such as Berdsk, Krasnoturinsk, Kachkanar, Zheleznogorsk, Zhukovskii and Pervouralsk to name a few – now regularly receive independently juried awards for their journalism, are admired by like-minded regional newspapers seeking to improve their coverage, and actively work with Eurasia-Media and the AIRP in promoting both organizations’ goals towards fostering quality independent sources of local news in Russia's regions." (Executive summary)
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