media
World radio day 2012: tuning into a decade of mass medium Europe
As the first unesco-organised ‘world radio day’ takes place on 13 February, we trawl through our archives to see which radio-related news marked the EU on our citizen media pages over the last ten years. When Poland and Cyprus joined the European Union in 2004, two quite different radio programmes defined their societies: the haughty ‘Radio Maryja’ being a catholic radio programme supporting right-wing ideology in Poland, whilst the happy-go-lucky ‘Radio May’ was a successful bilingual Greek-Turkish Cypriot station. To this day, radio has continued to make political airwaves in Serbia, Hungary and Kosovo. Radio also marks an evolving cultural trend: by 2007 we were listening to pan-European online radio programmes, which led a year later to a music revolution. Read the special edition (Image: (cc) u2canreed/ Flickr)
- Read the special edition World radio day 2012: tuning into a decade of mass medium Europe
- Fired public radio satirists - 'Berlusconisation France'?
- 'Prishtinali': urban faces in a raw capital
- Interview: the success of Greek-Turkish Cypriot Radio May
- Radio Maryja: piety and xenophobia on Poland’s short-wave
Hey diddle diddle, Viktor Orban and the fiddle
The people jump over the moon. 'Hungary is bewitched by Orban - as if he were the pied piper of Hamelin,' commented the Berlin-based Hungarian nobel laureate Imre Kertez in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde in February. The populist flute tones are mainly directed against threats from the outside: the USA, Europe, IMF but as well Roma and Jewish people. 'Orbanistan' is the new nickname given by the international press to the Hungarian republic. Europe’s bad boy is Viktor Orban. His ruling fidesz party has a juicy two-thirds majority, bringing a new constitution and media law criticised by international human rights organisations. As the gang at cafebabel Budapest describe it, 'Our prime minister wakes up in the morning, has an idea, and by mid-week it's passed'. He restructures 'on the qt': alternative locations close down, right-wing extremists become theatre directors, state television is censored. Meanwhile international media sound the alarm and rarely sparks fly against ‘Mr. Viktator’ in the European parliament. But other than financial pressure, the EU didn’t play many of their human rights cards against the country. An ever politicised youth are fighting for a place to protest on 15 March, a national holiday, in Budapest (Image: ©Kristof)
Megaupload, FBI, anonymous: internet battle over copyright
After a vast legal process in the American courts, the internet platform megaupload was closed down on 19 January. Is it a copyright struggle or the start of a third world war? One Frenchie looks for a more differentiated approach
media, downloads, techno-media, internet, privacy, united states
Megaupload vs Sopa and Pipa: it'll be e-right on the night
Act one: stop online piracy. Act two: protect international property. Act three: shut down a famous file-sharing site. Act four: anti-counterfeiting trade agreement. We call for a bit of order in the debate on internet freedom versus intellectual property rights which has kicked off 2012
media, freedom of opinion, cinema, downloads, techno-media, freedom of speech, internet
Peace in 2011: 'solutions to conflicts do exist’
From democratic aspirations to the transformation of the media game, Cathy Van Dorslaer, a Belgian psychologist specialising in the prevention of conflicts, explains why she believes 2011 stood under the sign of peace
media, josé luis rodríguez zapatero, democratisation, psychology, techno-media, europe, internet
Voina: 'As a Russian activist, I'm not sure that I will live long'
With organisers saying that almost 100, 000 people protested in Russia's biggest anti-governmental rally on 10 December - accusing the kremlin of 'fraud' in 4 December parliamentary elections - we hear from the Moscow-based self-styled 'street art gang' in part two of an exclusive interview, where they describe their role in this Russia
media, protest, best of cafebabel.com, ideology, russian federation, voina, politics
United Hush-ia: will Russians elect another doomed Duma?
On 4 December Russians will elect a new parliament. Whilst ruling party United Russia has been in power for over a decade, it looks set to reduce its majority in the lower house, or State Duma. The centrist party’s success will doubtless foreshadow Vladimir Putin’s comeback as president in a ‘job swap’ with Dmitry Medvedev at elections in March 2012. Behind the scenes of this circus, the chorus is beginning to grow edgy. Whilst over 60% of United Russia supporters are female and its popularity is growing amongst young people and across a strengthened Eurasian region, more and more journalists, activists and students are speaking out, especially across social networks. Even the purported star of the show Putin has lost favour, receiving his first ever catcalls. Has the bread and circuses act fallen through? (Image: © Kristof)
- Read the special edition United Hush-ia: will Russians elect another doomed Duma?
- Strategy 31: Russians protest for right to demonstrate
- Why I like Putin for president: young Russians speak
- Cyril Tuschi’s ‘Khodorkovsky’: 'I’m not so frightened - I’ll be flying to Moscow premiere'
- Boo-tin: Russian prime minister Vladimir catcalled in public
- Reforms and Russians: mapping young people’s stalled futures
- Dear granddad, for Christmas I'd like a Eurasian union
Missing you already Berlusconi - young Italians speak
It's official! Monti's in, Berly's out! His anti-politics, his vulgarity, his gaffes - at least three reasons why we won't be missing our beloved prime minister, who has been in power in Italy four times since 1994 - 2011. He announced his gradual resignation in mid-November, after Italy was forced to adopt a final series of austerity measures. Is it a trick? Will he be bouncing back into office, immune as they come? The state of the country's finances might ensure that won't happen. The 75-year-old seems to be alone, psychologically fragile and abandoned by his most loyal colleagues. 17 years of bad behaviour is enough. Better late than never (Image: © Kristof)
- Read the special edition Missing you already Berlusconi - young Italians speak
- Four young Europeans react to Berlusconi's resignation: 'There will be civil war'
- Berlusconi’s greatest crime is humiliating Montesquieu
- Bunga bunga: European hanky panky guide for Mr. Berlusconi
- Meeting Mario Monti, interim Italian prime minister
- Berlusconi raised us; how to re-educate Italy?
- Italian writer Alberto Toscano on political gaffes
Journalist Irakli Berulava: ‘Georgia has lost opportunity that rose revolution created’
‘Gloomy’ is how the correspondent of reporters without borders (RSF) in Georgia describes the media situation in the South Caucasus countries. Self censorship, governmental pressures and democratical regression after the rose revolution of 2003 are mining the field of journalism, says the man who is also a blogger, film director and producer
Rosen Plevneliev: Bulgaria’s 'Bob the Builder' is new president
Aged just 47, the former construction minister has managed to stay the nice kid on the block. The most popular minister in cabinet (up until now) does not belong to any political party, but was backed by the ruling party. Yet not everyone is happy with the German-educated politician being in the presidential position for the next five years
media, meglena kuneva, boyko borisov, facebook, politics, elections, european democracy
Frappé, cult official beverage of Greek economic crisis
Having an obligatory iced coffee in the Greek capital is a heady mix of the crisis, anarchic events and corruption at all levels with the wisest and healthiest farniente (pleasant idleness). Only those much-condemned across Europe could own such a flavoursome melange
media, economical crisis, yum nyam, greece, europe, athens, piigs
Environment: the maggot in Steve Jobs’ apple
While tributes to its CEO Steve Jobs flood the web, don't forget Apple’s lack of green credentials
media, techno-media, death, internet, consumers, united states, steve jobs
Pass the buck, Murdoch and Brooks
During the British parliamentary hearing of the news tycoon Murdochs on 19 July, a friend analysed the 'father-and-son's game of patty-cake': 'I pass the buck to you, you pass it back. Pass pass pass pass, oh, and then pass it to competitor papers, because it's clearly their fault. And then pass it to News of the World because how can one or two men be responsible for a company that's just SO big?' Is it a phrase which translates well to other European idioms?
media, rubert murdoch, newspaper, scandal, tower of babel, united kingdom, idioms
There was a media mogul, a police service and a prime minister
The deputy chief of the London police service Scotland Yard John Yates resigned on 18 July in the wake of the resignation of his boss Paul Stephenson. The two officials stepped down in response to corruption charges emerging from the phone-hacking scandal involving Rupert Murdoch's tabloid newspaper the News of the World. The Austrian, British and Swiss press see national security threatened and call for a reform of Scotland Yard
media, rubert murdoch, scandal, corruption, euweek, united kingdom, politics
Wedding fever: UK royals 2011 vs fin-de-siècle Austria-Hungary
In case you haven’t heard, on 29 April Prince William is to marry Kate Middleton in a royal ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Once upon a time, on 1 July 1900, in Reichstadt, Bohemia, Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria and heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, married his lover of five years
media, wedding, prince charles, london, royal family, love, sarajevo
Pope Benedict on TV on 22 April: church in crisis?
5pm on Good Friday or 22 April 2011. That's when the pope will make an appearance on Rai 1, the most popular television channel in Italy. The revolution in the catholic church follows suit from pope John Paul II. Television is a powerful means of communication where matters of faith and religion can be discussed; Joseph Ratzinger is taking it one step further by not only participating in the programme, but being open to questions
media, religion, chiesa, josef ratzinger, papa benedetto xvi, catholicism, television
Pure player
Two English words swim around a country where anglicisms have managed to stay out of fashion. An era of internet business models is turning that counter-trend around, focussed mainly on the French and American e-media landscapes. Backgammon and ladies men have nothing to do with it (anymore). Phrase of the week
media, tower of babel, europe, internet, european media, language
Life as a journalist in Montenegro: punchbags and missionaries itching to do their job
Physical threats or threats of court action, unstable salaries and a lack of recognition. In a country which only ranked 104th on the 2010 world press freedom index compiled by reporters without borders (RWB), the journalist’s profession entails quite a number of downsides. This is one of the many paradoxes in Montenegro, for given the lack of political opposition the journalist is also the sole representative of the public interest. So they tell us
media, corruption, balkans, reporters without borders, human rights, podgorica, journalism
Viktor Orban: who's been a naughty boy at the European parliament?
A fierce dispute broke out between Hungarian prime minister and EU parliamentarians during Orbán's speech marking his country's EU Council presidency. The MEPs were above all critical of Hungary's new media law. While Orbán's reaction cast his country in a dim light, the criticism went too far and was implausible, write Hungarian, German and Slovakian commentators
media, freedom of opinion, hungary, euweek, european media, viktor orbán, european parliament
Hungary's new media law no surprise for Europe
The 'media act' was passed on 21 December in Hungary and was implemented on 1 January 2011. It's not such a derogation in Europe, because the context of this law is nothing more than just another sign of an alarming trend in Europe
media, eu presidency, law, italy, censorship, hungary, budapest
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