New York, August 16, 2004—An unidentified gunman ambushed radio commentator Edward Balida in the public market in Valencia City, Bukidnon Province, on Friday, August 13. Balida, a broadcaster for the Bukidnon affiliate of Radio Mindanao Network (RMN), survived the gunshot wound, which shattered his left hand, according to local media groups and news reports. The…
New York, August 12, 2004—Radio journalist Fernando Consignado was found dead in his home this morning in the town of Nagcarlan, 47 miles (75 kilometers) south of Manila, according to local news reports. Consignado, a correspondent for the Manila-based Radio Veritas, died of a single gunshot wound to the head, according to police investigators. The…
New York, August 5, 2004—Gunmen ambushed and killed a Filipino newspaper and radio correspondent this morning shortly after he dropped his children off at school, according to international news reports and local journalists. Arnel Manalo, 42, a correspondent for the Manila tabloid Bulgar and radio station DZRH, was the second journalist killed in less than…
New York, August 3, 2004—Rogelio “Roger” Mariano, a commentator for Radyo Natin-Aksyon Radyo, was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen on Saturday, July 31, in Laoag City, the capital of Ilocos Norte Province, Philippines, according to news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is investigating the motives behind his murder to determine whether they were…
New York, June 17, 2004—Eliseo (“Ely”) Binoya, a radio commentator with Radyo Natin, was gunned down by unidentified assailants today outside of the port city General Santos, on the southern island of Mindanao, according to international news reports. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is investigating whether the murder was related to Binoya’s journalistic work.…
New York, June 14, 2004–Two provincial radio stations run by the private network Bombo Radyo were ordered closed by the local mayor’s office on June 10 because of alleged permit violations, according to local news reports. Mayor Caesar Dy ordered the police to close the stations, DZNC and DWIT, located in Cauayan City, Isabela Province,…
By Ted KoppelThis is not a good day. As I write, pop star Michael Jackson has been arrested for allegedly engaging in sexual misconduct with a minor. His residence cum theme park, “Neverland,” has been invaded by police, sheriff’s deputies, and a team of forensic specialists. I am not empathizing with Michael Jackson, although this…
By Ann CooperIn real-time images, the war in Iraq splashed across television screens worldwide in March, with thousands of journalists covering the U.S.-led war against Saddam Hussein and his regime. The conflict and its aftermath had a far-reaching impact on the press and its ability to report the news, with the reverberations felt in some…
Across Asia, press freedom conditions varied radically in 2003, from authoritarian regimes with strictly regulated state-controlled media in North Korea and Laos, to democratic nations with outspoken and diverse journalism in India and Taiwan. Members of the media throughout the region struggled against excessive government interference, outdated press laws, violent attacks, and imprisonment for their…