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Olympics: 21 edicts on coverage

About a week ago I mentioned a South China Morning Post article, “Screws tighten on mainland journalists” that outlined a 21-point memo that had come down from the Central Propaganda Department in July, giving guidelines for China’s media coverage during the Olympics. These sorts of directives are typically disseminated across the country, to editors at…

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Niger broadcaster suspended; violations unspecified

New York, August 20, 2008—Authorities in Niger summarily suspended a private broadcaster for a month citing unspecified regulatory violations, according to local journalists and news reports. The station has provided sympathetic coverage of the country’s former prime minister, now jailed on corruption charges, according to several sources. In a ruling obtained by CPJ, the state-run…

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Military shuts down two radio stations in central Guárico province

VENEZUELA: New York, August 20, 2008—Military personnel and officials from the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) shut down two radio stations in the central Guárico province Monday night. The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned that the stations appear to have been singled out and subjected to disproportionate enforcement.

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Military shuts down two radio stations in central Guárico province

VENEZUELA: New York, August 20, 2008—Military personnel and officials from the National Telecommunications Commission (Conatel) shut down two radio stations in the central Guárico province Monday night. The Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned that the stations appear to have been singled out and subjected to disproportionate enforcement.

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Ramattan soundman held without charge after West Bank raid

Israel: New York, August 20, 2008—Israeli authorities should disclose charges against a Palestinian soundman detained since July 15 or release him immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Ibrahim Hamad, a soundman with the Gaza-based Ramattan news agency was arrested during a 4 a.m. raid by Israel Defense Forces at his home in the Kalandia…

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Russian broadcasters blocked

GEORGIA: New York, August 19, 2008—The Committee to Protect Journalists today urged the Georgian government to stop blocking Russian broadcasts and Web sites. According to the Moscow-based radio Ekho Moskvy, Russian Television International (RTVi) broadcasting was cut after it aired Ekho Moskvy’s interview with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the conflict in South Ossetia…

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With Games nearing end, RFA Tibet service reporter still denied visa

Hong Kong, August 20, 2008–Despite appeals from his employer and questions from the International Olympic Committee, Chinese authorities have continued to bar Radio Free Asia reporter Dhondup Gonsar from traveling to Beijing to cover the Games. Gonsar, an American citizen of Tibetan ethnicity, was one of two journalists for the U.S. government-funded broadcaster whose applications…

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Olympics-China Media Watch: Web censors crash funeral of Mao’s protege

Buried in the celebration of China’s now inevitable dominance of the Olympic Games, Xinhua News Agency today reported the death of a former national leader and Mao Zedong’s brief successor with these few words: The Chinese Communist Party’s outstanding party member, a warrior for Communism long tested in his loyalty, a revolutionary for the proletariat, who…

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News Wrap for 8/20/08

China returns to the forefront this morning as the Olympic Games are nearing an end. The Associated Press has a story about human rights groups’ frustration at the lack of outcry, along with protests against myriad rights abuses. The story quotes CPJ’s Asia program coordinator, Bob Dietz, who is working out of Hong Kong. “In…

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Olympics: RFA reporter still barred

We released another alert about Dhondup Gonsar today. He’s the Tibetan RFA reporter who is stuck in Hong Kong waiting for a visa that RFA was told had been set aside for him and RFA’s Mandarin service reporter Jill Ku Martin. We first raised Dhondup’s case on August 7, and have stayed in touch with…

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