World Watch Archive / February 2008
Burma
Government hikes satellite fees, suspends newspape
The Burmese government decided to dramatically increase satellite license fees from $5 to $800. The new fee took effect immediately, but residents were not notified of the change.
People in Burma depend on satellite dishes to receive international news, which is banned by the military government.
The government suspended publication of The Myanmar Times for one week as a result of articles that were published on the front page. A story about the increased satellite fees was one of the front-page stories. The weekly newspaper was not given permission to print the article.
All Burmese media are required to submit articles to the Press Scrutiny Board for review before printing.
Kyrgystan
Attacks against two TV journalists likely linked t
Reporters Without Borders has written an open letter to Kyrgyz authorities concerning the recent brutal attacks on journalists in the past three weeks. According to the RWB Web site, the letter calls on authorities “to do everything in your power to put an end to this violence and to bring about a significant improvement in the conditions for exercising free expression.” Some of the recent incidents include an attack on Talantbek Sopuev, a reporter for the privately owned television station TV September, who was beaten by about 40 men and women during a pro-government rally in Djalal-Abad that he was covering on March 31; Daniyar Isanov, a news presenter with TV station NTS, who was beaten by four men on March 27 in Bishkek and is still in the hospital with serious fatal injuries; and Kayrat Birimkulov, a presenter for the state television service, who was beaten by two men on his way home on March 16. The Bureau for Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Bishkek say that no one has been brought to trial over the physical attack or murder of a journalist in the past 15 years. For more information visit www.rsf.org.
Nepal
Journalist loses hand in attack over controversial
Freelance journalist Manoj Sah was attacked by a group of men in the eastern city of Janakpur on January 17. The attackers were armed with Khukuri machetes and Sah sustained injuries to his head and wrists, including the loss of one of his hands.
Sah is a member of the Maoist group, the Association of Revolutionary Journalists.
Days before the attack, Sah was threatened not to write a story about Janaki Temple, which was later published in the local “Bishwojagaran.”
Nigeria
Nigeria sends journalist to prison
A Nigerian court pressed criminal charges on Jan. 25 against a newspaper distributor, Essien Asuquo Owoh, over a story not yet published. The court sentenced the company to prison after the article criticized the Akwa Ibom state governor, according to local journalists.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Owoh pleaded not guilty to charges of sedition and “conspiracy to distribute copies of Fresh Facts newspaper with the intent to bring hatred or contempt to the governor of the state,” but was taken to prison.
“The arrest of Essien Auquo Owoh is outright censorship and is unacceptable in a country engaged in a historic democratic transition,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “We call on the prosecution to drop these criminal charges and release Owoh immediately.”
CPJ reports that since the administration of Akwa Ibom Gov. Akpabio took power last year, it has blocked stories with charges of state corruption or mismanagement.
Thailand
Public television comes to Thailand
Thailand's first public television station will hit airwaves Feb. 1 with original news broadcasts debuting on Feb. 15. The station will be modeled after the BBC and funded by six sin taxes. The station has 180 days to secure a board of directors. Meanwhile, a five-person committee has been appointed by the government to setup the Feb. 1 launch.
Thai Public Broadcasting Service will show documentaries and children's programs from 6 a.m. until midnight. On Feb. 15, an extra hour will be added to the schedule and approximately five to six hours will be devoted to news broadcasts.
TPBS replaces Thailand Independent Television, Thailand's only independent TV station. TITV went off the air on Jan. 15 and all 885 employees instantly became unemployed. It is unknown how many TITV employees the new station will hire.
TITV was previously iTV, which was seized by the government in March 2007 for outstanding fines and interest payments to the Prime Minister's office. At the time, iTV was owned by media conglomerate Shin Corp. established by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Shinawatra was overthrown by a military coup in 2006 and now lives in exile in England.
The military government placed iTV under control of the Public Relations Department, where it became Thailand Independent Television.
The Public Relations Department made several questionable personnel changes in recent months. PRD director-general Pramoj Rathavinij removed acting news director of TITV Atcha Suwanpakpraek without replacement two days before the December 23 election. The Central Administrative Court invalidated this order but upheld another that reshuffled 11 other officials, saying the officials' job responsibilities had not changed since the order. It was well known that several employees at the station remained loyal to former Prime Minister Shinawatra.