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Taking easyJet out of Russia --- Michael Hedges August 11, 2008 News Corporation is beating a hasty retreat from the Russian market, says Kommersant. It’s outdoor advertising arm, News Outdoor Group, may have found a buyer for the Russian business. The usually credible Moscow business daily suggested (August 8) JCDecaux is the only bidder remaining, and at a substantially marked-down price. |
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In Switzerland, Pay For Broadband, Own A Mobile Phone That Receives TV Then Pay A TV License Fee, Too --- Philip M. Stone July 15, 2008 Switzerland already has one of the world’s highest, if not the highest, TV and radio annual license fee – a total of 462 Swiss Francs ($454, €285, £228) divided into quarterly payments -- and about 95% of households pay the TV fee and 90% pay the radio fee, the money going to support the country’s public broadcasting system (TV is allowed advertising revenues in addition, radio is not). But are there those who slip through the net by using something other than a TV or radio? The regulators think so. |
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The millstone around Russia --- Michael Hedges June 23, 2008 Belarus, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan – all on Russia’s edge – are pushing media repression to new lows. With all broadcasting and most print media firmly under State control, the Web is the current target. Dictators on Russia’s borders perplex even Russian media. |
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Murder of a Writer --- Michael Hedges October 9, 2006 Anya was strong and brave at a time when weakness and fear keeps many from asking the hard questions. It was Russia that she loved. She cried for Russia as she wrote devastatingly critical work about what she said is resurgent Stalinism. She wrote about Chechnya, sparing no side her sharp words. |
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RFE/RL and VOA in Russian Sights --- Michael Hedges July 10, 2006 International broadcasters are increasingly backed against a wall when it comes to finding easy broadcast licenses for the taking. Governments can prevent access to distribution or, at the very least, make life very uncomfortable for local media affiliates. The enduring rule of media and politics is that no government takes criticism easily, particularly from foreigners. |
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FTM in Amsterdam --- Philip M. Stone November 14, 2005 News Xchange is holding its annual television meeting in Amsterdam Nov.10-11 and FTM is covering all the sessions. There’s enough going on for those interested in business trends, new technology, and journalistic developments. |
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Dictators Like Friendly Faces Not Fearless Reporting --- Michael Hedges August 14, 2021 - Follow on Twitter It is entirely too frequent that national authorities of a certain persuasion find foreign reporters and news outlets quite unwelcome. National sovereignty being what it is, said rulers are free to limit who can and cannot perform tasks of employment within their borders. This includes reporters, camera crews, editors and producers. There are tacit agreements allowing news outlets to perform their functions, usually bound to truth and fairness. In some countries, those relationships are quickly falling apart. |
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On A Clear Day, You Can See Fake News Forever --- Michael Hedges May 30, 2017 - Follow on Twitter Fake news peddlers have had a long and prosperous run. Popping out all over the web like adolescent acne and spread unhindered by social media they have appropriated digital magic for disruption or more nefarious purposes. Leaders in the enlightened world, including real news publishers, have hesitated, mostly, bringing them to heel, press and speech freedoms still important. Then came a few rather significant elections. |
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Reporters Never Forget And Always Get The Last Word --- Michael Hedges March 7, 2022 - Follow on Twitter Reliable, important news agencies and outlets began removing themselves last week from the Russian Federation. By the weekend, the sprinkle had become a deluge. The exits were explained by almost all as necessary to avoid the siege of laws threatening the flow of information. Through the history of journalism attempts to thwart the collection and dissemination of needed information have, eventually, failed. This is no different. |
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