The Tickle File is ftm's daily column of media news, complimenting the feature articles on major media issues. Tickle File items point out media happenings, from the oh-so serious to the not-so serious, that should not escape notice...in a shorter, more informal format.

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Week of April 28, 2008

So, Can The Web Keep Animals Warm?

We were rather taken by this plea that appeared in the UK’s Chard and Ilminster News as the perfect example of how a local newspaper can tell the community what it should do with its, well, local newspaper. Here’s the article in full:

“FERNE Animal Sanctuary near Chard is urgently appealing for old newspapers which can be recycled for the animal's bedding. The charity relies on recycled newspapers and clean cardboard, which gets shredded and supplies have nearly run out.

Ferne volunteer and treasure Charlie Gummage shreds the newspapers and cardboard weekly to ensure the animals have a comfortable and warm bed to sleep on. He said: "Please help the animals by bringing in any news papers and cardboard you may have to recycle. We need lots of newspapers to keep the animals warm and dry and night"

The sanctuary may be able to arrange pick up for large quantities. The Sanctuary has been providing refuge for unwanted animals since 1939. Set in 51 acres of glorious Somerset countryside Ferne is home to 300 animals including donkeys, farm animals, cats, dogs and horses.”

Medvedev Says Newspapers “Should Tell The Truth”

Anyone wondering how Russian President-Elect Dmitry Medvedev feels about the mass media got a clue this week when he visited the Argumenty I Fakty newspaper to help celebrate its 30th anniversary. "The form of information coverage has changed, everything is changing, but one thing should remain unchanged for the mass media: they should tell the truth and bear responsibility for the materials they publish. This should be the cornerstone of all mass media," he said.

And he believes print is here to stay even though he recognizes the popularity of the Internet. “In the morning, over a cup of tea or coffee, it is a great pleasure to leaf through today’s paper and take a look at the pictures. I myself start my day with the Internet, but when I go to have breakfast, I leaf through the hard copies of the dailies.”

And he had praise for Russian TV. “They often say our TV is dull and power-driven, targeted at the position of authorities. But in terms of quality and applied means, it is one of the best in the world. Watching it is interesting.”

How Long Before Chinese Becomes The Language Of The Internet?

The number of people in China using the Internet grew by 61% last year, and the China Internet Network Information Centre says that based on that increase there can be no doubt that this year China has already overtaken the US with the number of people online.

More than 221 million Chinese were online by the end of February but that represents just 16% of the Chinese population which by world standards is low – the average is 19%.

Analysts believe that the Chinese online population growth is going to slow down to around 18% annually, but that still means that by 2012 there should be some 490 million Chinese online – that’s more than the entire US population.

RFE/RL hit by DDoS attack
...the new 'jamming'...

A distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack of 'unpresidented scale and intensity' hit the website of international broadcaster RFE/RL's Belarusian service. (Read RFE/RL release here) The attack began about 0200 (CET) April 28.

RFE/RL President Jeff Gedman compared the attack to Cold War jamming.

Other REF/RL sites were affected. Last week Belarusian media watch organization Charter 97 experienced a DDoS attack.

International news broadcaster CNN was struck by a massive DDoS, centered in China, on April 17. (JMH)

NYT Catches Hell At White House Correspondents Dinner

A year ago the New York Times y announced it would no longer participate in the annual White House Correspondents dinner with Washington bureau Chief Dean Baquet explaining the company line, “I think we need to start sending a signal to the public that journalists and the people we cover have a polite but adversarial relationship. We shouldn’t do anything that goes against that right now.” So, courtesy of C-Span video on their web site, it was fantastic to see Craig Ferguson, this year’s comic headliner, say what probably a lot of people at the Washington Hilton Hotel were thinking Saturday night at this year’s event:

“The New York Times unfortunately did not buy a table. They felt … this event undercut the credibility of the press. It's funny. You see, I thought that Jayson Blair and Judi Miller took care of that.” That got one of the night’s biggest laughs.

On a roll Ferguson continued, "Well, let me try this, shut the hell up New York Times, you sanctimonious, whining jerks.” Well aware what could happen to those who dare criticize the all-powerful NYT, Ferguson then quipped sarcastically, “Look for my good review there coming up soon. I'm guessing Monday morning: 'He's a star.'”

And towards the end of his routine he gave about as acid a comment as one could give about the US newspaper business. “Reporters from my hometown paper, the L.A. Times made it into the room tonight, even after the cutbacks. They’ll be pouring the coffee once I’m done. Be nice to them because some of these guys have families.”

It’s A No-No To Lift Entire Articles And Run Them On Your Web Site

One aggravation for owners of a site like ours is that we find other sites have lifted our stories, credit lines and all, and run them on their own site. We would much prefer they just  run a paragraph or two and then run a link to our site, but often we get the wishy-washy excuse of “security problems” with linking.

It seems that having entire stories lifted is also an aggravation to the Associated Press and Hearst Newspapers. They are suing a Texas online site for allegedly doing just that – republishing their articles in total, running them in print and online publications. The plaintiffs charged “wholesale misappropriation” of original news content. They say they tried as a compromise to get the defendant to link, but apparently to no avail.

The defendant’s view on all this? “I guess they’ll just squash this little, local Web site,” he told the Galveston Daily News.

Polish President to veto media law
…”words simply fail me”…

An amended media law proposed by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk faces sure death. President Lech Kaczynski said Friday (April 25) he’d veto it as it stands.

“If we are to revive the structure whereby the government appoints the head of public television and calls it de-politicization, words simply fail me,” he said on radio station RMF FM, reported by Polish Radio.

Provisions in the new media law include ending license fee funding for Polish public radio and television and shifting control over the public broadcasters directly to the State. Authority over all broadcasting would be shifted from the semi-political National Radio and Television Council (KRRiT) to the newly formed Electronic Communications Office, members of which are entirely appointed by the Prime Minister, Donald Tusk.

Mr. Tusk says nobody pays the license fee anyway. (JMH)

Irish broadcasters put stations on the block
…time to cash out…

It seems a bit unusual but five Irish broadcasters have put their radio stations up for sale, together. Tipp FM, Ocean FM, KCLR FM, KFM and Mid-West FM, all owned separately, are asking for bids, due next Wednesday.

"We've invested a lot in the station lately so we'd want to see a return on that," said Tipp FM chief executive Ethel Power, to the Independent (Ireland).

The deal, which may or may not result in one buyer for the set of five, is being billed as the last consolidation opportunity in Ireland. (JMH)

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