In The News

Granting Access to Media Helps Military Sell the War

Michael Tackett March 21, 2003
In contrast to the media coverage of the 1991 Gulf War, TV viewers in the US and around the world can watch the current war on Iraq in real time almost 24 hours a day. “I think the White House and the military establishment have programmed an irresistible story for journalists in this country," said Joe Lockhart, White House press secretary in the Clinton administration. But the access the...

Vigils Are Held Around the World to Oppose Military Action

Thomas J. Lueck March 17, 2003
Anti-war protestors utilized the internet to organize vigils around the world on Sunday night. In almost 140 countries, people came together to protest an impending US-led military action against Iraq, all at 7:00pm in their local time. In major cities and small towns of the US, the mostly silent vigils provided thousands of protestors with the opportunity to protest the Bush Administration...

Broadband Driven by Online Games

Sirivish Toomgum March 11, 2003
Although the Minister of Information and Communications Technology in Thailand raised concerns over the effects of the massive population of players of online games, it is clear that these gamers are driving up the demand for broadband service. One particular game, Ragnarok, has a registered community of Thai players passing 700,000. Paradoxically, as Thai broadband technology develops, matching...

Ultraman Copyright: Big Plans after Japan Court Win

Kwanchai Rungfapaisarn March 5, 2003
After a seven-year Tokyo court battle, Sompote Saengduenchai, a Thai businessman, won rights to Ultraman in all international markets except Japan. Ultraman has long been considered one of Japan's quintessential superheroes, like America's Superman, but Sompote was involved in designing the character while a student in Japan in the early 1960s. Sompote is now planning Ultraman films,...

Infiltrators of North Korea: Tiny Radios

James Brooke March 3, 2003
During the Kim family’s 60-year rule over North Korea, the rest of the world has witnessed a communications boom: especially in recent years the Internet, cell phones, and the rest of the “information revolution” have made it easy to communicate from thousands of miles away. But Pyongyang's communist regime has made it all but impossible for North Koreans to take part in that revolution....

An Illicit Paradise for the Motion Picture Buff

Richard McGregor February 18, 2003
The movie piracy industry, which accounts for the sale of almost all movies in China, has managed to succeed due to new technology as well as lax regulations. The ability of these companies to mass-produce movies at low prices and short time has allowed Hollywood movies, a major item of American cultural export to penetrate widely into China. Although the producers are currently losing money...

Arab Press Welcomes NATO Split

February 12, 2003
Newspapers around the Arab world are joyful at the split that has occurred between the US and its NATO allies Germany, Belgium, and France. The three countries have stated their opposition to protecting Turkey, a fellow NATO member, arguing that to promise it even defensive support would mean encouraging a US-led war on Iraq. Interpreting the three countries' move as support of Arab...