In The News

Here’s Your Leaders, Thanks for Tuning In

Max Woodworth November 17, 2002
While the Chinese national media only managed a broadcast of 10 minutes on the transfer of national power, foreign media such as CNN went into detail, analyzing the implications of the change. Because of China’s one party authoritarian system, political debate is discouraged, and thus the national media felt no need to go into much depth on the subject. When domestic media proves inadequate,...

Manitu’s Shoe Walks onto U.S. Movie Screens

Carola Schlagheck November 15, 2002
Only infrequently do German films make it to the United States, but the makers of “Manitu’s Shoe” hope that it will be as successful across the Atlantic as it has been around the world. This version has been dubbed in English, using accents familiar to American audiences. The film’s voice-overs are adapted to incorporate the dialect of the country in which it is shown, thus ensuring the comedy’s...

Arab Journalist Certain Tape Was Made by Bin Laden

November 14, 2002
The U.S. military’s mission to catch Osama Bin Laden after the attacks of 9/11 has met with little success. Of particular interest has been the surfacing of a new audio tape in which a voice, supposedly Bin Laden’s, praises the bombing attacks in Indonesia and promises further vengeance upon the United States. The identity of the voice has been verified by Gulf officials and Muslim activists as...

Voices on Tape Portrayed as Bin Laden’s Praises Recent Attacks

David Stout November 12, 2002
Globalization has connected various societies and areas of the world, but this has not come without a heavy price. Since the U.S. bombing of Afghanistan, there has been much speculation as to whether or not Osama Bin Laden, widely thought to be the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, is still alive. The recent news of the existence of an audio message claiming to be from Bin Laden has revived...

Al Jazeera to Take on CNN, BBC in English

November 3, 2002
Though details are not yet cemented, the Al Jazeera satellite television network hopes to offer an English-language channel in late 2003 that will compete with top international news such as CNN and BBC. Already a leading force in Arab-language television, Al Jazeera is globalizing its audience by entering the English language market and publicizing the pro-Arab and pro-Muslim perspective that...

Muslim-as-Apple-Pie Videos Are Greeted With Skepticism

Jane Perlez October 30, 2002
Four new videos showing American Muslims feeling happy and at home in the US are being pre-screened in Indonesia. The videos, paid for by the US State Department, feature a baker, a teacher, an emergency medic, and the head of the US National Institutes for Health, all offering glowing testimonials to American tolerance and acceptance of Muslims. The spots are intended to be shown in Muslim...

Music Industry in Global Fight on Web Copies

Amy Harmon October 7, 2002
For a while, Napster was the darling of music-swapping college students and the bane of American entertainment industry officials. Litigation in US courts effectively bankrupted the company a year ago, but now a new multi-national file exchange service may be taking Napster's place - in popularity, and in US courtrooms. Already counting millions of users around the globe, KaZaA:geography...