Eco Rama » Media http://eco-rama.net Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:41:04 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Battisti: The Italo-Brazilian Imbroglio over Shadows of the Past http://eco-rama.net/battisti-the-italo-brazilian-imbroglio-over-shadows-of-the-past/ http://eco-rama.net/battisti-the-italo-brazilian-imbroglio-over-shadows-of-the-past/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:07:40 +0000 Vijay Kant European ParliamentEuropean Parliament European Parliament Brazil and Italy will meet in a football game next Tuesday. The friendly match is far from having the importance of other disputes in the past, world cup decisions included, but the mood built around the game has set the national blogospheres on fire see Global Voices. After weeks of cross-Atlantic [...]]]> European Parliament

European Parliament
European Parliament

Brazil and Italy will meet in a football game next Tuesday. The friendly match is far from having the importance of other disputes in the past, world cup decisions included, but the mood built around the game has set the national blogospheres on fire see Global Voices.

After weeks of cross-Atlantic brouhaha, some bloggers are starting to wonder how and why the case has gone so far. Is the Brazilian Governments decision to grant political refugee status to Italian felon Cesare Battisti really worth of such attention?

What elements could be at play to bring forth those remarkable outcomes, such as the minute of silence from the Ministers of European Parliament in a session last week in honor of Battistis alleged victims from 30 years ago, or the farewell of an Italian-born media icon in Brazil over the heated national debate on the case, and also Italys recall of their Ambassador in Brasilia? The Italian government went as far as threatening to call off the friendly game scheduled to be held on February 10 in London, leading Brazilians to sense a blow out of proportion. Berlusconi is the one to blame.

Gratuitous altercation the one created by the Battisti case and the attitude of the buffoon government headed by Silvio Berlusconi. At least I took the time to study the subject before I ventured to write a few lines about it. Most analysts are open about the passion on their analysis and transformed the event into a partisan dispute, or worse, a football match.Brasil vs Itlia Disolving in the Air

Italy, today, is going through the government of histrionic Berlusconi. He owns the huge Italian TV network, owns newspapers, owns football teams. That is, he is the owner of Italy. And he is clearly fascist, xenophobic, racist.Berlusconi Hystery and the Brazilian Sovereignity Blog de Lus Antnio Castagna Maia

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]]> http://eco-rama.net/battisti-the-italo-brazilian-imbroglio-over-shadows-of-the-past/feed/ 0 Inventive censorship, and the case for anonymity http://eco-rama.net/inventive-censorship-and-the-case-for-anonymity-2/ http://eco-rama.net/inventive-censorship-and-the-case-for-anonymity-2/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 20:45:46 +0000 Ramana Reddy March 23RdBrazil got used to being recognized for its Internet savvy and large population of early web-adopters. Nevertheless, or maybe exactly because of that, the country is rapidly becoming a haven for novel and inventive models and tactics of Internet censorship. March 23Rd March 23Rd A quick search on brazil + censorship in Global Voices returns [...]]]> Brazil got used to being recognized for its Internet savvy and large population of early web-adopters. Nevertheless, or maybe exactly because of that, the country is rapidly becoming a haven for novel and inventive models and tactics of Internet censorship.

March 23Rd

March 23Rd
March 23Rd

A quick search on brazil + censorship in Global Voices returns a bunch of scary titles posted just in the last 6 months: Dismissal of Brazilian Blogger: Censorship or Just Business? (March 23rd), Bloggers united against WordPress ban (April 12th), First blog falls victim to electoral law (June 1st), Blogging Against Web-Censorship (June 19th), Bloggers question the 13 new cyber-crimes (July 17th), Electoral censorship at work (July 22nd).

This time, the weird news sprouts from the state of Minas Gerais, where governor Acio Neves is carefully preparing himself to run as presidential candidate in 2010, when Lula leaves office. In the midst of country-wide municipal elections, the opposing online journal Novo Jornal was taken down by state level prosecutors the Public Ministry on (refuted) charges of anonymity.

Truth is that the Brazilian Constitution sets up an unusually twisted situation, especially for online speech: free expression of thought is assured in the same paragraph where anonymity is formally forbidden. Still, the seizure of Novo Jornal is calling the attention of the blogosphere for the inventive strategy of using state level prosecutors and cybercrime allegations to immediately take down an informative website without the proper legal process. Blogs are also pointing out the fact that the mainstream media has been silent about the case in what has started to appear as a pattern when it comes to negative coverage on Acio Neves.

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]]> http://eco-rama.net/inventive-censorship-and-the-case-for-anonymity-2/feed/ 0 Inventive censorship, and the case for anonymity http://eco-rama.net/inventive-censorship-and-the-case-for-anonymity/ http://eco-rama.net/inventive-censorship-and-the-case-for-anonymity/#comments Tue, 07 Dec 2010 20:38:59 +0000 Udit Narayan Weird NewsBrazil got used to being recognized for its Internet savvy and large population of early web-adopters. Nevertheless, or maybe exactly because of that, the country is rapidly becoming a haven for novel and inventive models and tactics of Internet censorship. Weird News Weird News A quick search on brazil + censorship in Global Voices returns [...]]]> Brazil got used to being recognized for its Internet savvy and large population of early web-adopters. Nevertheless, or maybe exactly because of that, the country is rapidly becoming a haven for novel and inventive models and tactics of Internet censorship.

Weird News

Weird News
Weird News

A quick search on brazil + censorship in Global Voices returns a bunch of scary titles posted just in the last 6 months: Dismissal of Brazilian Blogger: Censorship or Just Business? (March 23rd), Bloggers united against WordPress ban (April 12th), First blog falls victim to electoral law (June 1st), Blogging Against Web-Censorship (June 19th), Bloggers question the 13 new cyber-crimes (July 17th), Electoral censorship at work (July 22nd).

This time, the weird news sprouts from the state of Minas Gerais, where governor Acio Neves is carefully preparing himself to run as presidential candidate in 2010, when Lula leaves office. In the midst of country-wide municipal elections, the opposing online journal Novo Jornal was taken down by state level prosecutors the Public Ministry on (refuted) charges of anonymity.

Truth is that the Brazilian Constitution sets up an unusually twisted situation, especially for online speech: free expression of thought is assured in the same paragraph where anonymity is formally forbidden. Still, the seizure of Novo Jornal is calling the attention of the blogosphere for the inventive strategy of using state level prosecutors and cybercrime allegations to immediately take down an informative website without the proper legal process. Blogs are also pointing out the fact that the mainstream media has been silent about the case in what has started to appear as a pattern when it comes to negative coverage on Acio Neves.

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]]> http://eco-rama.net/inventive-censorship-and-the-case-for-anonymity/feed/ 0 Brazil: The prohibited march that keeps marching http://eco-rama.net/brazil-the-prohibited-march-that-keeps-marching/ http://eco-rama.net/brazil-the-prohibited-march-that-keeps-marching/#comments Fri, 05 Nov 2010 23:46:04 +0000 Udit Narayan Marijuana LegalizationAfter a long period of dictatorship, and since the political liberalization of the 80s, Brazilians have learned to value freedom of expression as a key democratic right. But the last weeks have shown that some issues such as marijuana legalization still dont hold the status of being entitled to a legally sanctioned public debate. This [...]]]> After a long period of dictatorship, and since the political liberalization of the 80s, Brazilians have learned to value freedom of expression as a key democratic right. But the last weeks have shown that some issues such as marijuana legalization still dont hold the status of being entitled to a legally sanctioned public debate. This years edition of the Marijuana March was prohibited by courts in 9 capital cities across the country due to allegations of illegal promotion of drug use. The theme provoked responses by many local bloggers.

Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana Legalization
Marijuana Legalization

While in some countries marijuana use is accepted with restrictions, in Brazil the debate on the issue is not even permitted. Talking about marijuana has turned into a taboo, as the march was prohibited by the Public Ministry a few days before scheduled date, leaving no chance for appeals due to the lack of available time. It becomes clear the country is unable to allow its citizens to debate their relationship with some of the problems we have around here. Should we label a demonstration for legal reform as drug use promotion? To debate necessarily means to influence? There are some terms that are not well defined in the heads of the justices, which results in hindering the citizens from claiming their right: the freedom to express themselves.Tropical Fascism Obrog!!!

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]]> http://eco-rama.net/brazil-the-prohibited-march-that-keeps-marching/feed/ 0 Dismissal of Brazilian Blogger: Censorship or Just Business? http://eco-rama.net/dismissal-of-brazilian-blogger-censorship-or-just-business/ http://eco-rama.net/dismissal-of-brazilian-blogger-censorship-or-just-business/#comments Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:06:19 +0000 Ramana Reddy Lula Da SilvaThe abrupt dimissal of the journalist Paulo Henrique Amorim or PHA as he is referred too from his anchor-like position at the IG portal has fueled this weeks blogs debate. The humorous and opinionated style used by PHA in his Conversa Afiada blog to attack what he called the PIG an acronym for Portuguese words [...]]]> The abrupt dimissal of the journalist Paulo Henrique Amorim or PHA as he is referred too from his anchor-like position at the IG portal has fueled this weeks blogs debate. The humorous and opinionated style used by PHA in his Conversa Afiada blog to attack what he called the PIG an acronym for Portuguese words meaning, the party of the coup-plotting mass media was an outlet for left bloggers, and many posts were quick to denounce IGs surprising move as censorship.

Lula Da Silva

Lula Da Silva
Lula Da Silva

Luiz Carlos Azenhas website says that Paulo Henrique Amorim was dismissed from IG on Tuesday, by fax. What first calls our attention is the suddenness of the portals decision. If it was not for Azenha, we would be accessing PHAs site without reaching it, and not knowing why Its almost impossible not to speculate about possible political meddling. We wait for an explanation from IG. While waiting for it, we can speculate and worry about a media witch-hunt that may be starting, promoted by the big media companies and by the politicians who control it, the ones already known to all.PHAs Dismissal Cidadania.com

It is important to mention that IG differentiates itself from the rest of the big Internet outlets by its sympathetic approach to the government of Luiz Incio Lula da Silva. This perspective adds intrigue to the plot, as it is not so easy to identify the forces driving behind PHAs release.

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]]> http://eco-rama.net/dismissal-of-brazilian-blogger-censorship-or-just-business/feed/ 0 Brazil: User Customized Football Media http://eco-rama.net/brazil-user-customized-football-media/ http://eco-rama.net/brazil-user-customized-football-media/#comments Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:39:42 +0000 Vijay Kant Chit ChatA new arena is gathering steam and significance in the Brazilian Internet space: the football blogs. It should be no surprise given how natives are impassioned for the game, and how the latest results of the many championships become part of the casual chit-chat everywhere. Day by day, fervent fans are finding out that blogs [...]]]> A new arena is gathering steam and significance in the Brazilian Internet space: the football blogs. It should be no surprise given how natives are impassioned for the game, and how the latest results of the many championships become part of the casual chit-chat everywhere. Day by day, fervent fans are finding out that blogs and other media possibilities podcasts, webcasts, foruns and chats are invaluable tools to display, promote and exchange opinions about the many games, and also to express their passion for their favorite football club teams.

Chit Chat

Chit Chat
Chit Chat

The most evident feature brought by the wave of new entrants in the sports chronicle on the web is the customized report and commentary produced by teams fans. Since TV transmissions of football games started in Brazil, referees are not the only ones to be sujected to biased scrutiny of the fans. The obligatory account of the games by speakers and commentators from major TV networks, regular owners of exclusive broadcasting rights, also suffer the sharp analysis and fiery reactions from the opinionated crowd of the many clubs supporters.

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]]> http://eco-rama.net/brazil-user-customized-football-media/feed/ 0 Brazil: While traditional media deals with lawsuits, blogs report http://eco-rama.net/brazil-while-traditional-media-deals-with-lawsuits-blogs-report/ http://eco-rama.net/brazil-while-traditional-media-deals-with-lawsuits-blogs-report/#comments Thu, 04 Nov 2010 05:26:42 +0000 Ramana Reddy Media HistoryTwo of the biggest media companies in Brazil are currently involved is court cases that similarly raise the issue of freedom of speech and press even though the media finds itself on opposite sides of the issue in the two cases. The influential newspaper Folha de SP is facing a series of lawsuits filed by [...]]]> Two of the biggest media companies in Brazil are currently involved is court cases that similarly raise the issue of freedom of speech and press even though the media finds itself on opposite sides of the issue in the two cases. The influential newspaper Folha de SP is facing a series of lawsuits filed by followers of an evangelical church, while Veja, the top weekly magazine, and some of its main editors are going after a blogger through another series of lawsuits. Taking the larger view, the Brazilian blogosphere is uniquely pointing out the similarity and contradictions revealed by the connectedness of both situations.

Media History

Media History
Media History

Folhas problems started a week ago when Elvira Lobato, a reporter who is now facing about 50 individual suits, published an article about the finances of the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God IURD, and its connections with tax havens. The piece lists the TV network (2nd national audience), 23 TV and 40 radio stations, besides the other 19 companies 2 newspapers included that forms the churchs empire, but the suits actually complain about IURD being portrayed as a sect.

The issue has called RSFs attention, and the ABI [Brazilian Press Association] has released a note [pt] describing IURDs reaction as an unprecedented coercive campaign in Brazilian media history. While the suits against Folha has generated such compelling response from traditional media and its backers, a very different approach is being adopted towards the legal dispute between Veja magazine and the journalist-turned-into-blogger Luis Nassif. As expected, the blogosphere has much to say about that.

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]]> http://eco-rama.net/brazil-while-traditional-media-deals-with-lawsuits-blogs-report/feed/ 0 Ad campaign compares bloggers to monkeys http://eco-rama.net/ad-campaign-compares-bloggers-to-monkeys/ http://eco-rama.net/ad-campaign-compares-bloggers-to-monkeys/#comments Tue, 02 Nov 2010 15:27:08 +0000 admin Video PieceA traditional Brazilian newspaper launched an advertising campaign to promote its new website, and the core message of all video and visual pieces was based on a humorous approach of blogs as bad sources of information. One video piece went far enough as comparing bloggers with monkeys. As expected, the local blogosphere took it personally. [...]]]> A traditional Brazilian newspaper launched an advertising campaign to promote its new website, and the core message of all video and visual pieces was based on a humorous approach of blogs as bad sources of information. One video piece went far enough as comparing bloggers with monkeys. As expected, the local blogosphere took it personally.

Video Piece

Video Piece
Video Piece

On its website, Talent Agency explains its new campaign to advertise Estados website as follows: The campaign exposes, in a playful way, the risks of searching sites on the Internet, managing to impart the newspapers website novelties. I should say that it is a case of questionable sense of humor, to coarsely compare bloggers with monkeys.Estado against blogs? Pensar Enlouquece

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]]> http://eco-rama.net/ad-campaign-compares-bloggers-to-monkeys/feed/ 0 Brazilian and Indian Doha Round Solidarity: Is it a reason for blame or a call for leadership? http://eco-rama.net/brazilian-and-indian-doha-round-solidarity-is-it-a-reason-for-blame-or-a-call-for-leadership-2/ http://eco-rama.net/brazilian-and-indian-doha-round-solidarity-is-it-a-reason-for-blame-or-a-call-for-leadership-2/#comments Sun, 31 Oct 2010 22:16:45 +0000 Rallapalli White House SpokesmanA blame game seemed to start as soon as Brazils Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath walked out of the G4 talks with their counterparts from the US and the EU Thursday in Postdam, Germany. The meeting between these four key players in the World Trade Organization was formulated as an [...]]]> A blame game seemed to start as soon as Brazils Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath walked out of the G4 talks with their counterparts from the US and the EU Thursday in Postdam, Germany. The meeting between these four key players in the World Trade Organization was formulated as an attempt to salvage global trade talks from a six year stalemate on the issues of farm subsidies and open markets. It turned into a fiasco and now charges over who or what caused the failure has become an open dispute, which is evoking interesting reactions from the media. Brazilian bloggers are trying to understand whats going on and they too are offering explanations.

White House Spokesman

White House Spokesman
White House Spokesman

In Washington on Thursday (21 June), the White House spokesman declared that President Bush was disappointed with the collapse of the talks in Postdam. The US President blamed Brazil and India for the meetings failure. The president is disappointed with some countries that are blocking an opportunity to expand global commerce, remarked the White House spokesman, Tony Fratto. Big economies as Brazil and India should not stand in the way of the progress of small nations, the poor developing countries but that seems to be what happened in Germany this week, Fratto said.
Lula culpa ricos por fracasso em Doha; Bush critica o Brasil Mercosul e CPLP

No, Mr. Bush. That was not exactly what happened in the city of Postdam, in Germany, where the G4 met. In fact, the powerful nations seem to be opposed to the growth of the less affluent countries, but this kind of relationship is not what happens between Brazil, India and the poorer countries. This pattern exists between the US, the EU and the poorer countries. The core issue seems clear to me the rich countries refuse to cut the agriculture subsidies to their farmers, and this situation cant be seen as fair commerce. End. Brazil and India properly left the talks. The Europeans said that the emerging countries were not ready to make concessions, and I should ask: what more do they want? Meantime leaders are still thinking that social policies are to be restricted to national borders, we wont have any development in the better world project. The attitude of the Lula Government in the case of the Bolivian refineries was, in my view, iconic. It would be indecent if the Brazilian president cared only for the national interests [of Brazil]. The well being of a Bolivian citizen is worth the same as mine or yours, dear reader. But this is not the line of thought of Europeans and Anglo-Americans. That is the reason why the Doha Round is dwindling. Just like Mercosur, Alca, etc.s favas com o comrcio justo Expresso Literria

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