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OurPlanet-TV is an alternative media/webcast station with no religious or political affiliations. It was founded by a small group of producers, video journalists and other media professionals who questioned the way mainstream media covered 9.11 and the events that followed.

Our aim is to create space for independent and unique video and web journalism on social and community issues.

Free speech is at the core of OurPlanet-TV. Empower yourself to make a stand and bring about change!

Request for Assistance for Mediact in Korea

Lee Myung-bak's New Right government in S. Korea is taking disturbing steps to limit freedom of expression, shut down independent media, and defund media, arts, and cultural organizations across the country. The latest blow is an attack on public media center MediAct, which has played a key part in the democratization of Korea's media system since the end of the dictatorship, trained thousands of people in media production, and developed many successful media policy proposals to open up Korea's mediascape to diverse voices.

Please take action now to express international support for MediAct.
Background:
MediAct in Korea has long worked as a vital role to support alternative and independent film and video production, a critical citizens’ media monitoring movement, and an independent, democratic trade union movement since the late 1980s wave of democracy movement in Korea.

However, in the past two years, the mediascape and culture sector in South Korea has undergone some drastic changes under the Lee Myung-bak regime/New Right that has taken power as of 2008.

Now MediAct is facing the crisis of a shut down with the massive and politically motivated budget cutting by Korean government. Thus, we need international voices to condemn the Korean government's attack against the independent media environment in Korea.

1) Sign http://www.gopetition.com/online/33662.html
Media and democracy in South Korea: Save Mediact

2) For updates: Join ACT NOW to save MediAct & Independent Media in Korea! facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=273091817582&ref=nf

3) Call KOFIC's Chairman Cho, Hee Moon 82-2-958-7521
or email: mentor21@kofic.or.kr
cc: snowmt@kofic.or.kr

More info:
Mediact website: http://www.mediact.org
English Intro:
http://tinyurl.com/ygtsoq5
Related Interviews:
http://tinyurl.com/yk36jrl

Indiosonline

http://www.indiosonline.org.br

Pandora: The Can Opener

http://www.pandoratv.it/

The mass media in Italy is pretty much controlled by billionaire/politician Berlusconi, but a new initiative has been announced called Pandora. Their opening manifesto declares that they are an independent source on the web, regional networks and satellite. Pandora is started by independent communication professionals, but is open to "anyone who has something to say." They deny that they will be a "megaphone for anyone or anything" but say they will give voice to those who have none. Pandora non è il megafono di qualcuno o per qualcuno, Pandora vuole dare voce a chi non ce l'ha.Pandora wants to be a model of authentic television as a public service. The only publishers are the readers themselves. " Pandora vuole proporsi come esempio autentico di televisione di servizio pubblico, cioè una televisione che risponde ad un unico editore: i suoi telespettatori..."
With little resources for advertising, the network depends on "word of mouth" (solo sul passaparola). They hope to make Pandora a diverse voice with "remote control capacity." (a "portata di telecomando"... )

Many of the Pandora initiators are long-time politicians on the Italian left (such as Giulietto Chiesa) but Pandora hopes to mobilize younger activists and grass roots movements to become involved. Several years ago a similar initiative called NOWARTV, worked with Candida TV and Telestreets, to transmit alternative programming in several cities throughout Italy. A documentary about telestreets with an interview with Frano Bernardi (Bifo) the founder of Orfeo TV is posted at http://www.archive.org/details/telestreet2 It is worth noting that both Orfeo and Pandora make reference in their name to powerful Greek myths!