Homage paid to Maulana Zafar Ali

SPEAKERS at a seminar on Thursday paid homage to father of Urdu journalism, poet and a leader of Pakistan Movement Maulana Zafar Ali Khan.

The event was organised by Punjab University’s Institute of Communication Studies (PUICS) and Maulana Zafar Ali Khan Trust on the eve of 139th birth anniversary of the legendary journalist who through his writings wanted to free the nation from the yoke of slavery.

Maulana Zafar Ali Khan – Father of Urdu Journalism

Fakiha Hassan Rizvi on 19, Jan 2013

The one who fought for the freedom movement with his pen and used it as a unifier for burgeoning the required nationalism in the Muslim community will be remembered as the father of Urdu Journalism. January 18, 2013 marks the 140th birth anniversary of Maulana Zafar Ali Khan.

Maulana continued the legacy of his father, after taking charge as the editor of ‘Zamindar’ by converting it into a revolutionary press (initially the paper was published keeping in view the farmers). With the irrefutably powerful art of rhetoric he also served as an exemplary spokesman for the Muslim community. There is a remarkable contrast in the various phases of Urdu journalism that evolved since 1911, strictly, to preserve the legitimate rights of the Muslims in sub-continent. Regardless of where they stand today, Pakistani journalistic ambitions were based on sincerity, devotion, truth and a visionary mirror for reflecting ‘community opinion’.

PBC, PCP to provide legal aid to media person

Saturday, January 19, 2013 - Islamabad—Protecting rights of the media and working journalists, especially in security sensitive areas has seriously become a tough issue to address to these days in Pakistan.

Press as well as legal fraternity of Pakistan had played a vital role in upholding true values ofdemocracy for the rule of law and citizens’ right of expression granted under the Constitution. 

Whereas Pakistan Bar Council under its mandate is to provide legal aid in terms of sub-section 1(la) of section 13 of Legal Petitioners and Bar Council Act, 1973 while Press Council of Pakistan is bound to act as a shield to protect freedom of expression and finds it imperative to defend freedom of press from any interference from any quarter in terms of sub-section (2) of section 8 of the PCP Ordinance, 2002. 

Ridley urges Indian Muslims to join media

HYDERABAD, India: Award winning British journalist Yvonne Ridley has urged Muslims to join the media since it is the most powerful and effective way to spread the message about the purity of Islam and also to counter Islamophobia around the world.

The London-based journalist, who was captured by the Taleban while on an undercover assignment in Afghanistan in 2001 and converted to Islam in 2003 after her release, was addressing a gathering of women and journalists at the “Spring of Islam” conference organised by the Jamaat-e-Islami in the city. Yvonne’s address was through video-conference since the Indian government had denied her visa to participate in the three-day conference.

When print is thriving, where does social media fit? A look at practices at India’s The Hindu

In the United States, social media is seen as part of a survival strategy. In India, the traditional model is doing quite well on its own.

By Valérie Bélair-Gagnon & Colin Agur

In November, Sam Pitroda, technology advisor to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, held a “global Twitter press conference” on his account (@pitrodasam). Hyped as the first of its kind, the press conference was scheduled to last 90 minutes.

But those expecting to see Twitter used to its full interactive potential came away disappointed: The “global” conference amounted to 20 tweets and received scant coverage in India’s news.

The micro level: New technologies, old newsrooms
The mezzo level: When print is thriving, why go digital?
The macro level: From dissent to dialogue in social media?

Educating through television and radio

Pakistan’s literacy rate hovers around 37 per cent. We are not sure how many of our people are actually educated in the real sense but what we are sure of is that education has lifted countries out of poverty and improved their overall quality of life. Educational initiatives lie at the heart of efforts to create a productive workforce and a progressive nation. Policymakers are often looking for novel ways to enhance literacy rates. Some nations invest hefty sums on improving the quality of education for an already educated population. Pakistan spends only about two per cent of its GDP on education and is at the bottom of the list of countries where education is a national priority.

10 things every journalist should know in 2013

A list of tips from industry experts, including Aron Pilhofer, Raju Narisetti, Mark Little, Alison Gow and Steve Herrmann

3 January 2013 By: Sarah Marshall
Here are 10 things every journalists should know in 2013. This list builds on 10 things every journalist should know in 2012, 2010 and 2009. It is also worth looking back at the previous posts.

This year, in addition to making our own points, we have spoken to some key industry figures to include their ideas.

1. It's all about skills, skills, skills
2. Editors need data journalists
3. Tone is important
4. News sites are going live
5. Journalists are 'managers' of information
6. Depth is important
7. Inaccuracies will be exposed
8. User experience matters
9. Online journalism is mobile first
10. It is essential to embrace change

2012 deadliest year for journalists: IPI

Violence and repressive laws take heavy toll on press freedom 

Journalists run along a street in Aleppo's district of Salaheddine on Dec. 29, 2012. REUTERS/Muzaffar Salman

VIENNA, Dec 31, 2012 – This year of continuing change in the world of news media has also been marked by an appalling and disturbing truth: an unprecedented 132 journalists were killed in the line of duty or as a consequence of their reporting in 2012.

This year’s figure is the highest since the International Press Institute (IPI) started systematically keeping track of journalists’ death in 1997. The previous record high was in 2009, when 110 journalists were killed – 32 of them in the infamous Maguindanao massacre in the Philippines. Last year, IPI counted a total of 102 journalists who lost their lives because of their reporting.

Getting Twitter to tell the tale

Social media offers instant news platforms

• By Douglas Okasaki Designer
• Published: 11:43 December 26, 2012
• 

  There has been nothing like social media to transform anyone into an information provider. In fact, since Twitter, some of the most important news breaks were reported first by citizens and then picked up by news media.
  Paul Lewis is an award-winning journalist from The Guardian. He was ‘Reporter of the Year’ at the British Press Awards 2010 and won the 2009 Bevins Prize for outstanding investigative journalism. One of the reasons for his success is the fact he uses Twitter as a tool to get deeper into the news story.
  People on the spot are already doing journalism without noticing it. Lewis cites the classic instance of Shoaib — the man in Abbottabad, Pakistan — who put up Twitter feeds just as the assassination of Osama Bin Laden was unfolding. “Uh, oh, now I’m the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid without knowing it,” tweeted Athar.

Liu: Down-to-earth journalist

Liu Yunshan chats with members of the Puncog family in Lunang town, Linzhi county, the Tibet autonomous region, on July 17, 2010. Photos by Xinhua

One lesson Liu Yunshan learned more than 30 years ago remains as he is elevated to the top leadership of the Communist Party of China.

"Get down to earth," Liu, 65, often tells his colleagues. "Only in this way can we become people of confidence and intelligence."

Following the same principle, his pragmatic approach has impressed people during his work as a journalist for Xinhua News Agency or supervising cultural and ideological work, and while he lived in the border areas in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region or in Beijing, the Chinese capital.

Along with Xi Jinping, Li Keqiang, Zhang Dejiang, Yu Zhengsheng, Wang Qishan and Zhang Gaoli, Liu was elected on Nov 15 into the seven-member Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee.

Since the new CPC leadership