On The Listening Post this week: Mass demonstrations in Sudan continue despite a crackdown on protesters and the media. Plus, the Ambani brothers and India’s media.
Sudan: A crumbling regime puts the squeeze on the media
A near total media blackout in Africa’s third largest country, Sudan, and the protests there that threaten to undo 30 years of one-man rule, that of President Omar Al Bashir.
The demands of those taking to the streets are straight forward: the end of the regime. And Bashir’s response of jailing protesters and clamping down on journalism evokes echoes of the Arab Spring.
Contributors
Faisal Mohamed Salih – Journalist and columnist
Shamael Al Noor – Journalist, Al Tayyar
Khalid Al Eisir – Journalist and columnist
Isma’il Kushkush – Freelance journalist
On our radar
Richard Gizbert speaks to producer Johanna Hoes about a scandal which has hit the French media about the online harassment of female journalists by their male colleagues. And in the Philippines a story about a website Rappler and its CEO Maria Ressa who got arrested on charges of cyber libel.
Indian media and the Ambani brothers
Mukesh Ambani is the most powerful media mogul in India and one of the richest men in Asia. He owns television networks that span regions and languages, news and entertainment. And the coverage he attracts is a study in brand power, a measure of the sway he has over Indian media outlets.
Then there is his younger brother who produces headlines of a different kind. For the past year, Anil Ambani has been a central figure in a corruption scandal involving the Indian government, some suspicious contracts and a multi-billion dollar deal for French fighter jets. Outlets reporting on this story have faced multiple lawsuits from Anil Ambani’s companies alleging defamation and misreporting.
Contributors
Sevanti Ninan – Founding editor, The Hoot
Josy Joseph – Author, A Feast of Vultures, and investigative journalist
Siddharth Varadarajan – Founding editor, The Wire
Ashutosh – Cofounder, Satyahindi
Source: Al Jazeera
