MY FINAL PROJECT - PART ONE - THE MOVIE! BY POOJA MAHARAJ

Commodification of news

(Headlines that sell)

 "Your Remote Control Could Launch Nuclear Weapons"
 "Her Son Is a Werewolf"
 "Bodybuilder Explodes"
 "Aliens Wrote the Constitution"
 "Plumber Goes Down the Toilet"
 "Missing Baby Found Inside Watermelon -- He's Alive!"
 "Ads on Tombstones Cut Burial Costs in Half"
 "Researchers Discover Language That Only Women
     Understand"
 "Dead Hubby Buried With Winning Lotto Ticket in
     Pocket"
 "Man Weds 20 Women in One Year"
 "Mom Trades Twins for Lottery Ticket"
 "Girl With 36-Inch-Long Fingernails Kills Herself While
     Picking Her Nose"
 "Smoking Makes You Ugly"
 "Show-Off Drops Dead After Eating Two Telephone
    Books"


These are the types of news headlines which sell which we have discussed in the lectures. Its shocking how gossip has replaced hard core news and real social concerns.

Internet Studies 102 Final Project

hey mates...!

For the first part of this project, I will have to use photographs, music and sound, special effects and text, to make a visual argument for some aspect of Section 16 of the constitution. The general message of your movie is: Freedom of expression is important in a cosmopolitan society and democracy. My project will focus on the Freedom of the press.


The second part is that in 1500-2000 words, I will have to write a clear and highly detailed explanation of how my movie expresses ideals of cosmopolitan, democratic citizenship. My discussion should draw upon discussions of public sphere and civic agency drawn from lecture material and use the three texts listed below:
Kwame Anthony Appiah, “Cosmopolitan Citizenship”, Chapter 2 in Martha Nussbaum, For the Love of Country? Boston: Beacon Press, 1996.

Mamphela Ramphele, “The Challenges of Citizenship” in Laying Ghosts to Rest: Dilemmas of Transformation in South Africa. Cape Town: Tafelberg, 2008.

South African Constitution: Bill of Rights
This essay must also display photographic stills from my movie and explain how they illustrate particular points which I am trying to put forth in the movie.

end of internet studies.

This semester is drawing to an end and I am just trying to tie up all the lose ends and start preparing for exams. I start on the 9th of November.

Today all the Grade 12's of South Africa wrote their final Africans paper. I Wish them all the luck. "THE FUTURE LIES IN YOUR HANDS GUYS, SHOW THEM WHAT YOU MADE OFF... ALL THE BEST"

I need to get started with my final project for internet studies. I am going to miss this course very much next year. :(

Reserch project.

Hey mates! 

The post below titled "article two" is a small piece from our second group effort. which was to form an article after doing direct research and interviewing various people. 


Our interview and article was based on the Protection of Information Bill. We interviewed various people, from high profile lawyers to first year students. Gaining their person views on this Bill and the effects of it was very important for our research project.

My group members were Irshaad Bramdev and Yuvetha Sewlal.  

Article two

The protection of information bill is perhaps the most controversial political issue in South Africa at the moment. The consequences of the bill if it is passed could see a complete reform of the media and its rights of freedom of expression and speech. The bill has been hailed as many as a tool of the ANC to control the media and regulate the influence that the media has on the prospective voters. Helen Ziller, leader of the Democratic Alliance, hailed the proposed bill as a, “mask for corruption,” ¹ this view is shared by many academics in society. Jamiel Hoosen (25), a bachelor of social science graduate with history honours, believes that the bill is, “a smokescreen for the government to hide behind.” ²

The proposed bill seeks to set up a media tribunal that will regulate all forms of media for content that is harmful to national security or harmful to the personal life of anyone involved. This may seem as a noble intention, however the proposed bill does not specify the limits of the tribunal and in theory any piece of media that is published can be labelled as private or as a threat to national security despite its content. Hoosen believes that , “ The bill may prove to strengthen the democracy of the country by respecting an individuals right to privacy,” and that society voted for the government and therefore, “ We voted for our government so lets trust them.” ² This view may seem naïve yet it shows that there are many contradicting views with regards to the bill and that both society and government need to be careful as the bill moves onto its final stages.

1. Chauke, Phindile, 2010. Zille: Media tribunal a tool to mask corruption - Mail & Guardian Online: The smart news source. Mail and Guardian online. Available at: http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-09-18-zille-media-tribunal-a-tool-to-mask-corruption [Accessed October 18, 2010].
   
2. Hoosen, Jamiel (25), Bachelor of Social Science with honours in English and History, graduate from University of KwaZulu Natal 2006.
   

for all those mates from around the world. :)

CHECK THIS SITE OUT ASAP...IT IS AWESOME MATES. 

MediaClubSouthAfrica.com image library

The MediaClubSouthAfrica.com image library is a public service offering some 2 000 high-quality photos of South Africa, available in both low and high resolution for use on the web or in print - free of charge.


Read more: http://www.mediaclubsouthafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=240&Itemid=76#ixzz11N7MfIov

 

 

"Parliament to decide how much secrecy our democracy can permits"

hey mates...!

I have just read a very interesting article regarding The Protection of Information Bill. I think you guys should take a look at it.

http://www.polity.org.za/article/the-protection-of-information-bill-2010-07-20

"Parliament to decide how much secrecy our democracy can permit 

South Africans' Parliamentary representatives face a critical decision this week - how much secrecy should be allowed in our democracy?

The Protection of Information Bill has two legitimate objectives. It aims to replace the existing 1982 apartheid-era law, which imposes excessive secrecy, and to establish a statutory framework to protect state information from loss, alteration or destruction, as well as from disclosure to the public in certain circumstances. To this end, it proposes a system for preserving, classifying and declassifying state information to regulate access to all information in the hands of state officials..."

 Written by: Shameela Seedat and Gary Pienaar, senior researchers with Idasa's Political Information and Monitoring Service (PIMS)

The Protection of Information BILL.

BILL
To provide for the protection of certain information from destruction, loss or unlawful disclosure; to regulate the manner in which information may be protected; to repeal the Protection of Information Act, 1982; and to provide for matters connected therewith.
PREAMBLE
RECOGNISING
the importance of information to the national security, territorial
integrity and well-being of the Republic;

ACKNOWLEDGING
the harm of excessive secrecy

AFFIRMING
the constitutional framework for the protection and regulation of access
to information

DESIRING
to put the protection of information within a transparent and sustainable
legislative framework

AIMING

to promote the free flow of information within an open and democratic society
without compromising the security of the Republic.

ENACTED by the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa.



http://www.info.gov.za/view/DownloadFileAction?id=118894

back to school ... back to reality.

hey mates!

Its the end of vacation and im back at campus.
No more scary strikers and South Africa, Durban is having its coldest spring yet.
All the rain makes me very hungry and sleepy. 
Have to be very focused now since exams are around the corner... and more importantly my Birthday lol. (**,) 

spring brake one...!

Hey mates! (**,) ...
I'm kinda missing you guys n campus a little. My computer is down so it will be impossible to upload my vacation picture, I'm using my blackberry for time been. I'm having such a relaxed time at home with my mum and gran.
I go for driving lessons now and I plan to get my licence very soon... I hope. I'm looking forward to going back to campus and meeting my friends and also get back on track with my blogging.
Miss you guys. Mwha. Take care mates n always play it safe (-^,)

SUBMISSION OF NEWS ARTICLE...!

hey friends!

Before I tell about our article... I need to express my joy for this beautiful South African weather we having. Gosh... to feel the sweat run down your back, everything shine in the pure summer sun is amazing. The only thing missing is the soccer world cup spirit. Truly... everyday I have this craving to go and dive into the Indian ocean and let the icy water and warm sun take me to a heavenly place of unlimited pleasure.

Today my group and I posted the final copy of our news article on the "Google- China war". I do not have a copy of hand for you guys to view but as soon as I can get one I will publish it. The final copy was a master piece since Yuvetha put in all her hard work in editing it. Irshaad worked extra hard on our bibliography. Finally we three put our drafts together from all our research, got our bibliography done on zotero and edited it..., we had the perfect article ever.

Our tutor, Joe helped a lot as well, since he viewed our work and commented as well as suggested ways to improve our shortcomings. today is our last tutorial for the term. We go on vocation. Yay!!! SPRING BRAKE! ... I will post all my holiday pictures up for you to see.

         

to all my muslim followers!!!

TO ALL MY MUSLIM FREEDOM FIGHTERS... EID MUBARAAK!

HAVE A BLESSED DAY... celebrate religion.

to all my hindu followers!!!

To all my hindu freedom fighters... I WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU A HAPPY GANESH CHATURTI.

HAVE A BLESSED DAY... celebrate religion.

the 9/11 attacks!!!

hey mates!!!

For all you guys who have been keeping up with current affairs..., do you think that it is fair for the HOLY KORAN to be burnt in order to commemorate those who suffered the acttacks!!! please friends, take the quiz on the side and let me no!!! All views are welcome! 

interesting article... our back up article

GOOGLE – CHINA WAR!



GOOGLE CLOSES DOWN OPERATIONS IN CHINA AND RE- ROUTING ITS CHINESE USER TO THE GOOGLE BASE IN HONG KONG!

Google has now decided to completely shut down operations in China, since Google did not wish to censor there search results as the Chinese government demanded. Google is now automatically redirecting their Chinese consumers from google.cn to Google Search in the hosted pages of Hong Kong.


Information which the Chinese government feels should be blocked and censored to Chinese citizens are still occurring but now the onus falls in the Chinese government to censor and block which ever informational they feel is inappropriate, Google refuses to do so itself anymore. China has the most sophisticated censorship systems on the planet. Policemen and women are employed by the thousands to keep a watchful eye on all of China’s web activity. They also have a vast amount of automated systems to watch blogs as well as other banned sites and subjects.


Google has cooperated with Chinese government's restrictions for 4 long years, but said that it had a change of mind after discovering a computer hacking attack which Google traced to China. Google lost intellectual property in this attack and also discovered that the attack was directed at GMail accounts of all human rights activists. This made Google take a second look at the feasibility of all its Chinese operations.


The decision by Google to re-route its Chinese Google users to Hong Kong is a greatly welcomed decision by Hong Kong. Chinese official are not as enthusiastic about it, since they feel that Google has violated certain written promises which both Google and the Chinese government agreed on when negotiations were first held to offer Goggle internet search to China. “This is totally wrong. We’re uncompromisingly opposed to the politicization of commercial issues, and express our discontent and indignation to Google for its unreasonable accusations and conducts,” a spokesman was heard saying on Xinhua news agency, quoted by the BBC. http://www.directtrafficmedia.co.uk/News/Google_Defy_China_Breaking_Censorship_Agreement_13236651956.html


Google's head legal advisor, David Drummond, said that by providing uncensored search from Google.com.hk was a very sensible solution to the difficulties and challenges they had to face and that it is entirely legal and will increase the access to information for the Google users in China. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8581393.stm Google hopes that the Chinese government will respect their choice and are well aware of the fact that the Chinese governments can block access to their information and services any time. David Drummond, also added, Google will monitor access and provide updates regularly via a page to show what was available via Google’s services in the mainland of China.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8581393.stm


http://www.brandrepublic.com/news/991956/China-claims-Google-violated-agreement/


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_tec_google_china

our article

Google in China



The internet search engine giant Google, has been in a fiercely contested censorship battle with the Chinese governments over the content, security and privacy of the Google search engine. In 2005 Google was officially launched in China under the leadership of Kai-Fu Lee, a leading microsoft executive. It endured for 4 years before the Chinese government blocked access to Google's youtube site and other services offerred by the internet giants such as their gmail service. Soon after the block of the Google services, Kai-Fu Lee breaks away from Google and goes to the rival Chinese search engine Baidu which is made in accordance with the Chinese censorship laws.


In march 2010, Google decided to redirect all internet traffic in the Chinese mainland through the Hong Kong servers. Hong Kong is a special administrive region in China and therefore its censorship rights tend to favour freedom of speech and expression more so than the traditional Chinese censorships laws.

There is speculations that the Chinese government originally blocked off the Google services and search parameters due to the content that the Google search engine encompasses. Intermet websites that contain pornographic material is banned in the country and since they are included within the Google search, the Chinese government felt that it was necessary to block the search engine from operating within the country. This controversy over the freedom of expression and the right to express any material has sparked a world wide debate on the censorship rights that a state has over its internet usage and control.

Google popularity in China has greatly decreased in the past few years and it no longer enjoys a majority of usage in the country. Baidu now controls over 63% of the internet share in the country, almost double the usage of Google, however analysts are sceptical of the future of the quality of search engine in the country, should Google pull out of the country it is expected that their will be a decline in the need for Baidu to be innovative and creative with their product and this will lead to a deteoration of the search engine.

my internet studies lectures...

hey mates!

Last week Firday we had such an interesting lecture on how to use openshot, which is a programme used to create slide shows. Wow! It was so awesome! I felt like a Hollywood producer lol! Its also a bit tricky and so my first attempt was a bit disfuctional lol...hahaha ..., but hey!... atleast i tried. Thembisa (our lecturer) showed us a lot of fun ways of using openshot and how we can experiment with new designs, styles, titles and elements. Its not soooooooooo hard making a movie now lol!.

Our topic was freedom of expression... which by now you may have figured is the theme of our course in internet studies. We had to collect alot of pictures on freedom and make a slide show, with our own music choice. As you guys know... I picked the song "waving flag" by Knaan. I feel that, that song is the essence of freedom. especially in South Africa. 

Our double lecture on Wednesday was cancelled due to a strike on campus. I was so proud that people stood up for their rights, but was sad that some turned to violence. Remember guys, let history not repeat itself. We dont need another uprsing. We should spread love and not shed blood!!!. It is our constitutional right to strike but not harm. 

We should all practice Ghandiji's "SATHYAGARA".   

THE ESSENCE OF FREEDOM

hey mates!!!

let me put you to ease... hahaha! the song I picked was "Waving flag" by Knaan.

I feel that that song has the essence of freedom as well as South Africa in it.

smiles...!

Hey friends!
I just got it! the perfect song. Sorry I cannot tell you guys... you have to wait till I post the slide show up. I just had to tell you that at 23:10 on a cold Tuesday night the perfect track paid me a visit.! (**,)whooopa!

help guys!!!!

hey all my awesome friends!
How are all of you doing on this cold South African day!!!
Brrrr! I am cold and in need of some freshly made coffee.

I have so much of work to do since we have to submit a draft copy of our news article in our next tutorial. I am having so much fun with this course, This week in our tutorial we are going to make a slide show. It is so exciting. Expressing our views in our own unique ways. I like this idea because its so creative and new. Now guys i need yop to suggest some great songs for me, for the slide show. I was thinking about "we are the world" by Micheal Jackson or the remake of it. I also liked the heart beat track from the hindi movie Kal Ho Naa Ho... its a very emotional track. HELP GUYS!!!   

trying to cope...

hey mates...! gosh! Its a Tuesday morning!. I just wrote the hardest test ever and I lack sleep. College is really draining the life out of me..., but hey!, It pays of in the end. I just thought I'll stop by and  drop you a little message. Here are some cool links that my news team and I check out for our news article on the "Google - China war."

click on image!
   Me and my stress.

http://www1.voanews.com/policy/editorials/a-41-2005-07-21-voa6-83104812.html



http://techcrunch.com/2010/04/19/google-censorship/


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/5636958/China-accuses-Google-of-breaking-the-law.html


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/world/asia/13beijing.html


http://seekingalpha.com/article/182717-googles-clash-with-china-places-chinese-tech-etfs-in-spotlight


http://www.thechinabeat.org/?p=1432


http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/70d676de-9b69-11df-8239-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss

todays lecture....

GHANDIJI

RICK TURNER

SOL PLAATJE

wow!!! today I learnt about the methods people used to produce news papers about fifty years ago. The world of technology has really taken us by storm, but I do take my cap off for those who struggled to get the news across in an apartheid stricken country... wooohoooo! to Sol Plaatje, Ghandiji and Rick Turner.     

who new the media could be fun!!!

wow... today in our tut we formed our very own small news teams for our own internet studies news paper. well I made two new friends or team mates as I would like to call them. Irshaad and Yuvitha.

I learnt how to work on Zotero today and it was soooooo complicated, but thanks to Irshaad, Yuvi and I managed to find our way and my tutor Joe provided a good guide too.

our sub topic for our article is on the "GOOGLE - CHINA WAR" , the three of us personally feel that this is a good example on how freedom of expression is been   disregarded in the world. the other groups are doing topics like the blackberry issue in India, Iraq and other eastern countries and also the intervention of the government in our media.

our topic is most controversial since a whole country is being denied access to information that the whole world has. these people wont have us a broad access like how we have since google is he most famous.   

guys if you think that issues are steamy around the troubles with Angelina and Brad Pitt, wait till you hear about the steamy wars around media censorship. for years I have taken for granted my ability to say things when I want too and how I want too, but now when that right or freedom is been threatened, I feel a fear of losing a part of me, and truly our freedom of expression, our opinions and voice are aspects that make as who we are and now those aspects are being challenged.

for now the three of us are surfing the net to find great articles to help us in our research and we are posting them up on zotero. we I plan to do some research alone so when the next time the three of us meet, we wont have such a huge amount of articles to go through. we plan to meet during our free time to discuss this issue and to develop a plan to help execute our ideas well for our news article. 

                                                                                                                                                                 

let me sign out now friends.... take care and remember protect your rights....mwha.        

freedom of expression to me!

Greetings fellow comrades. Im a first year BA law student in Howard college, Durban, South Africa, but i would like to consider my main identity as, "A PERSON WITH A VOICE". My job, so to speak is trying to remind the world of their own voices which is unheard due to suppression, fear,  lack of information, no source of media and poverty. I have a goal which is to remind humans of the right that came with breathing..., voicing an opinion.

South Africa is a second world country, development and improvement is all around us. Our media sources are increasing and are available in many forms, but my personal form of accessing information or being informed about current events has to be the old fashioned radio. My favourite stations are East Coast Radio and  Lotus fm. I find that this form of media is easily accessible, affordable and is always on par with current events. Their news updates are informative and we don't have to wait for a specific time slot to know about issues concerning us. These radio stations are all in English. Lotus fm caters for the Indian society in South Africa. The news reported are all reported in a neutral prospective, facts are not hidden and offensive remarks are not made. Other forms of media which I use has to be the net and network chatrooms like facebook, twiter and even youtube. I am mostly interested with news around current discoveries, for example the new discoveries made by NASA, the discovery channel, scientific facts about the planet and its inhabitants.

The only reason I follow a bit of political news is so I can hear what ridiculous ways our money is spent while my neighbours living in informal settlement go homeless, jobless and hungry. Its hard not being apart of politics because its what controls our life style, be it national or international politics. My other interest have to be soccer. The soccer fever in South Africa is something i will take to the grave with me. I have become a fan and now i surf the net for more soccer events a look forward to up coming soccer events like the English premier league... GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED.

Whatever form of media it is, I feel that we all have a right to say something. We need to express ourselves in order to bring about change for the better. I  feel that we have this right to expression as long as its done in the correct place in front of the correct audience, I mean this in the sense that if u have a view about sex or violence, it should not be expressed in the presence of young and sensitive viewers and not in the sense of keeping people misinformed, by telling communities lies in order to maintain political power and bring about exploitation and also by not giving them access to any source of media and keeping them in the dark. I feel that if its worth happening ... then its worth reporting, being heard about and being expressed.

Lets all use this power of expression for good and not disregard the globe. Our voice is the paint, the world is our canvas... we only see the picture we paint. So lets not contaminate that picture with our careless attitude and stand up to make a DIFFERENCE!!!    

.