hen the cameras - and the questions - turned on the Murdochs. The ongoing investigation into the News Corp scandal. And: NGOs, the new kids on the media block.
It was a week that saw the most powerful media mogul put under the spotlight. Rupert Murdoch and his son James went under oath at the Leveson inquiry - set up to look into media standards after the phone hacking scandal at the Murdoch-owned tabloid, News of the World. The media tycoon was put under scrutiny like never before and the story has exposed the links between Murdoch and Britain's political establishment. With a legal case set for the US, this story looks set to reverberate transatlantically. In this week's News Divide, we look at the mega-media story ripping through Britain's media and political elite.
This week's Newsbytes: Murdered: a senior journalist at Dawn, Pakistan's biggest English daily newspaper; fast cars and political protest: Bahrain tries to control the story after hosting the Formula One Grand Prix; Press stopped: an Egyptian independent publication is forced to close, citing financial reasons; and, alive and kicking: Venezuela's Hugo Chavez speaks out after rumours of his death spread on Twitter.
Kony 2012
On March 6, a viral video campaign smashed viewing records. 'Kony 2012' was produced by a US-based NGO named Invisible Children and called for support in arresting a Ugandan warlord, Joseph Kony. Less than a week after it was released, it had been viewed more than 80 million times. But as the number of hits grew, so did the criticisms. Commentators accused it over simplifying a complex situation, being inaccurate and portraying Ugandans in a negative light.
Despite the reactions, the video has marked a watershed moment in online campaigning. Once upon a time, NGOs had to rely on mainstream media to get their message out. But in a modern, multi-media world, this has changed. While some see this as a good thing, others, namely the communities NGOs work with, are calling for a more accurate representation to be reflected. In this week's feature, Meenakshi Ravi looks at the new kids on the media block.
We close the show with a face that regular viewers will be familiar with. Hugo Farrant - better known as Robert Foster - is the fake anchorman from Juice Rap News. This time, Foster interviews US military man General Baxter and attacks some of the more contentious issues raised by the Kony video. 'Yes We Kony' is becoming a hit on the web and it is our video of the week. We hope you enjoy the show.
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